International schools in Geneva

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Hi there,

I am moving this summer to Geneva from UK and I have just started to look for the right school for my 3 kids (7-10-12)

They are already bilingual English/ Italian and they are at the moment in a lovely English school in the countryside.

This means a lot of sports at high level from y3, plenty of activities outside but still a strong academic education.

We are expat so the school fee won't be a problem but we are linked to a strict list of schools approved by our company

I have already visited some of them:

-College du Leman, nice campus, very warm welcome and they gave me a really nice and fulfilling tour, but I found a lot of bad reviews online, any experience?

-Ecolint, LGB wich is super prestigious, but a really big school. I liked it but I also had a feeling it could be too big for my 7 and 10 kids and too focused on the older kids.

Also: it is more American model while my kids have always been in schools "British style"

- I loved Ecole international de la Cote, really my cup of tea, but it seems not to be approved by our company😭

-IIL: I have an appointment for next week. I have been told that is a very traditional British school, some friends strongly suggested it, some other found it too strict and with a heavy amount of work from a very early age.

One of my kids is very strong accademically but another not at all, and for all of them sport is very important

I wouldn't mind for my kids to learn a good French but, as we speak Italian at home, their perfect English should keep coming from the school environment.

I really need some opinions and advices, please!

Thank you in advance, F

2
Save your money. Most private schools in Switzerland offer poor teaching. A friend of mine moved from Geneva to Lausanne and his 2 children were put into classes below their age group in Lausanne. So it was a complete waste of money!

I would say put them all in Swiss public schools and let them make friends with the locals, and learn a bit of French. .

3
Thank you for your answer but:

I am looking for private schools as my kids are bilingual Italian /English just because they always went to an English school, our language at home is Italian, and I'd really like for them to keep this level of English while learning some French

In a Swiss school they would learn more French but definitely loose this English

As for the money we are expat so the company is paying all the fees as long as we choose a school from their list which include the ones I listed before.

Should we choose a statal school every cost would be on us.

4
How do you propose to give your children a social life? After school activities are seldom organised here, so you would be driving your children all over Geneva so they can meet up with their school friends after school. Geneva traffic is awful, so good luck with that one. We never had to take our children anywhere, as their school and friends were very close to their home.

Is it it better to go through life with no idea of the French language, and keeping the English fluent? My 2 children were born here 25 years ago, they are completely bi-lingual (English & German) and can work in the third language (French). They went to ordinary Swiss state schools in Bern, no Gymnasium nor university.

5
I know many Swiss who went to state school and their English is excellent

6
Well, good for them!

But spreading stereotypes of uselessness of private sector instruction is not going to help anyone. If somebody has the cash to invest in their children's education, why put fear in them just because your kids didn't need it.

There are many children who benefit from the level of academic excellence, security, supportive staff and team building that is installed in some private institution.

I agree, by the way, that you can home-school your kid at home in your mother tongue, English, or whatever, and have been doing that myself.

Geneva offers other ways to socialize, as well, scouts, school activities and sports organized in the school themselves, etc. And, if you count daycare fees, the difference between private school investments (it might fit the parents agenda to have kids full time taken care of instead of choppy state school-day care-nanny, etc...it is an organisational mess when both parent work) is not that big.

Anyways, I am a big advocate of the public instruction. But it would be myopic to push it on absolutely everyone, not everybody has the cookie cutter life style nor the same professional life here.

7
I don't know the school, but generally sport is VERY important in British schools. Yes British schools are strict, but that is not a bad thing.

8
Thank you Musicchick!

I am sorry but nobody seems to answer to any of my questions.

I haven't had a single suggestion so far, just attempt to worry me.

I just asked for some advices about which international school is preferable,

our decision about sending them to an private school is already made so for as much as I respect other's opinions, and I have nothing against public education, I'm not interested is the Swiss statal education.

it seems that nobody really read my post before writing they're posts, as the answers are not relevant at all.

English is NOT our mother tongue so I can't home school them in English

We'll be here for 3-4 years max, then somewhere else in the world, so I am looking for an international school or an English one.

Can anyone please give me any relevant suggestion??

9
It is possible that those who read EF on a daily basis (me included) do not have much experience with private schools in the area you are looking at

You could perhaps check with your colleagues from work as to where they send their kids and what their views on each school are. This way you will get the opinion of like-minded people, who are in the same boat as you.

Good luck with your move.

10
I'm sorry I can't give you any specific advice as I have no personal experience of the international schools but the bit in bold is the key point for me here.

For a short term assignment with children if that age I think the most important thing to consider is the programme offered by the school. Ideally the kids need to be studying a programme that is transferable to a school in the next place they will be moving to. As far as I know all the school offer very good sports options so try to find out more about the academic courses offered (IB, IGCSE etc)

State schools are indeed excellent especially if kids move here at a young age or are born here but with children of that age who are not going to be here long term I think an international school is definitely the best option for them.

11
Nobody will give you neutral advice in my opinion. I know people with kids in all kinds of schools, public and international and including the ones you mentioned and everyone seems to defend their own choice and claim they are the best. I have a friend who's daughter did CdL (she got 43 out of 45 on her IB) and is now studying medicine at University College London. But my other friend's son also studied at CdL did not get anywhere afterwards.

If I were you I would start by looking for housing first and then choose the closest international school (CdL or Ecolint). Both are fine for your needs. The advantage is that these schools are super international here.

12
I have worked with students from Florimont and have to say, as a strict teacher myself, agreed with the rigor and standards the school enforced. The religious part seemed un-intrusive and discrete. I have no ties to them, btw.

13
Hi Fgv,

Having worked with children in many international schools in Switzerland over the last 10 years I can make a couple of observations which may help you.

1) If possible try to keep your children in the same curriculum.

This is particularly important as your children are in or nearing secondary education. In the UK were they studying the English National Curriculum or were they in an IB school? As you are planning another move when you children will be 10, 13, and 15 this will be even more important for your next location, so you will want to think about the curriculum with a view to ensuring they can maintain that continuity where they go next. Then pick that same programme here.

2) Children learn when they are happy, confident and settled.

Although this is obvious in many ways, sometimes as parents we can get very focused on the details of the schools' curriculum, results, facilities, after school programme etc when actually we know children learn best when they are enjoying school. You will only be able to tell this with your intuition and your knowledge of the character of your children. Usually on the school visit you will get a feeling for this immediately.

If you are looking to continue with the English National Curriculum there are fewer options; IIL which you are already visiting (but they do IB not A Level and have more limited sport facilities), Geneva English School for Primary (opening a new secondary next year but with year 7 only - no good for your eldest), British School of Geneva which does the English National Curriculum right through to A Level, however has little outside space for sports activities.

The other large international school you haven't mentioned is La Chataigneraie another Ecolint campus in Fournex which has a big "countryside" campus and a lot of sport on offer. They offer a range of programmes IB, IGCSE as well as local French curricula.

I saw Florimont mentioned in earlier posts. It is traditionally a French-speaking school offering the French Bac and the Swiss Maturité and its international side offering the IB Diploma Programme is relatively new, having been established in 2014.

Finally, as you mentioned LGB, I have spoken to lots of parents who found LGB intimidating when they visited, but the way the younger children are looked after within the school means they don't feel the size of it the way we do when we visit, but yes it does feel rather Amercian, although in reality students come from over 100 nationalities and there is definitely a European bias.

There is a lot of choice, part of the reason these decisions are so tough. If you think of any more questions feel free to PM me.

Good luck!

14
Useful information here

Link with sublinks on the topic

Older link with information

Another hit from Google

Extra info from a google hit

EF Rule #1 - you are not special, your question will have been asked before.

15
Our son is at GEMS World Academy in Etoy. We are exceptionally happy with the school. Both academics and sport are a big deal there and my son has adapted beautifully. It may be too far for you though (40-odd km from Geneva). Although if you have checked out College du Leman, it might be worth looking at as its closer.

Good luck with your decision.

16
Thank you so much Teachyteach, for your fantastic answer.

(and for not attacking me anyhow....)

if you don't mind I'd really like to send you a quick PM.

thank you!

I don't feel special but everyone has a different situation and every experience or suggestion can be useful.

thank you for the links

17
I would recommend Geneva English school, it's a very nice primary school academically strong with lots of sports. They are opening a secondary school next year. My daughter is very happy there, we moved nearly a year ago. Visit the school and see it for yourself. It is located in the beautiful setting overlooking the lake.

18
Yes I know it is a really good school a lot of people recommend it , unfortunately my kids are too old for that school (11-12) just the younger one could do a couple of years there!

Where do generally people go after Geneva Englis school? Is there any particular school they tend to prefer?

Thank you!

19
Hi, have you thought about a montessori school? This may be good for either of your two younger children, they have a few in Geneva on both the rive gauche and rive droite. If you google 'montessori school geneva' the map will show you some options.

20
Hi There,

I am in the same position of FgV (also Anglo Italian family)two children currently in British schools in the UK. Daughter starting year one and son starting year 9. Planning to move to Geneva in the Summer 2017 and staying in CH for not longer than 5 years.

My biggest concern in the difference between IGCSE and GCSE.

At my son's school the do the first GCSE in year 10 and I believe that is how it works in the uk with new school reform.

We have an appointment with the British School of Geneva but I would like some feed back if it's possible. I am afraid Swiss Schools aren't an option for us as we plan to return to the UK at some point.

Thank you

Silvia