Haut-Lac

About

Haut-Lac International Bilingual School is a locally-rooted school community with an international outlook. While 50% of its families are from the area or permanently-based in Switzerland, the other 50% come from all over the world. The school’s duty is therefore to nurture both students and their families to help them integrate as smoothly and as quickly as possible.

Haut-Lac opened as an independent day school in 1993 with thirteen students, and now welcomes approximately 600 students and offers a boarding option. Its location and highly diverse, international student body give students a wealth of opportunities to examine their own and other cultures in a global context. The teachers are able to follow the progress of each child closely thanks to small class sizes. They actively encourage their students to adopt positive, responsible and caring attitudes within the classroom as well as towards the wider school community and beyond.

A good relationship between the school and the parents, a rich choice of extra-curricular activities and the many opportunities to become involved and act cooperatively with others provide a stimulating and caring environment in which they are able to develop their potential to the full.

The Program

Infant and Primary Program

This personalised teaching curriculum teaches students to work together, communicate effectively, recognise and respect similarities and differences, and appreciate nature and the world around them through the study four concepts: culture, conflict, communication and conservation.

At its core, it enables students to develop and apply their academic knowledge and transferable, lifelong learning skills to the real world through creative, innovative and thought-provoking themes.

In line with the IB philosophy and that of the school, it encourages students to become active, curious, passionate, and independent learners.

Secondary Academic Programs

Secondary students have a variety of options to choose from depending on their individual needs and future plans. And all are available in English only, French only or bilingually.

Students aged 11-15 may study the IB Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) or Swiss Bilingual Cycle. Should they choose the latter, they will study alongside their MYP peers but have additional maths, French and German lessons to help them prepare for the Swiss state school entrance exams at 15.

Students aged 16-18 may study the prestigious IB Diploma (IBDP) or Career-Related (IBCP) programmes, or a selection of IBDP subjects to obtain our US High School Diploma.

As an Athlete-Friendly Education Centre (AFEC) accredited by the World Academy of Sport (WAos), Haut-Lac is also able to provide flexible IBMYP timetables and extended IBDP or IBCP programmes to help high performing athletes balance their studies and intense training schedules.