Secondary School

Secondary school is divided into three levels, depending on the child’s ability (grades during the 6th year of primary school). About the same number of children from a given age group will attend each level. For the selection process, Math, German and Environmental studies count triple, English and French count 1.5, sports, art and music count for 1. Grades go from 1 to 6, 6 being the highest grade. Children with less than 67.5 points will attend the A-level (standard level ‘Allgemein Anforderung’); children with 67.5 or more, but less than 78.75 points will attend the E-level (enhanced level, ‘Erweiterte Anforderung’) and children with 78.75 points or above will attend the P-level (advanced level, ‘Hohe Anforderung’, it used to stand for Pro-gymnasium, that is where the P comes from). Students may be accepted provisionally in levels E or P if their grades were high enough to enter during one semester, but not the other. Students can also take a test if they wish to.

All three levels are in the same school building. According to their school achievements, pupils can switch between these three levels.

A maximum of 16 pupils per class in the A-level, 23 pupils per class in the E level and 25 in the P level classes.

At the end of the 3rd year of secondary school (11th school year), all pupils will receive a certificate of completing secondary school.

Secondary School Paths

• Your child is clearly a hands on person. In the future, your child would like to do an apprenticeship in a manual work like gardening, blacksmith, hairdresser.

  • • A (standard level)

    • 1/3

• Your child wants to do a professional training such as architecture, business studies, IT, teacher, electrician, chemist. Purely academic studies are not his/her thing.

  • • E (enhanced level)

    • 1/3

• Your child is a well above average student, enjoys academic subjects and is an independent learner.Your child wants to study an academic subject at university. In the future, your child would like to do academic research, be a medical doctor, lawyer or archeologist.

  • • P (advanced level)

    • 1/3

As often as possible, special needs are taken care of in the school. School psychologists, special needs teachers, support in maths or languages, etc. are all available. Whether gifted, hearing impaired, new to German (or French, or English), dyslexic, a solution will be found for each individual child. All efforts will be made for a child to meet the standard learning objectives, but if this is not possible, individual learning objectives will be set.

The school is your main point of contact for special support. It is important to talk to the school as soon as possible if you know your child needs special help. Bring any tests your child has taken. The more information you can share, the easier it will be to find a good solution for your child.

The education department recommends you contact them to discuss the specific needs of your child. Your child will receive intensive German lessons, entering the regular class step by step, as the child is ready. For example, she might start in a regular class with sport, art and music, then add math and finally German.

Contact person for German support: Gaby Jenö (Tel: 061 267 54 60)

In the new secondary school system, lunch and supervised playtime will be offered in all secondary schools. After school, there will be a choice of supervised activities (sport, foreign languages, theatre, etc.) or the option to study in the school library.

The program is currently in discussion at the education departments in relation to the implementation of HarmOs, the new harmonised school system.

A-level

• vocational training

• Bridge year

• vocational training

• bridge year

• Specialised maturity school (Fachmaturaschule, FMS), WMS or IMS.

• Gymnasium (with excellent grades)

E-level

• vocational training

• bridge year

• Specialised maturity school (Fachmaturaschule, FMS), WMS or IMS.

• Gymnasium (with excellent grades)

P-level

• vocational training

• Specialised maturity school (Fachmaturaschule, FMS)

• Gymnasium