Hi

Where your child goes to school depends on where you live and the age of your child. The local commune will try and find a place for your child in the nearest school to where you live, so unlike the "private" schools you dont get to choose where your child is based.

Hence question is irrelevant to a certain extent.

In general, they're all pretty much the same though and pretty good.

Hi Charlie,

Thanks for taking the time to let me know my question is irrelevant.

As I am trying to work out what area to live in based on where a good school is I feel my question is relevant and that's why I posted the question.Yes, I understand it is incredibly tough to find accomodation in Geneva and I would still like to proceed asking posting my question to the forum for any parents out there to answer if they have the time.

Based on comments in numerous other forums regarding public schools in Geneva, I am pretty sure they are definately NOT all the same.

i have been working with kids and their families for years which also includes me to be wear of which school they go and what is the level there. So far every public school in Geneva has very good level and as Charlie said earlier same level. So you have only one job left to do, find a place where to live. Good luck! 

You'll likely find better help on: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Swiss-Schooling/ or www.bumpsnbubs.com.

If you decide to move to Vaud, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/moms-in-vaud, www.moms-in-vaud.com.

Jasepitt

If you want your kids to mix with other kids whose parents live in villas and who wear labled fashion icons to school and have the latest tech etc, move to places like Chambésy, or a wealthy commune or village, where you will pay enormous rents.

If you dont mind your kids mixing with other inner city kids, getting a bit scruffy etc then downtown is fine.

However, the level of teaching and eduction is the same in both scenarios. this is not inner city London or Birmingham...but Geneva does have wealthy quarters and less wealthy ones... the issue is who do you want your kids to mix with...not what competency the teachers have.

Theres no need to get uppity, I said "irrelevant to a certain extent" ... not completely irrelevant.

Charlie, 

I'm sure that you're right and the level of teaching and education is the same however this is true of all cities because the teachers come out of the same pool and the schools must follow the curriculum set by the state.

Things get more complex however depending on the sub-culture of the school and the socio economic status of the kids that go to the school. Its not just rich kids vs poor kids, but much more complicated. Parents who have the interest, time, language skills, understanding of the law and their rights about what goes on in a school can make a big difference by weeding out bad teachers, stamping out any form of prejudice, and generally holding the teachers accountable for their actions. This can make a big difference and over time make a difference to the school overrall.

I am not making any suggestions about what exact socio-economic mix can help to produce a good school because I have no idea. But by reading forums I have heard numerous stories about prejudice against foreign kids to the extent of teachers making racial slurs against kids in class and generally mistreating them. Additionally there are stories about kids coming home with broken limbs, numerous teachers ripping up work of students and saying that it is useless, even teachers slapping kids and then the school board defending the action when the parents complained!

Some of these issues may exist more on the germanic side of Switzerland but I am not sure and so that is why I posted the question. In case there were people that knew of any issues or had any problems or were very confident that their child was going to a great school.

Jasepitt,

I don't know which forums you have been reading (hitting by a teacher would NOT be permitted, nor mistreatment -- but there is often a "survival of the fittest"-mentality), so I think you have to stop reading them!

In general, the schools in Geneva and Eastern Vaud are about equivalent.   There are differences between individual teachers, there are differences in terms of what extra help is offerred to non-native speakers (based on numbers as the policies are essentially the same, help is offerred), there are differences in school hours and transportation, and in the demographics of the school's pupils/students and in the turnaround (so in more affluent or expatriate areas where families move in/out a lot, the children might have to make new friends every 2-3 years as their old ones' parents move to the next assignment).

To read about how the schools are organized, at least in Vaud (geneva similar) read:
http://www.moms-in-vaud.com/blog/2012/07/changes-to-the-vaud-school-system/

-Michelle

That should read WESTERN Vaud!!

Tea B, here is a thread which may interest you seeing as its about a school in Grand Saconnex (described as shockingly rough) where a 5 y.o kid got attacked twice in the playground

http://www.glocals.com/forums/geneva/where-how-in-geneva/112578.htm

Michelle W, this is the thread where a parent tells how her chinese kid was slapped by the teacher and it was condoned by the school.

http://www.englishforum.ch/complaints-corner/41012-foreign-children-swiss-public-schools.html

There are more threads out there like this, so I dont see why you should dismiss these things just because it seems unlikely to you.

Sure these may be isolated incidents but that's what forums are good for. For being able to discuss things openly and hear about other people's experiences, rather than being dismissed. If each incident is swept under the carpet, forgotten or not documented, then systemic problems/issues can go unnoticed. Whereas the forums are a perfect place to try and make some sense and understand what's going on at a micro level.

I thought BIPE was mostly for "creches"/child care solutions and not schools. Maybe I am wrong.