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- Reception area
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- Canteen
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- Library
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- Recording studio
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- Recording studio
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- Swimming pool
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- Sports centre
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- Indoor playground in the preschool section of the school
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- Bathrooms are adapted for their youngest children
GEMS Switzerland is an international school located in Etoy, Vaud teaching all three International Baccalaureate programmes (Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme). Although Gems Etoy was opened only 3 years ago, it belongs to a family of international schools established in 1959 with a good track record. It is a for profit organisation, but it also means that the school has all the necessary equipment and there is never a need to raise money for extra school needs.
The school boasts excellent facilities including broadcasting and design studios, science labs and a two swimming pools sports centre, which also includes indoor court for competitive sports, climbing wall, dance studio and a gym.
The teaching is in English although all children learn French and either Spanish or German as a third language. On top of that Gems also hosts a language centre available to both students and wider community. It offers the after school and evening classes in 10 languages including English, Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Danish.
Gems offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities including creative and performance arts, sport and subject extensions. On top of music curriculum Gems Music Academy offers individual instrumental and vocal lessons from the age of 6. There are also group lessons in beginner violin and “Sing and Strum,” – singing and accompanying on the guitar.
The school day finishes at 16, but there are extended care hours for busy working parents from 7 30 am till 6pm. The schools also has a bus service, picking up children from around Lake Geneva, but the majority of parents either live nearby (to take the full advantage of the facilities available to parents and local community) or drive their children to school themselves.
Gems accepts children from the age of 2 into their Sapphire class, if there is enough demand. The nursery has a sleeping area, where children can relax on the mattresses in the afternoon.
You can read more about Gems in my blog here.
Admissions
Children can be accepted to school throughout the academic year. It is an international school and it tries to accommodate families relocating to the Geneva area on a short notice. It will however request two previous year end/ grade school reports and may invite for an interview or a trial day at school. Once an online application is submitted, the school will send a complete document list by email.
CONTACT DETAILS
Director – Catherine McKeever
La Tuilière 18, 1163, Etoy , Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0) 21 964 18 18
e-mail : registrar_gwe@gemsedu.com
website : www.gemsworldacademy-switzerland.com