About
Founded in 1897, the Collège & Lycée Saint-Charles is located in outstanding settings in Ajoie, in the Swiss Jura Canton. The school, which welcomes young people aged between 10 and 20, stands on the edge of the Allaine, in a tree-lined garden at the foot of the magnificent Château de Porrentruy.
Nicknamed the Athens of the Jura, this little town with nearly 7,000 inhabitants is known for its long tradition of education, its openness to the wider world and its vocation of stimulating the thirst for knowledge.
Collège et Lycée Saint-Charles, follows the humanist and Christian values of caring for others and the environment, respecting cultures and individuals, and approaching the world with openness and positivity. Thus, the school aims to develop the same values in students and to support students in becoming responsible, global citizens who work to make the world a better place.
The Program
Primary School
At Saint-Charles, children and adolescents follow the public school curriculum. The reduced class sizes allow students to tackle subjects in greater depth. This makes all the difference.
The school welcomes primary school children from the 5th HarmoS onwards. The students receive highly structured teaching. They are supervised by a teaching team that work together closely. The programmes extend beyond the requirements of the PER (Plan d’Études Romand, the Francophone Swiss Studies Plan). The teaching schedules are different from that of public schools, especially in terms of the transition to secondary school. Students make use of the 5th and 7th year of primary school to familiarise themselves with the school, and in particular with intensive language learning. Subsequently, the 8th and 9th year allow children to finish their training in order to choose their future paths at the end of the 9th year.
Secondary School
At Saint-Charles, They accompany your child to ensure their success by providing them with the tools to make the right choice for both of you. The structure makes it possible to postpone student orientation until transition to secondary school. Orientation takes place at the end of the 9th year, on the basis of academic results, as part of the secondary A or secondary B pathways.
Orientation in the 9th year takes place in small classes. Pupils are supervised by teachers whose goal is to help them to progress, in order to make wise choices for the rest of their time at school. The pre-gymnasial “A” pathway is intended mainly for students wishing to pursue further studies after the end of compulsory schooling. The work is fast-paced and demanding. This course offers pupils a Latin option, which is essential for learning this language in high school, or a science option that includes the study of physics and applied sciences and an hour of technical drawing. The general “B” pathway is aimed at pupils intending to go on to (among other possibilities) a commercial school, a general education school or an apprenticeship. The main branches are recognised by the canton of Jura as level “B”.
Lycée
Achieving a high school diploma opens the doors to higher education institutions (University, HES, HEP) or other professional training paths. The Lycée Saint-Charles is an institution recognised by the Swiss Confederation and is authorised to let its students sit the Maturité exams. As of 2016, the Lycée Saint-Charles offers a bilingual French-English Maturité exam.
The school differentiates itself by the duration of studies and the pace of work. The students take their Maturité diplomas after four years of courses. This schedule allows students to reconcile their studies with extra-curricular activities and to develop their know-how, as well as, their social skills. The pace of study is steady. The free time provided is beneficial to students’ development.
IB Programs
General Information
Curriculum- International Baccalaureate (IB)
- Swiss Matura
Accreditations- FSEP - Swiss association of Private Schools
- IB World Schools
- Age Range: 8-20
- Boarding Age: 10
- English
- French
Facts & Figures
Campus
Education Institution
