Hmmm I am a Frenchwomen with an American background, married to a Swiss and living in Lausanne. I just had the same questions concerning schooling for our daughter: public or private. Quite honestly it will be private, bilingual.

1st of all, yes, public schools are based on your district. So housing location is very important, but since the market is so saturated you might end up living somewhere and not liking the school there.

Also, swiss public schools follow a program that I do not feel comfortable with. Children start school at 4 or 5 yo. They do 2 "kindergarten" years and really start learning reading, wrtiting from age 6 when they enter "primaire". A lot of schools do not have any grades and simply have appraisals by the teacher. Around age 11 there is a selection based on the child's abilities and previous years to determine whether he/she is smart enough to pursue higher studies or go to more practical schooling. Meaning at age 11 your child follows a selection process determining if he/she will go to high school or not. If not it is "apprentissage" which mixes work and studies, leading to entering the work market at 17/18 yo.

Personnally I cannot understand a schooling system that does not motivate and encourage children to go to high school and later on university ; a system that does not suppose from the start that all children have the capacity to attain high education levels.

So, I chose the private system for my daughter. Concerning the Mosaic school I cannot give you any info as I live in Lausanne.
Fdauphin, Feb 14, 2009 @ 12:43

 CamilleRond,
Did you ever decide on a school for your son?  Just curious as my 5 year old just started his second year at French public school and he still is not speaking French, though he seems to understand it.  I have a few friends at Mosaic, but everytime I contact them, the wait list is "too long".  I may look into the Institut in Lancy too.  It is a difficult decision!
S

clonell, Sep 24, 2009 @ 11:57

 Hi - Just to let you know I had the same problem with my 5 year old. I was actually called in to see the teacher to be advised that his french was not progessing. He goes to a local school. We decide to leave it a while to see how he went otherwise there was the option of him having french lessons at school. Later the same week that I had been called in to speak to the teacher she asked to see me again but this time to tell me that he was speaking french and fluently. It will come to your son but in his own time. It's all in their head but they take their own time to speak it and when they do it tends to be prettu much fluent

pazzer, Sep 24, 2009 @ 15:24

 Hello...
I too had the same with my daughter.She is in 2e now,but last year I was called to see the teacher 3 times about her not speaking French.Then 2 months before summer I had the teacher tell me that she was speaking fluently.
She happily talks French to people in the shops,and too our surprise last night,was talking French in her sleep!!!!
She loves going to our local school,and also the fact that all her chums live in the area.Since moving here,she has had more play dates and parties than in the uk!!
Opps better go and get her!!!
Nookes x  Also since starting lunches...she eats salad(yippeee!)

Nookes, Sep 24, 2009 @ 15:38

Hello,

I'd appreciate your opinions about Colege du Leman and International School of Geneva. We are moving to Geneva on January and our 15-year old son is accepted to both schools. We don't know which one to choose...We decided to choose the house depending on his future school, so now the main decision should be made  If you know something about these schools, please share your opinion!

Mil_Lena, Nov 11, 2009 @ 13:03

In reply to most of the above, I myself went to the International School of Geneva (Ecolint). They used to have 2 campus locations back when I was a student and now I think there are 3 in total. Each campus is big, full of students of various nationalities ethnicities, languages and backgrounds. Reflecting back on this, there is such a mix of values that no one is judged on who they are or where they come from. A large number of students also means that it is impossible not to find friends or not to be able to fit in (I am talking from a child's perspective).

The teachers come from all conrners of the world as well, have good qualifications and the LGB campus of Ecolint gave birth to the International Baccalaureate system as well.

I have never been to CDL, but judging from what I heard (and people i met) it is a "fight for survival" environment. Most students there come from high income families who can afford higher tuition and boarding fees. Consequently, there is a large concentration of few nationalities such as Russians (not that i have anything against any of them). In addition, the school is located out of town, which means you and your family will spend most of your days in the countryside without getting to feel the Geneva city life. There are advantages and disadvantages to this oen as well, so I leave it to a personal choice.

All but one (La Chatagneraie) Ecolint campuses are located in town, which is convenient. The one next to the UN welcomes pre-school and middle school students. The LGB (La Grande Boissiere) lodges all grades from kindergarden to 13th (12th American system). Truth be told, it is equally likely and unlikely that you will find an apartment in any of the areas close to the school.

Regarding the language, there is a choice of teaching language. The split between french and english sections is 50:50. Plus either section has language courses either way.

To conclude, I would vote for Ecolint. Then again, I am slightly biased. If you have any more questions, do not hesitate to send me a message. Good luck!

lisabona, Nov 11, 2009 @ 13:41

Hello,

i vote for EcoInter. for the bilingual section...The best for me is Institut Florimont;

for public school i vote for Collège Calvin and Collège Candolle (high school)

good luck

;-)

Medicis, Nov 11, 2009 @ 16:20

What about Institute de Lancy, anyone like that school?

clonell, Nov 11, 2009 @ 16:28

Dear All,

Thanks a lot for your quick reply and support! I've just joined this forum and I see that I can count on the help of great local community! I hope to meet you personally once .  With the best regards, BJ

Mil_Lena, Nov 11, 2009 @ 16:37

You are very welcome ;-D

Medicis, Nov 11, 2009 @ 16:46

We put our son in the Institute International de Lancy at the beginning of this years school calendar 7th grade and we find it to be very good. Quite academic so sports are all done in your own time outside school curriculum, not what I'm use to having been raised in Australia. Our son is in the English curriculum (there is an English and French curriculum). I'd recommend it to anyone moving here. Just so you know we are not new to this, we have lived in 5 different countries the last 11 years since our son was born. The school follows in principal the UK approach, at least its text books.

Peter B, Nov 11, 2009 @ 18:32

Hello! Sorry to open this post again. I was wondering which school you would recommend between Florimont and Institut International de Lancy? Just wondering what is the difference and how to choose between them?

 

spellbinder, Jan 9, 2016 @ 00:06

Our son is due to graduate from IIL and to me it has been the very best of everything....academically very strong. I agree with Peter B in all that he says..sports wise they are getting better but the emphasis is definitely academic.

Jeffery S, Jan 9, 2016 @ 22:05

Just for Reference to anyone else who may be interested in this Topic ..I give you my expereience  - I have 3 kids currently aged 18,16 & 14. 1st 2 in private school & last in public.

If I could turn the clocks back I would put all through the local public system up until the age of 12  - when they get streamed - then you chose . 

If they stay in the high stream (VP) or next level down in the local system- keep them there & if not you still have private options with no impact on the childs education. Kids can move upstream also if the don't get good enough grades at 12  - so dont let people say they can't.

Why public... most kids under the age of 10 will learn French and adapt no matter what language they currently speak  - and they will keep this language skill for the rest of their lives  - and it will be invaluable later. Second the local schools in Switzerland are generally excellent with a traditional curriculum that gives them all they need to progress.Obvioulsy if you live in a socially deprived area living below the average wage level you may have some issues  - but I assumethis is not the case for most!! Third they (the kids)  get much more integrated into the loacl community and will have many more friends (over time) and will grow up in reality rather than a somewhat  elitist environment. Fourth it wont cost you a penny . Even if the company pays for private schools in the medium term, its a false economy as you'll end up paying at somepoint in the future  - and at prices ranging from 15k to 35 k CHF per annum net not counting all the extras  - that is not cheap. Fifth my experience and many others I've spoken to is that private schools in Geneva & Vaud area - no matter what they say  - really dont support kids until they are 15 and above anymore than the public schools  - so why pay.

In short  - unless your kids have learning difficulities  - public school under the age of 12 is my strong recommendation.Sadly this is only something that can be taught with hindsight.Good Luck to anyone who is embarking on this educational roller coaster.

Tim emens, Jan 11, 2016 @ 21:55

Good post Tim but I feel I must play the devils advocate here a little..

Take your comment -

"they get much more integrated into the loacl community and will have many more friends (over time) and will grow up in reality rather than a somewhat  elitist environment."

I take it the 'elitist environment' pertains to the private school your two eldest attend ?? If so then perhaps you could name the school...

I consider my son is very much growing up in 'reality' at the school he attends (IIL) as the amount of preparation they put into preparing the kids for the 'real' world is superb - the value of hard work, diligence, manners etc etc.

The point you make about language skills is interesting - my son knew no French before entering IIL 4 years ago and is now fluent not only in French but in Spanish also - does the private system provide more languages ? I take it it probably does but just making a point.

You also mention the integration into the local community - I know our son as part of the cirriculum is required to participate (and is indeed marked on ) in CAS (community action service) and as such has to partake in some form in the community.

TIm, I am not rying to make an argument here but it needs to be said that private schools certainly have a place alongside and equal to the public system and I guess some are better than others (in both areas !!) - horses for courses

Cheers

Jeffery S, Jan 12, 2016 @ 09:23