Here is the organisation of the education system in Geneva:
Primary school | from 4 to 6 years old | Ecole Enfantine |
from 6 to 12 | Ecole Primaire 6 years (1Primaire, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P) | |
Secondary school | from 12 to 15 | Cycle d'orientation |
from 15 to 19 | 4 years (10e, 11e, 12e, 13e) Collège (High School) Professional training General education schools | |
Maturité (baccalaureat equivalent) | ||
Higher education | after 19 | University Hautes Ecoles Spécialisées (HES) High Professional schools |
Education is mandatory in Geneva from 6 years old (1P class). However the Département de l'instruction publique (DIP) encourages regsitration at school from 4 years old (1E).
Registrations happen during March or April. The valid age is the one on the 30th June of the current year. If you have just moved in, you should receive a mail for registering at your local school. |
Primary school is organised with two modules of 4 years:
Each year an evaluation is made to evaluate the progress of pupils and gives comparison to assess the child's orientation. A notation slip is given to the parents at the end of each period. The notation is made according to a progressive scale of 1 to 6 (the sufficiant notation is 3.5).
At the end of the primary section, pupils enter the orientation cycle (cycle d’orientation - CO). Parents are made aware directly of the registration period.
The Groupement intercommunal pour l’animation parascolaire (GIAP) (school activity organisation) is in charge of extra scolar activities and offer activities for pupils out of the class hours (on the morning, at midday, in the evening - breakfast, canteen, colation are provided). Mind however that canteens are rare in nurseries and primary schools. |
At the end of the 6th Primaire, pupils who go to the Cycle d'Orientation register in one of the three groups of education:
The CO avoid an early and definitive selection. It is only after 3 years of CO that the pupil will have to choose one of the type of studies offered by the non-mandatory secondary education: College, General education school, or professional training. The way chosen is not fixed and the pupil will have the possibility to change section and reorientate according to his/her results and the personal career aspirations of the pupil.
You will find the list of education organisms on the Sate of Geneva website.
At the end of the orientation cycle (CO), pupils aged 15 or more may carry on with their studies in non mandatory educational establishment.
It exists three paths:
After getting his/her Maturity, the student can choose one of the paths of the higher education:
Be aware that the higher Swiss education is concerned by the European system implementation (so called from Bologna) that suggest an architecture of education with 3 sections: Licence-Master-Doctorat (PhD).
In order to know everything on private schools in Geneva, go to the SFPS (Swiss Federation of Private Schools) website: http://www.agep.ch
Update 31/10/2005
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