Hello.
My husand has got himself a job in zurich and we are looking to moving into the zurich canton.

We are an english spreaking family and I have 3 girls, 1, 4 and 8.
I have been looking into bilingual schools, international school and trying to find some local swiss schools too.

I feel my 4year old would easily be able to fit into the swiss system but worried how my 8yr old would do. she already has help with her english reading and writing so obviously it concerns me how she would cope with learning the swiss and high german.

does anyone have any advice?

With your 8 year old I think it will depend on couple of things including her disposition, her attitude to the move and the help that the school will give her. She will be entitled to a certain number of group and individual German lessons a week. My son has 3.
I have met a couple of children around your daughters age. Most seem to be doing well.
Also you will not get a choice on the Swiss school your child goes to (as far as I understand the system) When you register you will be allocated a school for your daughter to attend. And a kindergarten for your younger child when she is old enough to attend.
Good Luck with it all.

We moved with kids similar ages (8,5 and 1). They are in the international schools. The main thing to think about is how long will be your stay. Are you here permanently or long term ? If so, I would deal with the lost year (for the 8 year old) and send to a local swiss school. Are you here for under 3 years ? If so, it wouldn't be worth it to me to have such a big adjustment. Kids would have a hard time going back to US schools (not to mention that they would be behind). Your 4 year old would adjust, but K here is very short and pretty behind US. That said, if you are here long term, swiss schools catch up (and then some), but you know the answer to that better than us. Our kids have been VERY happy in the international school. Learning high german and making friends. They all want to stay here longer now.

We moved to Zurich Sep 09, after two years in Swiss International School Zurich North my son transferred into a wonderful local swiss school and has found it amazing. The younger son who is now 4 loves the pre school kinder class at the International school.

Unfortunately, I was made redundant yesterday so we are looking to move back to the UK in the next few months, i also have a large family home that im looking to rent out. Let me know if you would like the details, i have not put it on homegate yet

Hello, thanks all of you for your replies. its useful to get as much info as possible. busy looking at all the options and will take your thoughts into consideration.

- would be interested in your home - i have to admit im very new to the site - would you be able to inbox me the details?

many thanks

I have a friend who moved to Adliswil recently with three children - the two older ones (7-8 years) were allocated to a primary school that has an intensive language class for 6 or 12 months before they transfer to the mainstream. The younger one is too young for compulsory kindergarten, so he's going to a bilingual montessori preschool for the year.

There are plenty of options. Cost and transport are the biggest barriers. As others have said, if you know you are short-term, then paying for international schooling in english makes sense. If you don't have that sort of money, or are long-term then the quicker they go into the local school system the better...

Our daughter is quite 'gifted' in language but found at 9 the social aspect of the language barrier quite challenging. Our son who was nearly 7 when we arrived took to the language like a duck to water, and has done very very well. But our kids are in 'bilingual' montessori school. They have not every gone to local schools, only Montessori right through so it made sense to us to continue...

We moved to Horgen in Oct with a 4, 7 and 8 year old and as we are staying here for 5 years + we have put them into local Swiss system. We are beyond impressed with the standards and the approach and if anything, our children were behind, despite coming from good state schools in the UK. But they are now getting extra help in German, (not my youngest who is in the local Kindergarten), and my eldest is getting speech and language therapy as well. This was something we had to battle for when in the UK. It has been difficult and challenging for them initially but they re coming through the worst part and adapting really well. Love hearing their German with their wonderful accents! I would recommend the Swiss school system if you are staying for anything over 3 years. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.