International School of Berne & ISBerne Online
Early Learning, Kindergarten, Primary School and High School, and Online High School

International School of Berne AG
Mattenstrasse 3
3073 Gümligen
Switzerland

Phone and Fax:
Phone: +41 31 951 23 58
Fax: +41 31 951 17 10

Admissions: admissions@isberne.ch

The International School of Berne – Ages 3 - 19

The International School of Bern is a 250-student international day school accredited by CIS and NEASC, serving diplomatic, academic and business families in the Berne area. It provides an English-language education for children of over 40 nationalities aged 3-19. The calendar extends from August until June.

ISBerne is one of only 182 IBO schools worldwide which are authorized to offer all three prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes: the Primary Years Programme (ages 3 –11); the Middle Years Programme (ages 11 –16); and the Diploma Programme (ages 16 –19), a comprehensive pre-university course recognized around the world as a premier University entrance qualification. The IB programmes, taught in over 3200 schools worldwide, ensure a smooth and easy transfer for ISBerne’s students to and from schools anywhere in the world.

ISBerne Online - Grades 6 - 12 / Full-time & Part-time Online Courses

Bringing choice and flexibility to students around the world, the International School of Berne now offers courses and a college-prep diploma for students online. The ISBerne Online diploma connects ISBerne’s fifty years of experience delivering a high-quality Swiss international education with the innovation and trends developed in online education, including the flexibility and self-pace. Furthermore, the program includes an optional unique cultural exchange opportunity as students are encouraged to choose a 3- to 7-week resident home-stay program hosted in Berne, a historic UNESCO World Heritage City.

Early Learning Center & Elementary School

Successful schools are built upon successful relationships. In the Early Learning Centre and Elementary School at the International School of Berne, we pride ourselves on developing positive and enriching relationships between teachers, students and parents. The choices we make, the way we operate each day, and the philosophy we embrace places the child at the center of all we do.

Our curriculum reflects a carefully considered balance between guided inquiry and the acquisition of essential skills in areas such as literacy, mathematics, the arts, sciences and humanities. Our students are actively involved in the local community through various field trips, sporting events and other experiences that enable our students to learn more about themselves, their host city of Berne and the wider community.

The diversity of cultures that make up our school community means that we are committed to our students developing a sense of appreciation and open mindedness toward the similarities and differences of themselves and others. This is especially reflected in our approach to languages: not only do we encourage our students to learn additional languages (including the language of instruction: English); we aspire for our students to live the languages they learn.

At the International School of Berne, our youngest students are provided with an educational experience that is significant, relevant, challenging and engaging. Our students are compelled to become active global citizens and the future leaders and innovators of the 21st Century.

Secondary School

The Secondary School currently has 166 students enrolled, supported by 24 full-time and 9 part-time teachers, of whom the great majority are drawn from North America, the UK, and Australasia. Our core value is ‘respect for others', and we are very proud of our positive, tolerant, multi-cultural environment.

As mentioned above, students in grades 6 - 10 undertake the IB Middle Years Programme, or IBMYP, while students in grades 11 and 12 complete the prestigious and internationally recognised IB Diploma programme. Graduating students are awarded an ISBerne High School Diploma, as well as having the opportunity to sit external examinations leading to the award of the IB Diploma, a qualification that is accepted by universities around the world. Finally, the taught curriculum is supported by an Extra-Curricular Activities Programme.

As an IB World School, we take our commitment to internationalism very seriously, and our students enjoy the benefits of the student-centred, enquiry-based approach promoted through the IB curricula. With small class sizes - the student teacher ratio is fewer than 5:1 - we are able to offer a quality education and meet the individual needs of the child.

Extra-Curricular Activities

The activities programme complements, maintains and develops existing curricula aims and objectives. It gives students access to activities that cannot normally be offered within the framework of the curriculum and offers them challenging, new experiences to enrich their time at ISBerne.

ISBerne offers a broad range of activities to meet the differing needs of the students, such as: theatre club, Model United Nations, student councils, eco club, languages, art club, board games, and much more.

Sports include basketball and volleyball, soccer and swimming. Sports teams regularly participate in SGIS sports tournaments.

Academic Results

In 2009, the International School of Berne had its first Diploma candidate who managed to earn 45 points (a perfect score). In 2010, ISBerne had its first class of Diploma candidates that managed to achieve a 100% pass rate. This year, we have both our second 45 and our second 100% pass.

In addition:

• the average total Diploma score amongst our students was 35 (compared to 30 last year);
• the average grade per subject (out of 7) was 5.51; last year it was 4.86.
• ISBerne average grades were higher than the world average in 27 of the 34 subjects studied – in 11 of these subjects, more than a full grade higher.
• 88% (15) our Diploma candidates were awarded Bonus Points;
• nearly 30% (5 candidates) earned full available bonus points (3 of 3);
• nearly 30% of candidates also received the grade of A on their Extended Essays;
• 18% of candidates (3) received the grade of A for Theory of Knowledge; 70% of the candidates (12) received B or better. (Last year, there was no TOK grade above C.)

College and University Acceptances

Each year there is a graduating class of approximately 20 students and of these students 90% will go on to a college or university somewhere in the world. Those bound for the United States attend 4-year colleges and universities. Below is a list of some of the universities and colleges to which students from ISBerne have been offered admission in the last three years.

Europe: Berne University, Birmingham University, Bristol University, Cambridge University, City University, Cumbria University, Essex University, Glasgow University, Goldsmiths College (London), Imperial College London, John Cabot University (Rome), Kent University, Kings College London, Leeds University, Liverpool University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Newcastle University, Rome University, Royal Holloway London, SAE Institute (London), Sheffield University, Southampton University, Warwick University, Webster
University.

North America: American University, Brown University, George Mason University, Guelph University, McGill University, McMaster University, Northeastern University, Providence College, Queens University, Quest University, Rochester University, Simon Fraser University, Syracuse University, Toronto University, University of British Columbia, University of California, University of Southern California, Waterloo University,
York University.

Rest of the World: Atenio de Manila University, ITESM Technical University.