From the ‘school of kings’ to ‘the world’s most expensive school’, the best private schools in Switzerland are also among some of the most highly regarded (and most expensive) in the world.
[See also: Introducing the Spear’s Schools Index 2024]
The country consistently performs well in the OECD PISA global education assessments, and topped the 2024 Henley & Partners’ global ‘Opportunity Index’, which ranks countries based on how easy it is to access a quality private education and the ease at which HNWs can gain citizenship.
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Ten Swiss schools have been awarded Top Flight status in the Spear’s Schools Index 2024, which recognises the world’s 100 leading private schools. They all have incredible facilities – ski chalets, lakeside campuses and fully equipped private theatres – and provide children with a well-rounded education that makes the most of the country’s multiculturalism and natural beauty.
Best private schools in Switzerland: names to know
There are two names that tower above all others on the Swiss education landscape:
Institut Le Rosey
This sprawling Swiss school benefits from two campuses: students spend the summer on Lake Geneva and winter in Gstadd, where they ski in the afternoon. The quality of the Le Rosey education is reflected in the calibre of its former students: Prince Rainier III of Monaco, King Albert II of Belgium and Juan Carlos I of Spain all attended, leading to the nickname the ‘school of kings’.
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[See also: Billionaire parents go to war with Le Rosey, the world’s most expensive school]
Read the full profile on Spears500.com.
Institut auf dem Rosenberg
Institut auf dem Rosenberg is currently the most expensive school in the Spear’s Schools Index 2024, so what do parents pay for? Designed to foster entrepreneurial spirit and out-of-the-box thinkers, Rosenberg creates an individual development plan for each student. This is made possible by the small class sizes: there are only 280 pupils in the entire school.
Read the full profile on Spears500.com
[See also: Lessons from Rosenberg, the most expensive school in the world]
Methodology
Spear’s has worked closely with the expert team at Thuso to refine the methodology underpinning the index, and to convene an expert panel of leading international educationalists to contribute their knowledge and insight to the research and selection process.
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The Spear’s Research Unit collected data and information directly from candidate schools, using a combination of online forms and interviews. This was supplemented with additional research and by intelligence and insight from Thuso and the panel of expert educationalists.
The Spear’s Schools Index 2024 has also been underpinned by the following key principles:
- While examination results and academic attainment is a key consideration, it is not the only thing that matters. Leading schools are not necessarily the most ‘academic’: A wide range of social, cultural, and pastoral factors have been weighed in finalising the index. In some cases, some schools with strong academics have been omitted where they fall short in relation to these wider considerations.
- Families are increasingly ‘mobile’, with new ‘global cities’ emerging as key hubs: This is particularly the case for cities such as Dubai, as well as established regional hubs in Europe, Africa, Latin America, South-East Asia, and the Pacific.
- Reputation and standing are not insignificant: The reputation and standing of a school shape and influence its character, the parents and pupils it attracts, and its position both regionally, and internationally.
Building on these principles, Spear’s, in collaboration with Thuso, brought together an Expert Advisory Panel, jointly chaired by Matthew Goldie-Scot, managing director at Thuso Group, and Ian Douglas, Spear’s head of research. Further information about the composition of the panel is available at spearswms.com.
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Best schools in Switzerland: the complete list
Click on individual schools to read their full profiles on Spears500.com. All schools have been awarded Top Flight ranking. Schools listed in alphabetical order
