Inter-Community School Zurich

Last updated
ICS Inter-Community School Zürich
Address
Inter-Community School Zurich
Strubenacher 3, 8126

Zumikon

Switzerland
Coordinates 47°20′17″N8°37′20″E / 47.3380°N 8.6223°E / 47.3380; 8.6223
Information
TypeIndependent, International School, Non-profit, Private, Day School
Established18 March 1960
StatusNon-profit Foundation governed by a Board of Trustees
Head of schoolLucy M. Gowdie
Facultyc. 180
Grades
  • Nursery
  • Preschool & kindergarten
  • Primary school
  • Middle school
  • Secondary school
  • Diploma programme
Age range18 months to 18 years
Enrollmentc. 830
LanguageEnglish
CampusSingle Campus, Zumikon
Student Union/Association
  • Primary Student Council
  • Secondary Student Council
Colour(s)Orange, grey
Athletics
  • ICS Athletics Programme
  • The International School Sports League (ISSL)
  • Swiss Group of International Schools (SGIS)
  • Sports Council of International Schools (SCIS)
Accreditation
  • International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
  • Council of International Schools (CIS)
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Newspaper
  • ICS Weekly Bulletin
  • ICS Connections Magazine
  • ICS World Alumni Magazine
YearbookICS Yearbook
Website www.icsz.ch
ICS in Zumikon ICS zumikon.jpg
ICS in Zumikon

The Inter-Community School Zurich (ICS or ICSZ) is a private, independent, international, co-educational day school and offers a comprehensive educational programme in English for children from ages of 3 to 18. The school is international in character and welcomes students of all nationalities. Since 1971, the Inter-Community School has been located in Zumikon near Zurich, Switzerland. It has been an International Baccalaureate World School since 1993.

Contents

ICS's Kindergarten and Primary education programmes (Primary School) are approved by the bureau for elementary school (Volksschulamt), administration for education (Bildungsdirektion), canton of Zurich. [1]

Also ICS's lower Secondary education programme (Secondary School, Grades 6 to 8, and Grade 9) is approved as Sekundarstufe by the bureau for elementary school (Volksschulamt), administration for education (Bildungsdirektion), canton of Zurich. [1]

However ICS's upper Secondary education programme (Secondary School, Grades 10 to 12) is neither approved as a Mittelschule by the bureau for secondary and vocational education (Mittelschul- und Berufsbildungsamt), administration of education (Bildungsdirektion), canton of Zurich, and nor approved by the Swiss Federal State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI. [2] [3]

History

1960–1969

The Inter-Community School Zurich was founded on March 18, 1960, at a meeting at the Hotel Carlton Elite between the American, Australian, British and Canadian communities of Zurich. [4] The school enrolled 84 students aged 4–13 during its first semester at the Hotel Rigiblick. There were five staff members employed at the time as well as the founder Gerald Atkinson and his wife.

In May 1961, ICS signed a lease with the city of Zurich for the rental of a lakeside villa (which in the 1930s had been renovated for use by Prince Paul of Yugoslavia) [5] In September of that year, ICS began its second year of operation in the new villa with 160 students enrolled.

By 1967, there were 200 students enrolled from kindergarten to seventh grade with two classes per grade. Rooms were in short supply, therefore facility was found in Regensdorf. Shortly thereafter, the upper primary classes were moved to Regensdorf, while the lower primary classes remained in the lakeside villa on Seefeldquai. The search for one facility to house the entire school was now underway.

The founder of ICS Gerald Atkinson relinquished his ownership of the school in 1968, to facilitate the process of ICS gaining the legal non-profit foundation status. This non-profit foundation status would make it easier to raise funds for the purchasing of a new building. On August 1, 1968, the Foundation of The Inter-Community School was established under the Swiss Civil Code.

1970–1986

In early 1970 the municipality of Dübendorf, a suburb near Zurich, had just completed the construction of a new primary school, but only required half of the rooms. ICS was offered the use of the other half of the building for one year, while another more permanent location was sought. In April 1970, the lower primary classes moved out of the lakeside villa in Zurich to the new temporary facility in Dübendorf. The upper primary classes remained in Regensdorf during this period.

At the same time, the board of trustees had found a farmer in Zumikon who was willing to sell ICS some of his land. The contract for the purchase was signed in November 1970. After receiving two major loans from Credit Suisse and the Union Bank of Switzerland, ICS was ready to build its own facility. Construction began in November 1971 and was completed in December 1972. When the winter term began in 1973, the entire school was under one roof - this was the Primary School building. 270 students were now enrolled at ICS. In 1977 additional land was purchased, and extensions to the Primary School building were done in 1979 and 1982. Shortly thereafter in 1985, a library and kindergarten were built.

The 1974 'Brink Report' by the Board of Trustees formulated plans for the development of a secondary school at ICS. The first pavilion was erected in 1987 as the first secondary school classroom.

Academics

The medium of instruction is English, but all children above Kindergarten must study German. From grade 6, students are also required to study a third language (French or Spanish). The academic curriculum of the school is based upon the programmes of the International Baccalaureate, and ICS is the only Zurich area school authorized to offer the IB programmes at all levels. The IB programmes are designed to facilitate transition to and from national education systems and entry into universities around the world.

Class maximum size varies between 16 and 24 depending upon grade level and there is a student-teacher ratio of approximately 8:1.

Just under half of the student body is composed of native speakers of English, and the school has a programme of English as an additional language (EAL) and learning support.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zumikon</span> Municipality in Zurich, Switzerland

Zumikon is a municipality in the district of Meilen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland. It is located in the Pfannenstiel region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilchberg, Zurich</span> Municipality in Zurich, Switzerland

Kilchberg is a municipality in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland. Kilchberg is the site of a regional cemetery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dübendorf</span> Municipality in Zürich, Switzerland

Dübendorf is a municipality in the district of Uster in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in Switzerland</span>

The education system in Switzerland is very diverse, because the constitution of Switzerland delegates the authority for the school system mainly to the cantons. The Swiss constitution sets the foundations, namely that primary school is obligatory for every child and is free in state schools and that the confederation can run or support universities.

Educational stages are subdivisions of formal learning, typically covering early childhood education, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognizes nine levels of education in its International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) system. UNESCO's International Bureau of Education maintains a database of country-specific education systems and their stages. Some countries divide levels of study into grades or forms for school children in the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harare International School</span> International day school in Harare, Zimbabwe

Harare International School is an international, co-educational, day school in Harare, Zimbabwe with around 450 students from Pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. HIS is accredited with the Council of International Schools, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and the International Baccalaureate Organization. Harare International School is an American-sponsored institution, receiving support from the United States Embassy via an annual grant from the US Department of State's Office for Overseas Schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adliswil</span> Municipality in Zurich, Switzerland

Adliswil is a town and a municipality in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wädenswil</span> Municipality in Zürich, Switzerland

Wädenswil, locally often called Wädi or Wädischwil, is a municipality located in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland. The population, as of 2013, was about 21,000. On 1 January 2019 the former municipalities of Hütten and Schönenberg were merged into the municipality of Wädenswil.

The International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) is a private, coeducational, non-profit day school in Switzerland for students aged 3 to 18 in the greater Zurich area. Founded in 1961, the school enrolls about 1,200 students from more than 50 nationalities, aiming to offer an international educational experience through the International Baccalaureate Program (IB). Located in Zug, approximately 34 kilometers from Zurich and 25 kilometers from Lucerne, ISZL currently operates two campuses and also owns a Chalet located in Wengen in the Bernese Alps. Until 2016, the School also had a campus in Lucerne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International School Basel</span> Private coeducational school in Reinach and Aesch, Switzerland

The International School of the Basel Region AG (ISBR AG) is an English-speaking school for students from ages 3–19 (PYP1-DP2). ISB is an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, and offers the following programs:

The International School of Central Switzerland (ISCS) is a private international school in Cham, Canton of Zug, Switzerland. It serves students aged 3 to 18 in Kindergarten through Year 13 and is a Cambridge International School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zurich International School</span> Non-profit day school in Switzerland

Zurich International School (ZIS) is an independent non-profit day school in Switzerland for students aged 3 to 18 in the greater Zurich area. Over 1,300 students from more than 50 countries are enrolled in the school. The school has two campuses: a Primary campus in Wädenswil for Early Childhood and Lower School students aged 3 to 11 and a Secondary Campus in Adliswil for Middle School students aged 11 to 14 and Upper School students aged 14 to 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese School in Zurich</span> Primary & middle school in Uster, Switzerland

The Japanese School in Zurich is a Japanese international school in Uster, Canton of Zürich, Switzerland, situated in the Zurich metropolitan area. It has a day school division and it has a weekend complementary school that meets on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It is the sole non-boarding Japanese day school in Switzerland, and it serves kindergarten, elementary school, and junior high school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Institut auf dem Rosenberg</span> Private, international boarding school in St. Gallen, Switzerland

Institut auf dem Rosenberg, often referred to as Rosenberg, is a private, family-run, international boarding school located in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Established in 1889 by Elrich Schmidt, Rosenberg was originally known as Institut Dr Schmidt and gained its current name in the 1930s after the death of its founder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lycée français Marie Curie de Zurich</span> Primary, middle, and high school in Dübendorf, Switzerland

Lycée Français Marie Curie de Zurich (LFZ), German: französisches Gymnasium) is a French international school located in the municipality of Dübendorf, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, with more than 1,145 students from reception to year 13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International School Winterthur</span> Defunct school in Winterthur, Switzerland

International School Winterthur (ISW) was an international school in Winterthur, Switzerland, serving ages 3 through 18. It was established in 2001, but closed suddenly on 22 May 2015 after declaring insolvency.

International School – Zurich North (ISZN) is a multi-cultural day school for students aged 3 to 18, located in the north-eastern suburbs of Zurich, Switzerland.The school community consists of over 200 students from approx.35 different countries.

Liceo linguistico e scientifico "Pier Martire Vermigli" is a private Italian international liceo in Zürich, Switzerland. It is on the second and third floors of the "Casa d'Italia" facility, which also houses the Scuola statale primaria e dell'infanzia/Scuola Italiana di Zurigo, a primary school operated by the Italian government; and the Scuola media paritaria "Enrico Fermi", which is a private Italian lower secondary school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International School of Berne</span> International school in Gümlingen, Switzerland

International School of Berne (ISBerne) is an international school in Gümligen, Muri bei Bern, Switzerland. Founded in 1961, It serves primarily international students aged 3 to 18 and offers 2 diploma options. The curriculum is the International Baccalaureate and is taught in English. Two official Swiss languages, German and French, are taught as additional languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collège Champittet</span> School in Vaud, Switzerland

Collège Champittet is a Swiss school in the canton de Vaud operated by Nord Anglia Education, a group of 82 schools around the world. The school offers an academic education for students ages 3–19 and has two campuses: the main one is located in the vicinity of Lausanne in Pully, and the other one in Nyon. The Nyon campus offers Kindergarten and primary school education services, while the Pully campus offers a Kindergarten, primary and a secondary education. The school offers a full boarding service for students who are willing to live in the Pully campus. The school has a 950-student capacity.

References

  1. 1 2 "Aufsicht Privatschulen" (official site) (in German). Zürich, Switzerland: Volkschulamt, Bildungsdirektion, Kanton Zürich. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
  2. ↑ "Kantonale Mittelschulen" (official site) (in German). Zürich, Switzerland: Mittelschul- und Berufsbildungsamt, Bildungsdirektion, Kanton Zürich. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
  3. ↑ "Maturität - Maturité - Maturità" (official site) (in German, French, and Italian). Berne, Switzerland: Swiss Federal State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, SERI. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  4. ↑ "History of ICS". Archived from the original on 2007-01-14. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
  5. ↑ "History of the development of ICS". Archived from the original on 2007-10-21. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.