It looks like we will be moving out to Basel in time to start the new school year in August. At the moment we haven't visited Basel and have been reading as much as we can via the internet with the view of taking a weeks visit in March.

Schools - Does anyone have any views on either SIS or ISB, we have a 14 year old son starting year 10 in August. He has been doing German at High School, but very limited. We are vying towards ISB at the moment.

Also, where would the best place to live be, even if we have some starters for our visit in March, it would be really helpful.

Thanks to anyone who responds

ISB has easy commute with tram. So just live anywhere you want in the canton Baselstadt and in most parts of the canton Baselland and in some places of canton Solothurn, nearby France or nearby Germany. The locality is however called Reinach - you may want to search that name in your flat hunt.
The school is at the edge of the city, so you can also be close to it with easy tram commute and live in the middle of Laufental (rural, start of the Jura montain area) if you look on the southern side.

I have two children in the ISB (12 and 14). Do you want to know anything specific?

Thanks very much for your reply. We' re spending this evening looking the various areas you have suggested. It's a good start for us.

Thanks, I think what I really needed to know was if your children settled in well to the school, if you have found the teaching good. I am sure our son will be fine in this school, I guess I'm the one who is worried. Can I also ask you, I have been told Swiss German is the main language used in Switzerland which is quite different from German. I wanted to know as I was planning for myself and our son to have some lessons in the language we are most likely to use when we arrive. Thanks for your help.

ISB would be probably better than SIS for an older child, as it has a separated primary and secondary school - and there would be more children his age.
SIS has more small children in it than older children, and they are all in the same building....nothing particularly wrong with that, but its just to think about as it is a much much smaller school

SIS is bilingual.

As far as commute goes - it depends where you live whether it is easy or not. For a given value of easy, of course. But the Basel area public transport system is comprehensive, reliable and regular, so it's not really something to worry about too much.

Definitely ISB

you need to live in Reinach, Muchenstein, Therwil, anywhere on the 11 tram

pm me if you need to know anything else..

i have 2 kids there one in the junior school and one in middle school - they love it!

Not too sure about this but heard if you live in Reinach you get a discount off the school fees at ISB. Sway your decision??

The ISB has a very good reputation for the standard of education and given your sons age there is a good argument for not considering regular Swiss schooling I guess. He's unlikely to get much cultural exposure though and as mentioned the SIS is bilingual.

Happily, at 14 years old your son has a very good chance at avoiding the obligatory American accent that most kids from the ISB seem to pick up.

(Hope it all goes well)

Think both schools have good and not so good features. Would ultimately choose based on your proximity to the school and the impression you get when you visit them and have a look around...

I have a colleague who was educated at ISB - nothing lacking in her "cultural exposure" and her accent definitely sounds British ( not that it matters) She is also now bilingual. Staff at ISB come from several different countries and the E 1st L children I have met, all have the accents of their own parents ie: various UK accents, Australian, various North American.... One of the features of most international schools is the acceptance, indeed the celebration , of differences amongst the students.

My son nearly 15 yrs attends the ISB and he has settled really well .It is alot different to the UK system and follows the IB grades,whereas the SIS follows the UK system,I guess you have to think will he be attending college in UK in a couple of years then I personally would choose SIS at least the grades are recognised O level,however if you wish to stay until 18yrs then choose the ISB,then he will be ok for Uni in the UK.
Areas you dont get subsidy for is Dornach but most other areas you receive 2,000 discount.If you are not paying for the school Dornach and Gempen are beautiful areas ,but most of the surrounding areas of Switzerland are also. Good Luck with your visit.

Living in town is best if he is going into grade ten. Then he can get to school easy from the 11 tram and also get out at night/during the day without you worrying about him missing the tram. Also this cuts out the need for a taxi which is super super exspensive in Basel. You can walk home if you live in town as you will have a maximum 15 minute walk from city centre if you miss the last tram which is at about 2am. depending on where you live!
areas in town I can recomend are Aeschenplatz, Zoo area, St Alban and Denkmall area.
Also Klein basel is perfectly fine.
All of these places are really central and nice to live in, they will increase your ability to network outside of the ISB a bit and enjoy the Swiss culture!

Oh and do you want a link for a property renting website?

Tip : you are looking for a 4 1/2 atleast or 5 zimmer apartment I think because the hallways and sitting rooms also count as rooms and you need for sure 3 bedrooms if you have two sons one of which will be studying

Hhhhmmmm.... school kids potentially out till after 2am? I think that would ensure that I would be choosing to live in the middle of the countryside where said child would be dependent on me ( and my rules) for transport home!

A property link would be great thanks, having been looking at a couple through the internet but if you have used one, it would be good to have. thanks

http://www.immoscout24.ch/IS24Web/Se...el&lng=en&wl=1