What time do kids go to school in Switzerland?

Swiss school days are relatively short, with classes beginning between 8.30 and 9.30am. It is then expected for your child to return home at noon for a one-and-a-half-hour lunch break. Then there is an afternoon session that concludes around 3.30 to 4.30pm.

How long is a school day in Switzerland?

How long is a school day in Switzerland? Kindergarten (4-6yrs) starts with half days, usually 4-5 half days. Depending on the canton, times can be 8.20-11.30am or a combination of mornings and one afternoon, usually from 1.30-4.00pm. Primary school starts with 5 mornings, starting usually around 8am and 1-2 afternoons.

What is the school routine in Switzerland?

What is school like for kids in Switzerland?

Primary School

Kids are schooled together and learn general subject like math, writing, and literature. Upon graduation, students take an exam that determines their track for secondary education. The exam varies from canton to canton.

Do children go home for lunch in Switzerland?

There are no catering facilities at any local schools in Switzerland; all pupils are expected to go home for lunch between 12 and 2pm. Swiss mums usually cook a hot meal at lunchtime.

How to choose a school for your children in Switzerland

Are schools free in Switzerland?

State schools are free. Children are normally admitted to the school in their catchment area, which is often the school closest to where they live.

Where do Swiss school children usually eat their lunch?

Heading home for lunch

Whether they are 4 or 14 years old, schools break for lunch for two hours during midday. Schools in Switzerland usually do not run a school canteen. This means that, depending on the canton, your children return home between 11.45-12.15 and then leave again between 1.15-1.30pm.

Why is there no school on Wednesday in Switzerland?

Until around 20 years ago, Swiss pupils had to go to school every day of the week apart from Sunday. Legally, they got two afternoons off (on Wednesdays and Saturdays), but at the end of the 1970s some people started pushing for a five-day week, i.e. moving the Saturday morning shift to Wednesday afternoon.

Is it expensive to have kids in Switzerland?

According to the Zurich Department of Child Welfare Services (in German), the monthly costs for a child range between CHF 1,300 and CHF 1,800, depending on the age of the child. This adds up to CHF 18,500 per year on average, with a grand total of CHF 370,000 by the time your child is 20.

Do kids in Switzerland get homework?

Education is the responsibly of the cantons in Switzerland, but much is decided on the local school level. Homework is not obligatory . The Lehrplan 21 (Curriculum 21) for German-speaking Switzerland, for example, only says when homework shouldn't be given, such as over a bank holiday, but not if it should be given.

Do schools in Switzerland have uniforms?

As a general rule, school children in Switzerland do not wear uniforms. School uniforms dominate in Britain, Ireland and Cyprus. Outside Europe they are the norm in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and many former British colonies.

Is Health Care Free in Switzerland?

There is no free healthcare in Switzerland and individual private health insurance is compulsory for all residents. Both public and private healthcare in Switzerland is excellent. Facilities are clean and well equipped, waiting times are usually short, and medical professionals often speak English.

What do Swiss kids do after school?

Sports and clubs are common extracurricular activities after school. Many students also take academic courses during the summer and on weekends during the school year.

Is English taught in Swiss schools?

The language of instruction is German, French, Italian or Romansh, depending on the language region. Traditionally, language learning is important in Switzerland. Students learn a second official language of Switzerland as well as English during their compulsory school years.

Is it expensive to go to school in Switzerland?

The following are the average tuition fees at Swiss public universities: Bachelor's and Master's programs cost between 400 and 3,700 euros each year. Ph. D. degrees are worth between 100 and 900 euros per year.

Are schools paid in Switzerland?

Public schools in Switzerland

These schools are funded by taxes and there are no tuition fees attached. However, because they are managed at the level of cantons, there are regional differences. Children may be taught in French, German, Italian or Romansch, depending on where they live.

What is Switzerland known for kids?

Switzerland is one of the world's wealthiest countries. The Swiss are well known for their watches and clocks. There is not a single official language in Switzerland. People speak one of several languages, including Swiss German, French, and Italian.

Is Switzerland good to raise a family?

Switzerland is often considered a great place for families because it has a high quality of life, with a stable political and economic system, good healthcare and education systems, and a clean and safe environment.

What is a typical family like in Switzerland?

Family Dynamic

Swiss families can be very diverse, but most are hard-working and thrifty, with only one or two children. Most families in Switzerland have pets, a cat or a dog, with whom they demonstrate extreme affection. On weekends, people often take trips to visit extended family or friends.

Why is everything closed on Sunday in Switzerland?

The roots are in Christianity where Sunday is a day of rest and therefore one should not work. While the religious aspect has declined over the decades, the rest part has remained in that most view it as a fundamental right to have Sunday as a day of rest.

Can kids miss school in Switzerland?

It means that students can be absent from classes for two days per school year - without having to give any reasons. "Parents do not have to apply for this absence," the canton says. "It is sufficient to inform the teacher or the school management."

What is the Swiss way of parenting?

When it comes to parenting in Switzerland, children are usually treated as little adults and given a lot of independence from a very young age. Parents tend to let them do a lot of things on their own or try things for themselves.

What do kids eat in Switzerland?

Why do people send their kids to boarding school in Switzerland?

Swiss educational excellence

Switzerland has boasted an exceptional reputation for world-class education for centuries with families from all over the world sending their children here to get a safe, well-rounded, challenging, and life-enriching school experience.