A centre of excellence
Founded in 1927 St. George’s International School combines heritage with a progressive outlook on educational excellence.
We are an international leader in our academics, sports and expressive and performing arts. Located in a safe and secure environment, our students enjoy the enrichment of a mountain, lake and town experience.
Our international school community champions mutual respect and understanding while nurturing individual talents and potential. We equip our students to be global citizens with a successful and sustainable future in an ever-changing connected world.
Inspired by our motto, "Levavi Oculos" we encourage students to lift their eyes, to recognise positive qualities within themselves and others.
A warm welcome to St. George’s School on behalf of our truly international community. With no less than 60 nationalities, we are a school with a powerful and progressive outlook on the world.
Our pupils thrive in the aspirational, dynamic, first-class environment of St. George’s. Supported by talented teaching staff, we offer a world of educational opportunities across academics, performing and creative arts, and sports: the three pillars of our educational vision.
Founded in 1927 as a centre of excellence, St. George’s has gone from strength to strength, setting a new standard in educational innovation. Our outstanding academic results open competitive life pathways for our pupils. Our commitment to their holistic development encourages the key skills and attributes that give our pupils the edge in life beyond school.
Offering both Boarding and Day schools programmes, we enjoy a diverse and inspiring community, and I warmly invite you to visit us to explore this inspiring place.
From 18 months to 18 years
Our pupils range from 18 months to 18 years, with boarding available from age 10 upwards.
Pupils follow the Cambridge International curriculum up to IGCSEs. This provides rigorous academic preparation for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). Our results for the IBDP are outstanding and place us in the top 5 IB schools in Switzerland.
From beginners to native speakers, all pupils learn in a bilingual English and French environment and are encouraged to continue to develop their language skills throughout their education. Additional support is given to non-English or non-French speakers via our Language Acquisition Programme.
Our Mission Statement
St. George’s International School is committed to being one of the world’s leading day and boarding schools, offering a world of opportunity in which pupils are encouraged to lift their eyes and be ambitious for themselves and others.
Our Motto
Levavi Oculos
Our Vision
- St. George’s International School aims to combine almost 100 years of heritage with a powerful outlook on educational excellence, to provide an outstanding curriculum in academics, sports and expressive and performing arts that challenges and stimulates all students.
- We shall be set apart by our commitment to and culture of high performance which empowers everyone to achieve their goals within an environment where they feel confident to take ownership of their decisions and actions.
- Our international school community is founded upon a strong belief in equality. We strive to be fully inclusive, to embrace our diversity and the opportunities and responsibilities of being global citizens.
- We work to ensure that our mission to inspire pupils to lift their eyes continues to resonate today as strongly as it did on our foundation in 1927.
Our Values
- Excellence: We believe in striving for excellence in ourselves and in all that we do across our three pillars of academics, sport and the expressive and performing arts.
- Empowerment: We commit to an environment rooted in sustainable wellbeing, where everyone feels confident, capable and supported to have ownership over their learning and personal growth.
- Equality: We believe in inclusion and in embracing the diversity of our community.
Learning Principles
At St. George’s International School, we are…
Innovative approach to education
At St. George’s International School, our progressive and innovative approach to education elevates us and ensures our pupils are well prepared for a rapidly changing world.
Situated in an inspirational setting between lakes and mountains, our school community is founded upon mutual respect. The safety and well-being of all members of the school are at the heart of our ethos.
HISTORY TIMELINE
Lorna Violet Southwell and Osyth Potts, two Oxford University graduates founded St. George’s School. The first class of pupils joined St. George’s having lessons on the lakeside before moving to the newly opened building.
The land that the school now occupies was purchased in 1928 and the school building opened in January 1931. It has the distinction of being the first with a purpose-built school building in Switzerland.
During World War II, the school split with one half taking up residence in Shropshire, UK. Houses have always been an integral part of school. The first Houses were Diana and Minerva followed by Atalanta in 1938. More recently in the 21st century, Vesta was added. The House shield is keenly contested through a series of events: sports, maths, drama, music and art.
Various additions and extensions have taken place including the modern languages wing in 1958, the library in 1977 and the Sports Hall in 1987. Science labs and a new dining room have been built and a later addition including a new block of classrooms above.
A momentous occasion for St. George’s when boys were first allowed to enrol.
The class had 10 boys.
Built to commemorate the 75th anniversary in 2002, the Henge is a popular area used as an outside classroom, a place to reflect and where pupils congregate.
St. George’s became a member of the CIS (Council of International Schools).
St. George’s first International Baccalaureate (IB) cohort.
The school became part of Inspired Education Group, the leading global premium schools group, offering excellence to over 70,000 pupils in over 80 schools worldwide.
The crèche opened enabling the school to provide the opportunity to educate children from the age of 18 months to 18 years.
St. George’s celebrated 90 years of excellence in education. Alumni gathered together to reminisce and to celebrate the new beginnings for St. George’s.
Sport Etudes was introduced offering a bespoke programme for outstanding talent to those passionate and committed to their specific sport.
Guided by its outstanding quality, St George's joins the prestigious Swiss Learning group and is ranked among the Top 10 Swiss Schools by Carfax Education.
At St. George’s International School, we prepare our pupils to succeed in life.