St George's International School

Philosophy: Personalized Learning and the 'Levavi Oculos' Ethos

At the heart of St. George's International School is a conviction that education must be tailored to the individual. The school's guiding motto — Levavi Oculos, Latin for 'I lift up my eyes' — is not merely decorative: it encapsulates an institution-wide commitment to helping each student reach their unique potential while developing the character and perspective to engage meaningfully with the wider world.

A Bespoke Approach

The school describes its teaching philosophy as "bespoke and personalized", meaning that teachers adapt their methods, pacing and expectations to suit each learner's strengths and interests. With an average class size of just 12 students and a student-teacher ratio of 8:1, this is not simply an aspiration — it is structurally built into the school's daily life. Small groups allow teachers to know their students deeply and respond to their individual academic and personal needs.

Core Values: Excellence, Empowerment, Equality

The school publicly commits to three core values:

• Excellence — a relentless pursuit of high standards across academics, sport and the arts
• Empowerment — supporting students to take ownership of their own learning journeys
• Equality — a foundational belief that every child, regardless of background or nationality, deserves access to outstanding education

These values underpin both classroom practice and pastoral care. The school articulates a vision of students who are "confident to take ownership of their learning" — a phrase that signals an intentional move away from passive, rote-based models toward active, student-led inquiry.

A Truly International Community

With more than 60 nationalities represented in a student body of around 370, St. George's lives its internationalist philosophy daily. The school frames this diversity not as a marketing point but as a pedagogical resource: students are exposed to varied perspectives, languages and cultures as a natural part of campus life. This prepares them for what the school calls the "responsibilities of being global citizens".

Mission

The school's formal mission statement reads:

"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."

This language is notably outward-looking: ambition is framed not just as personal achievement but as a force for benefit to others — a humanist inflection that shapes the school's culture from the Early Learning Centre through to the IB Sixth Form.

History: Nearly a Century of International Education in Montreux

St. George's International School traces its origins to 1927, making it one of the longest-established international schools in Switzerland. It was founded in the lakeside town of Clarens, within the Montreux municipality of Canton Vaud, by educators who believed in creating an "egalitarian institution where children from all over the world could develop their talents".

Founding Vision

From its earliest days, St. George's set out to be different from the elite finishing schools that characterized Swiss private education at the time. Rather than catering exclusively to aristocratic or diplomatic families, the founders sought to build a community school grounded in equality and genuine academic rigour. This founding ethos — that every child deserves a world-class education — has persisted across nearly a century of change.

Key Milestones

• 1927 — School established in Clarens/Montreux, French-speaking Switzerland
• Mid-20th century — Boarding provision added, broadening the school's reach to international families across Europe and beyond
• 2006 — Authorized as an IB World School, offering the IB Diploma Programme; this marked formal recognition of the school's academic standards within the global IB network
• Ongoing — Campus continually developed; boarding house recently renovated to provide single and double rooms in a modern, home-like setting

Location and Heritage

The campus sits on Chemin de St-Georges 19 in Clarens, on the northern shore of Lake Geneva, with panoramic views over the water toward the French Alps. The school's setting is both aesthetically distinctive and educationally significant: the cosmopolitan Montreux region has long attracted international residents and cultural events (including the famous Montreux Jazz Festival), creating a naturally diverse and stimulating environment for young learners.

From Local School to Global Community

Over its nearly 100-year history, St. George's has evolved from a small private school into a recognized international institution serving approximately 370 students from more than 60 countries. Today it offers a full continuum from the Early Learning Centre (from 18 months) through to IB Diploma (Year 13, age 18), spanning Cambridge IGCSE and IB curricula. The school's longevity and consistent academic record — including IB averages consistently above 35 in recent years — speak to an institutional culture that has successfully balanced tradition with educational innovation.

Academic Culture: Consistently Strong IB Results in an Intimate Setting

St. George's International School operates a rigorous and internationally recognized academic programme. Students follow the Cambridge IGCSE curriculum in Years 10–11 and the IB Diploma Programme in Years 12–13 — a pairing that reflects the school's commitment to globally portable qualifications and high academic standards.

IB Diploma Results

The school's IB results have been consistently strong in recent years, significantly outperforming the global IB average of approximately 30 points:

A 100% pass rate across all three years is notable — the global IB pass rate typically sits around 80%. The fact that the school's highest scores reached the maximum of 45 points in both 2024 and 2025 indicates that some students are performing at an exceptional level.

What Drives Academic Success?

Several structural factors appear to underpin these outcomes:

• Small class sizes — averaging just 12 students, well below typical international school averages of 18–22
• High teacher ratio — an 8:1 student-teacher ratio enables close mentoring and timely academic intervention
• Personalized learning — teachers adapt instruction to individual student strengths rather than teaching to a fixed syllabus pace
• Experienced staff — the school maintains a stable, specialist teaching faculty across the IGCSE and IB subject range

Curriculum Pathway

Students follow a structured academic journey:

• Foundation Stage / Years 1–9 — Primary and junior secondary, building core skills across languages, mathematics, sciences and the arts
• Years 10–11 (IGCSE) — Students sit Cambridge IGCSE examinations, typically in a range of 8–10 subjects
• Years 12–13 (IB Diploma) — Six subjects (three HL, three SL), Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS

Language Dimension

The school's multilingual environment adds a distinct academic dimension. English is the primary language of instruction, but French is a core language offering, and Spanish, German, Russian and Chinese are also taught. This means many students can pursue their IB Group 2 (second language) studies in their actual mother tongue or a strong second language, potentially boosting their overall diploma points.

Campus Atmosphere: Lakeside Heritage and Modern Facilities

The St. George's campus occupies a privileged position on the northern shore of Lake Geneva in Clarens, within the Montreux municipality of Canton Vaud. The setting is arguably one of the most beautiful of any international school in Europe: views over the lake toward the French Alps, a mild microclimate and proximity to the cultural richness of the Montreux region combine to create an environment that is as inspiring as it is stimulating.

Facilities Overview

Despite the school's relatively compact size (~370 students), its campus offers a comprehensive range of facilities:

Science and Technology

• Dedicated laboratories for Chemistry, Physics and Biology
• Design & Technology workshop with specialist materials and equipment

Arts

• Dedicated Music studios
• Art studios
• Dance studios
• Space for expressive and performing arts productions

Sports

• Football pitch
• Tennis courts
• Large sports hall
• Gymnasium
• Facilities for both team and individual sports

Boarding

• Recently renovated boarding house with single and double bedrooms
• Designed to feel like "a home away from home"
• Boarding staff present 24 hours a day

Campus Culture

The relatively small and self-contained campus creates a strong sense of community. With fewer than 400 students across all year groups, students and teachers know each other by name — a dynamic that is consciously cultivated by the school's leadership as central to its pastoral and academic model.

Boarding students, who account for approximately 120 of the total enrollment, live on campus and are cared for by a dedicated residential team around the clock. The boarding experience is described as "supportive and welcoming", with students "treated as individuals".

Location Advantages

• The Clarens/Montreux area is easily accessible by train from Geneva (approximately 1 hour) and Zurich (approximately 2 hours)
• Nearest train station (Clarens or Montreux) is within a few minutes' walk of the campus
• The school operates a daily minibus service covering Vevey, Montreux, St-Légier, Lausanne, Sion and other regional areas for day students

Pastoral Culture: Boarding Life at St. George's

Boarding is a central pillar of St. George's identity. Approximately 120 students — about one third of the school's total enrollment — live on campus, making boarding a substantial and well-resourced part of the school's operation rather than a peripheral add-on.

Who Can Board?

Boarding is open to students from age 10 onwards, which corresponds broadly to Year 6 in the English school system. This means younger children (Foundation Stage through Year 5) are day students, while the upper school (Years 6–13) can access full residential provision. This approach allows the boarding community to be composed of relatively mature students who can benefit from the structured independence of residential life.

The Residential Experience

Boarders live in a recently renovated boarding house that has been designed to balance comfort with community. Rooms are available in single or double configurations, and the overall environment is described as "a home away from home". Key features of boarding life include:

• 24-hour pastoral support — residential staff are present around the clock, ensuring that students always have access to care and guidance
• Inclusive community — the school emphasizes that boarders are "treated as individuals", with pastoral staff taking an active interest in each student's wellbeing
• Structured activities — evenings and weekends are organized with a mix of supervised study, recreational activities and social events
• Multicultural environment — with over 60 nationalities in the student body, boarders are immersed in a genuinely diverse community that mirrors the interconnected world they will enter

Fees for Boarding

Boarding fees (tuition plus accommodation, 2026–27) range from approximately CHF 103,900 per year for Years 6–7 to CHF 132,400 for Years 12–13. A refundable security deposit of CHF 4,000 is required. These fees are among the higher end for Swiss boarding schools, reflecting the all-inclusive nature of the provision and the school's premium facilities.

Pastoral Infrastructure

Beyond the residential team, the school maintains a broader pastoral framework including school counselors, a careers and guidance counselor, and a school nurse. The school espouses a clear commitment to equality and anti-bullying, framing pastoral care as inseparable from its academic mission.