we called the local public school, and was told that if the kids(my son is 8, will be 3rd grade) is non-german speaker, will usually put into a special class. Mixed with 2-6 grades, and learning German for a year, then put into the regular class....

anyone has more information on it?

since we will only be in Zurich for a year, i don't know if it is a good decision to send him to public school...

thanks for any information!

I can't answer your question from personal experience, but there have definitely been people who have used that system and found it really good for transition to the swiss system.

Are you definite that it's only a one year posting ?

If so, and you have the money to pay private school fees (which are excruciatingly expensive)...then shop around a bit...

If not, and you either could end up here permanently, or can't pay the school fees, then the transitional year could be really great...

I guess it also depends on your learning priorities for your kids - ours went into a bilingual Montessori school and they struggled with the language for about 6 months and then it came good, and the second year at the school was 1000% less stressful than the first...

We are in the same situation, a small class of 12 kids in integration class for the first year so they can enter the next level with the pre-requisite language skills. It's a fantastic opportunity and chance for my kids. Ours start August 21st methinks. It's a wonderful choice to be afforded and I have high praise for the edcuation system that created this opportunity.

Yeah, my kids will leave school a year later/older, but that's a small price. They are fine with it after explaining it to them. Kids adapt.

Add to be bi , possibly tri-lingual is a gift for life...

inter comm and ZIS both have long waiting list for 3rd grade..

montessori will be another option for us. my husband visited (Rietberg?) last week. He said they seems more focus on German. all the signs, classroom materials seems German material. Do they have enough English reading materials?

and i heard several families (sabbatical type, only in Zurich for a year) choose public school. So I would like to find more informaiton about what will it like in public school for a year?

Did you try ZIS Baden? Or is moving not an option.

thanks! it is wonderfuly to hear someone has this experience... so your kids will go to regular class after 1 year special class, so you are staying in Zurich for more than 1 years, right?

how do you feel about the special class? do they learn German all day? how about math and other classes?

we will also concern his reading in English after we return to USA.

BTW, he is already bi-lingual in USA... so not sure third language will be a stress on him... (he is not particularlly gifted on language, i think)

no.. we will live in ETH apartment. I think it is in the city downtown..

Hello,

I`d go for an international school in this case.
there are several here in Switzerland:

http://www.zis.ch/
http://www.icsz.ch/
http://www.waedenswil.ch/bildung/zis/
http://www.international-school.ch/iszn/de/index.php

good luck.

We are here indefinitely (loving it)...
They learn German all day, but in and around many varied activities. It wont be text book and parrot talk for the whole year.
They will be in the Balgristschule / Karthaus catchment area and integration class. The school have made us feel very welcome and made the whole process very easy. A member called 'clarejane' would share a womans voice and feelings in this matter and it would be nice to meet up with similiar parents...

did you meet any family like our sitation in the class? only be in zurich for a year?

Then just go with the local school as I think for one year your son will have an interesting experience. As for his English skills, you will need to be sure to keep these up so when you return to the US they don't put him back a level because he was not attending school in English. There are various ways to do this but just keep in mind that speaking English with him is not enough to keep up his reading and writing skills.

No, we appear to be alone, but with the full support of forum mebers who helped us take the first step. Speak to the schools.

Just for a year though, it may be best to choose an international school that abides to or follows their current curriculum....

Just wait until my cockatoo sees this...she's gonna give you a red blobbie.

I think it really depends on your educational/social priorities and your finances...

Either way, they have to adapt, make new friends, meet with challenges, learn a new language, culture, food...

our kids are in Montessori because we are Montessori teachers and there's no grading, so going into a bilingual English/German Montessori school was a soft option, but also our only option, since the tuition is part of my husband's contract...

I think your children could have a wonderful experience in the swiss integration class, meet a great bunch of kids who are all 'new' to switzerland, and have teachers who are dedicated to helping these kids learn all about the local language/culture/environment...

It's also cheap/free... you have things like walking to/from school, lunch breaks and days when they finish early, standard school holiday breaks, and plenty of time for extracurricular stuff.

If you aren't bothered with them missing out 'academically' but immersing in the experience and just enjoying it all - then the local system does sound like a good option.

Our child did this. As the months and terms passed he spent more time in his actual Swiss school with his Swiss class rather than in his special German language class. They may have changed this system, though it was excellant and really worked for him.
The school authorities decide what class he should be in based on age rather than number of years already in school outside of Switzerland. An eight year old would usually go into second class here.

There are loads of really long and informative threads on this in the family section. They are really worth reading.

Hello there! You mention in your posting that you are a Montessori teacher? We are moving to Zurich from Miami, USA and my daughter is currently in a montessori preschool and we love it. Can you tell me the name of the school? I am also trying to decide what is the best option for my children as we prepare to move next year. Many thanks!

sent the above person a PM.

Please feel free to PM me if you want info about Montessori ...

Hello All,
just moved form US and ave two kids 6 (currently in the kindergar) and 9 yrs (currently in 4th grade) and they only speak english. I've been visiting private and internationla schools and have an idea but still have not made up my mind and I'd highly appreciate your help. I think to register my 9yrs to bilingual school and my 6 yrs to a local school? also would like to have some thoughts on the pubilc schools? do they provide a good level of education regardless the area where you live?

thanks much

I really don't know what you want us to tell you here. I'm not sure whether your post was added to this Thread by a Moderator, but you already have the sort of information you are looking for here and in similar Threads in the same sub-forum.

A good school? I suppose this really means a good school for your child at this moment. And no-one can tell you that. There are schools which have a higher percentage of foreign children, which is, to a Swiss, mostly considered a negative point. For a foreign child who comes here, this can be positive as the chances are greater that the teachers have more understanding for the child's problems and there are more likely to be local facilitities for extra German lessons for these children.

Any form of private schooling tends to be expensive here. If the firm pays and the length of time here is short, great. Paying oneself is often not an option and if the stay here is longer, they will have more friends in the same area if the attend a Swiss school... Two children in different school forms means very different holiday times... I could go on all evening.

Good luck in your search and -er Welcome to the Forum.

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Longbyt