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Philosophy and aims |
Geneva Secondary School was created in
response to an ever growing need in the Geneva region for English-speaking
secondary education.
We do not aim to compete with or imitate existing large and well-established
schools in our region. Indeed, we aim to be different and in doing so
offer more choice to parents and their children.
Geneva Secondary School is a small private school which prides itself on
student care, individual attention and excellent communication. The
maximum number of students in any intake is 32 per stream and the
maximum class size is strictly limited to 16.
The school follows the English National Curriculum leading to IGCSE
examinations at the age of 16. Admissions into year one are accepted
from students aged 11 and above on 31 August of the starting year. Key
Stage 3 guidelines are followed for years 1, 2 and 3 with Key Stage 4 and
IGCSE examinations being covered in years 4 and 5.
Students meeting the basic entrance requirements are guaranteed a place
in our A level College should they wish to continue in full-time
education after the age of 16. We believe that the IGCSE and A Level
systems offer a far greater degree of flexibility than some of the other
systems currently on offer. Being able to study and take examinations in
individual subjects is an option which suits many young people and one
which we are keen to promote. |
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The curriculum is taught in English, although non mother tongue students are welcome.
As a small school we do not attempt to match the wide range of options
available in some of the large schools in Geneva. Instead, we have
identified a range of key operating principles and all of our effort
will be channeled into delivering the core programme we offer.
It is also our aim to make private education as financially accessible
as possible for parents in the region. For this reason and in spite of
the small class sizes, you will find that the fee structure is
deliberately more affordable than in some of the larger schools.
If you are looking for an international secondary education in English
at an affordable price then please arrange a visit and come and talk to
us. |
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The organisation |
Geneva Secondary School is owned and managed by ASC
International House. ASC started life as a small private language school
on the Rue de Lausanne in the early 1970’s. Following affiliation to the
International House World Organisation in 1996 and rapid and consistent
growth ever since, the organisation is now one of the largest privately
owned educational institutions in the area.
Nowadays, language training accounts for only a small part of our
activities. In 2005 we opened our A Level College for teenage anglophone
students wishing to access university and in 2007, in partnership with
Jeanne d’Arc (a large private school in France), we opened our
bi-lingual school programme at primary, collège and lycée level.
From small and humble beginnings, the organisation now occupies most of
the 7 floors of our building on the Rue de Lausanne and also possesses a
luxurious 15 room Executive Training Centre in the banking quarter of
Geneva. As the unique supplier for Nestlé we also operate 2 full-scale
training centres in Vevey. Our staff has grown with us and today we
employ around 200 highly qualified teachers, administrators, teacher-trainers
and managers.
In 2001 ASC International House was the first institution to receive
EduQua certification in Suisse Romande, a quality label which has been
renewed every year since (most recently in 2010). |
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ASC International House is a member of the AGEP
(Association Genevoise des Ecoles Privées) and of the FSEP (Féderation
Suisse des Ecoles Privées).
Following inspection by the British Council in 2004 ASC International
House was appointed as a recognized examination centre for the UK
Examining Authority Edexcel and is authorized to run all A Level, O
Level and IGCSE examinations in our buildings.
In 2008, ASC International House became the exclusive examination centre
in Geneva for the London Tests of English.
The International House Trust is UK registered educational charity and
operates a not-for-profit policy.
In May 2008, the organisation was granted permission to open Geneva
Secondary School by the Département de l’Instruction Publique (Service
de l’Enseignement Privé) and the school opened its doors in September
2009.
ASC International House is proud to support Médecins Sans Frontières (www.msf.ch).
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Management and teaching staff |
Director General – ASC International House
Douglas S Crawford
B.A.(Hons), M.A., M.Ed., Mgt.Dip.Ed.,PGCE
Mr Crawford joined ASC International House in 1997 having previously had
management experience in primary, secondary, and university institutions
in the UK. He has served as a Senior Examiner for both GCSE and A Level.
In addition to his management experience, Mr Crawford is a fully
qualified teacher and teacher-trainer.
Principal – GSS and A level College
Mrs Raji Sundaram
B.A.(Hons), M.Ed., Mgt.Dip.Ed
Mrs Sundaram joined ASC in 1997 and has held a variety of posts in the
last 10 years including Assistant Director of Studies and Assistant
Director at ILO. Since its opening in 2005, Mrs Sundaram has been the
Director of the A Level College and is also the Examinations Officer
appointed by Edexcel. As with Mr Crawford, she also holds an advanced
teaching qualification. |
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Academic Director – ASC International House
Mrs Beverley Dubuisson
B.A. (Hons), PGCE,
RSA.Dip.TEFLA
Mrs Dubuisson joined ASC in 1992 and is a fully qualified teacher and
teacher trainer who also holds an advanced teaching qualification. In
her role of Academic Director for the whole organisation she is
responsible for the content and quality of everything we teach – she has
particular responsibility for staff recruitment and teacher support and
development.
Our teaching staff
All teachers involved in teaching in GSS are fully qualified teachers
and hold a recognised university degree in their chosen field. |
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Curriculum |
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GSS follows the English National Curriculum for
students aged 11 to 16. In the first three years (often known as Key
Stage 3) all students follow a broad curriculum of general academic
subjects. At the end of year 3 the curriculum content becomes more
specific as students begin a two year programme
(Key Stage 4) leading to IGCSE examinations. As a
recognized Edexcel Centre we are able to ensure that all examinations
take place here in school.
As a small school, with all of the advantages that
this offers, we are consequently not able to offer all of the subjects
(and the list is enormous) available for IGCSE examination. The exact
make-up of the KS4 curriculum will be decided in consultation with
parents and students towards the end of Year 3.
If you would like more information about Key Stages 3 and 4 you can
find all of the details including subject specifications and attainment
levels by visiting www.qca.org.uk |
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The core curriculum for years 1,2 and 3 consists of the
following subjects:
• Mathematics
• English
• French
• Science
• History
• Geography
• Computers (ICT)
• Culture
• Physical education
Wednesday afternoons have been deliberately kept free of regular tuition
in order to allow students to pursue subjects or activities which are
not offered as part of the main curriculum |
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Entrance requirements |
GSS operates a two stream entry policy. Completion of
primary education is the guiding requirement for entry into year 1 for
those students who have English as their mother tongue or are genuinely
bi-lingual. For those students whose mother tongue is a language other
than English, an English Language evaluation will be carried out (free
of charge) to determine whether the student has a sufficient grasp of
English to be able to successfully follow the curriculum. For all year 1
students, the minimum starting age is 11 years and 0 months with the
maximum age being 12 years and 0 months (defining date 31 August).
In all cases we require a report from the previous school as well as a valid medical certificate stating the student is fit to attend school.
Some special needs can be catered for but this should be discussed in detail and in advance with the principal. |
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The maximum class size in all subjects in all years is
strictly limited to 16.
Our A Level College (situated in the same complex but on a different
floor) guarantees a place (subject to minimum entrance requirements
being met) to those wishing to continue in full-time education with a
view to gaining a place at university. This represents a natural follow
on to IGCSE with AS levels being taken in year one and A2 examinations
in year 2. In all subjects, the maximum class size in the A Level
College is strictly limited to 10.
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The school |
School premises
GSS operates in modern, purpose-built school premises which provide an outstanding environment for learning to take place.
Classrooms are spacious (especially with a maximum of 16 students per class) and all areas of the school, which covers 3 floors, are blessed with plentiful natural light.
For a small school, which is what we will always remain, facilities are exceptional. Fully equipped science labs and IT classroom as well as a modern theatre area and specialist music room mean that all specialist subject needs are well-catered for.
A hot lunch is provided for all students courtesy of our brand new dining facilities.
A library, spacious facilities for teachers and admin staff, a nurse’s station, and a student café all help to provide large school facilities in a small school environment. |
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Safety and security
Entrance to the building is completely secure and is permanently supervised by staff. The large recreational area is also completely enclosed thus offering maximum protection for students. Fire protection facilities are also excellent with power hoses located on every floor and ample escape routes in the event of fire.
Access
The building has one main, supervised entrance for all students and visitors. Students can be safely dropped off by car using the drop-off loop in front of the main door. The school is well-served by public transport – 3 bus routes stop right outside the building. The school is situated on the main road through Châtelaine and is just 2 minutes from the motorway. |
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Tuition fees |
| The tuition fees for 2010/2011 have been fixed at
CHF
17’900.- per child, per annum. |
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There is a range of payment plans available upon request.
A one-off capital development fee of CHF 2’000.- is charged upon entry
to the school.
A registration and enrolment fee of CHF 500.- is charged every year.
These fees are non-negotiable and no discount is offered for multiple
enrolments.
Books and examination fees are billed at the time of issue – there are
no examination fees for years 1, 2, 3 and 4.
What GSS does not offer:
Religious education
Musical education
In order to keep fees as low as possible, we encourage students to
pursue these non-core activities on a Wednesday afternoon when there is
no core tuition. |
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Contact |
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Geneva Secondary School • Avenue de Châtelaine 95A • 1219 Châtelaine
Tél: +41 22 795 75 10 • Fax: +41 22 795 75 11 •
info@gsschool.ch
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