International School of Lausanne vs. Collège Champittet

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Hi everyone! My family and I are going to be moving to Lausanne this summer due to my husband's work. I have one daughter who is 13. We are beginning to look at schools for her (we would have sooner, but we just found out), and have found a few. Our top two choices right now are the International School of Lausanne and Collège Champittet (pully campus). Do you have any comparisons? Pros/cons? Also, do you have any comparisons not only academically, but socially? Do you have any other good school suggestions? We are looking for an international school with IB. Anything will help, thank you!

2
I would apply to more than one, if I were you.

Places can be very hard to come by.

Oh, and this is the height of the application season, so I wouldn't waste time.

3
One difference to be aware of is that ISL is run by a non-profit foundation and College Champittet is owned by a for-profit chain of schools.

4
To be honest, having worked in both types, it doesn't make a blind bit of difference if the school is run well and it doesn't make a blind bit of difference if the school is run poorly.

EVERY school is in the business of maximising resources and obtaining the greatest efficiency - profit or not-for-profit.

5
I agree to some extent, but I certainly prefer having my children attend schools where the needs and desires of outside investors are not part of the equation. Sometimes that isn't an option, or as you point out, sometimes a not-for-profit can be a less desirable for other reasons.

6
Why? The needs and desires of outside agents are always part of the equation and completely inescapable.

Whether they are cantonal requirements pertaining to education, examination board requirements, university requirements to further education, a largely unelected board or shareholders is neither here nor there.

As a view, what you are saying may appear laudable, but to those involved in education, it is somewhat wishful thinking.

7
Does your daughter speak French? ISL is run completely in English, while Champittet is about 65% French, 35% English.

8
Hmm...interesting points, but they seem a bit circular. Would you please define how to determine if a school is well run?

9
What's circular about them? There are conditions to do with a school existing that cannot be avoided.

How does one determine if a school is well run? With great difficulty.

In order to see if a school is well run, one first has to look at its mission statement. It will exist somewhere. If a school is to gain accreditation by an international body, then it will need to follow this mission statement. However, it is unlikely that a school will let a prospective parent get their hands on this accreditation report as it can be misconstrued by a non-specialist.

The next thing is to look at the exam results. Are they what they should be? Unfortunately, as an outsider, it is very difficult to see the "value added" so one cannot tell if the results are par for the students, or above what they should be (or under). I suppose looking at the averages can help, but they are simple enough to skew by entering weak students as external candidates. That way, they do not count towards a school's official figures.

When visiting the school, look at the class sizes, the behaviour of the children, the atmosphere of the place. You can tell a lot about how your kids will feel in a school by the general atmosphere.

However, a bad atmosphere does not mean that the school is run badly - it may be that the staff are under pressure to obtain excellent exam results - and a good atmosphere can also mean that the staff are coasting and kids are underachieving. Or vice versa.

Also bear in mind that IB accreditation does not make any comment on how well a school is run. It merely shows that the school is following the IB guidelines to run the courses adequately. It does not make any comment on the quality of teaching that goes on or the pastoral care.

10
I totally agree with Tuborg. It is particularly difficult to get a place at ISL and there tends to be stiff competition. A lot might also depend on your husband's employer- for instance, whether they have any existing agreements with the schools.