SWISS PROGRAMME
We offer the Swiss curriculum from primary school (École Primaire) through middle school (École Secondaire) and on to high school (Maturité). With instruction in French, English, and German our students develop into well-rounded, multi-lingual individuals.
Our Swiss programmes are overseen by both Cantonal and Federal educational authorities, ensuring the highest standards of teaching curriculum delivery.
École Primaire
The school welcomes primary students from the 5th HarmoS (8 years of age) onwards. They benefit from highly structured teaching and the support of a dedicated teaching team that works closely together to guide their progress. Our programmes go beyond the requirements of the Plan d’Études Romand (PER), offering students enriched learning opportunities that broaden their horizons.
Our primary curriculum is taught in both English and French, giving children the opportunity to develop fluency in both languages. With a broad range of subjects and skills, it inspires curiosity, builds a strong foundation for learning, and encourages exploration across subject areas.
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| Primary School Subjects |
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Middle School (éCOLE secondaire)
The Saint-Charles Middle School (École Secondaire) welcomes students aged 12 - 14 and covers the 9th to the 11th HarmoS (equivalent to grades 6 to 8). Lessons are taught in both French and English, enabling students to further develop bilingual fluency and strengthen their language skill across a wide range of subjects.
Our goal is to ensure each student’s success by equipping them with the tools to make informed educational choices. Based on academic results, together with careful consideration of their goals and areas of interest, students may choose one of two pathways: Secondary A or Secondary B.
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| Read more about middle school pathways |
The pre-gymnasial “A” pathway is designed for students who plan to continue their studies after the compulsory schooling. The programme is fast-paced and challenging. Students may choose either a Latin, or a science option that includes both physics and applied mathematics. Both options prepares them for the high school demanding studies. The general “B” pathway is designed for students who plan to go into vocational school, general education, or an apprenticeship. Its main branches are officially recognised by the Canton of Jura as level “B”. |
SUBJECTS
A multilingual curriculum designed for global learning.
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| Taught in French: |
Prior knowledge of French is not required to join the Saint-Charles Middle School programme. Students who need extra support, benefit from intensive French lessons, helping them to build confidence in our bilingual environment. |
| Taught in German: |
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Swiss Maturité
Achieving a high school diploma opens the doors to higher education (University, Hautes écoles spécialisées, Hautes écoles pédagogiques) or other professional training pathways. Since 2016, the school has offered a bilingual French-English maturité exam.
Students complete their Maturité diploma after four years of study. This schedule allows them to balance academics with co-curricular activities, while developing both their knowledge and their social skills.
"SAINT-CHARLES IS RECOGNISED BY THE SWISS CONFEDERATION AND IS AUTHORISED TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE MATURITÉ EXAMS."
Choices made when entering high school are important for University, but not definitive. This academically comprehensive programme equips students for all university pathways as students will be studying a wide range of 14 academic subjects over the 4 years. By choosing their specific and complementary subjects and their second and third language, they can tailor their profile to suit their interests, whether scientific, economic, linguistic or artistic.
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COMPLEMENTARY SUBJECT CHOICE
In the second year of high school, students choose a complementary subject, which they will study during the final two years before the exams.
During their 3rd year, students write a Travail de maturité, a research paper based on their chosen fields of study.
| Research Collaboration |
| Students may also collaborate with teams at the University in Basel, Neuchâtel, or at EPFL for their research project. Each student is supervised by a teacher who is a specialist in the chosen field. The Travail de maturité comprises both written and oral components |
| Programme Examinations |
| Our Maturité programme is recognised by the Canton of Jura and the Swiss Confederation. This authorisation allows us to administer our own exams, which are supervised by the Cantonal Maturité Commission. |
| University Access |
| Our Maturité is fully recognised and carries with it the same weight as those awarded in the public system, giving our students access to the full range of higher education institutions. |
MATURITÉ EXAMINATIONAt the conclusion of the course, students are required to sit five examinations, including both written and oral components. These exams must include:
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| Read more about the Maturité examination |
The written examinations are prepared internally and validated by university experts from the Cantonal Maturité Commission, who are also responsible for grading them. The oral examinations are conducted before a university expert from the Cantonal Maturité Commission together with the subject teacher. The examinations account for 50% of the final grade, with the remaining 50% taken from the continuous assessment of coursework. Students applying to this programme are required to have a strong B2 level in French. Placement tests are administered as part of the application process. In some cases, conditional entry may be granted, provided the student undertakes additional FLE (French as a Foreign Language) lessons. |
