Hi, wondering if anyone has run into this situation. I can't find any specific threads. We are moving to canton Vaud before the school year starts and I have a 6 year old and a 13year old. My 13year old has been in French immersion since kindergarten and seems to be completely bilingual however I am worried that she is not up to speed in a fully French environment at school. We had looked at bilingual French schools but way to pricey for me so we will have to send them to public school. Has anyone had a teen that started school here that late? Also they start them really young in the apprentice programs and will this affect her being able to participate in this? My 6 year old just completed French immersion kindergarten so she really has only a little French but she is a sponge so I won't worry about her. Any info would be appreciated

Hi tasharain,

I think that your daughter is in a bit of a unique situation: most countries don't have French immersion schools similar to those in Canada, so I'm not sure how many people on the forum will be able to offer first-hand advice. However, as a fellow Canuck, I will say that I think her immersion experience is more than sufficient to attend a state school in Switzerland. Even though she will not be quite at the language level of her peers (Swiss French is not like Canadian French, but in a good way!), she already has all the language essentials (which is a huge asset), and she's still at an age where she'll absorb everything else she still needs to learn relatively quickly.

I can't offer specific advice regarding apprenticeships, but I wouldn't worry about that at this stage. Regardless of whether she chooses to take this route or continue her education, her language skills will not be a barrier. I'm sure she'll be speaking like a Swissie in no time. I managed to lose my Canadian French accent in a few months, and I'm wayyyyy past 13.

Best,

Heather