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| Hello all:
I am looking for some advice/insight into what has become a dilemma for my family. We are contemplating a move to the Buchs SG area in February. We have 3 boys ages 8, 11, and 12. All of native english speakers with very little german language ability at this point. (we have been doing tutoring once weekly for the past month or so in anticipation of the move) We had been relying on advice we got about 1.5 years in an international school being sufficient time to allow for a transition to the swiss education system. We are looking at this move as a long-term move and not just a 2 or 3 year thing.
It is our understanding that the swiss school system "tracks" students in the 6th grade into either a vocational/real program or a university/gymnasium path.
Knowing that our kids would be unlikely to pass the test(s) initially we are not sure how to proceed. Any advice or insight into your experience with kids this age would be appreciated. I am also looking for insight into how the swiss schools deal with kids who are past the 6th grade when they move there or attempt to transition into the swiss schools. What are their options for getting on the gymansium track.
All of our kids are bright and in the gifted and talented programs at their schools in the US. We would not want them to be limited to vocational education simply because their language knowledge was not sufficient quickly enough.
thanks in advance. | |
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hi there
we have also gone throght the similiar situation as you are in now. we arrived here 9 years ago. for the first 3 years my daugher (now14) was going to the international school but for ceratin reasons we changed her to the swiss school. she also had german once a week there but not so much. seeing her local school we never sent our (now11) younger daughter to the international school at all. she went to the swiss playgroup, kindergarten and now is in 5th grade. we did a bit of english with her and now she is at the level of reading harry potter. so its good for us. as someone else has pointed out also it was also one of the best decisions we could have made. now my elder one is in the 3rd gymmi and we are satisfied for both the girls. the local school we felt is more disciplined and the level of the education is a bit on the higher side. now what i feel is the more languages your child nows the better and english is the language everyone knows(nearly).
i hope i could help.
all the best
pink pompom