Why ZIS Bilingual?

A child’s early years are the best time to lay the foundation for their future and students in our bilingual program will get so much more than just a great education. Your child will benefit from the full ZIS Experience and being part of our special international community where children from 70 nationalities with 40 languages feel at home. Your child will be an integral member of the entire Lower School community and enjoy a variety of activities with children from other classes and year groups, such as regular assemblies, co-curricular activities and excursions.

ZIS is a non-profit organization and every franc goes into developing our program to ensure that each student is challenged and supported.

Overview

Core homeroom subjects are taught in German by a native German speaker (Maths, Reading, Writing, Social Studies and Science).
Single subjects, which include Physical Education (PE), Music, Creative Arts and Library lessons are taught by native English speaking teachers in English
Approximately 60/40 split of German to English (until end of Grade 2 then 50/50)
Follows the Swiss Curriculum (Lehrplan 21)
Wide range of co-curricular activities included that children in both bilingual and international pathways participate in

Frequently Asked Questions

Kindergarten students working together at a table in class

Inquiry-based curriculum

Through our inquiry-based curriculum, your child will learn:

the value of focus and problem-solving;
the importance of play, curiosity and enthusiasm; and
a sense of wonder and possibility.

Teacher talking to two kiindergarten students as they work together in class

Outstanding Academics

Together with outstanding academics, your child will:

develop essential skills through our extensive STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) program;
benefit from hands-on learning through curricular field trips;
enjoy a wide range of after school activities in both English and German; and
have access to student support services.

And all included in school fees.

Student Life

Inspiring Teachers

We pride ourselves on having excellent, inspiring, and innovative teachers.

Our bilingual classroom teachers are native German teachers who have a Swiss teaching diploma and experience of teaching in an international environment.

Our teachers:

encourage and guide students to develop a love of learning
treat and know each student as an individual, supporting and challenging them based on their needs and abilities
continuously develop their skills and understandings through our extensive professional development program
value close partnership with parents

Excellent Facilities

The Lower School provides the ideal environment for your child to learn and grow. We offer:

Spacious classrooms, library, art rooms, music rooms, makerspace and gymnasium, plus a dedicated cafeteria.
Extensive outdoor area including learning spaces, age-appropriate playgrounds and a sports field, with the adjacent forest as an additional outdoor classroom.

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Lower School Virtual Tour

Three kindergarten boys reading a book together

Additional Services

In addition, ZIS offers a variety of optional extras, for a fee, including:

Hot lunch service (students can also bring their own lunch)
Bus service with drop off/pick up points within a maximum of 500 meters of your home
Before and after school care with breakfast/snacks extending the day from 07:00 to 18:00
Vacation and weekend programs
Private music lessons on campus
Additional support such as occupational therapy and speech and language therapy on campus

Frequently Asked Questions

How many children are there in the class?

Which subjects are taught in German and which in English?

Until Grade 2, the split is 60% of instruction time in German and 40% in English. Classes in German will be taught by the homeroom/class teacher, who has the Swiss EDK qualification, and include literacy, numeracy, science and social studies. Classes in English, taught by native speaker teachers specializing in that subject, include library, physical education, creative arts (music and art).

From Grade 3 onwards, the balance of languages will be 50/50 with a greater emphasis on English literacy. French will start from Grade 5.

Will children in the bilingual program mix with other children in the English language classes?

Do all teachers have a Swiss teaching diploma?

We pride ourselves on having excellent, inspiring, and innovative teachers at ZIS and employ outstanding educators who meet strict criteria. Our bilingual class/homeroom teachers are native German speakers who have a Swiss teaching diploma, as well as experience of teaching in an international environment.

Classes in English are taught by native English-speaking teachers specializing in that subject who have international teaching qualifications and experience. With children at ZIS representing 70 nationalities, our teachers are experienced with teaching students who are not necessarily fluent in English or German.

How are children in the bilingual program integrated with other children?

Children in the bilingual program are integrated members of our community. Children from both pathways will interact in various ways throughout the day. All Lower School children can take two after school activities per week, which are included in school fees. Activities are in both English and German, and children from both programs choose from the same selection. Children in both programs will attend assemblies together and there may be some classes together, for instance, If the class is small, children from a bilingual class may join an English homeroom class from the same grade for a subject like PE. Children will have recess/playtime at the same time.