| Four-Forest Bilingual International School Zug & Luzern |
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|---|---|
| [1] | |
| Address | |
| Maihofstrasse 95a CH-6006 Luzern, Switzerland |
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| Information | |
| Established | 2007 |
| Headteacher | Helena Jurt, Elizabeth Häfliger |
| Faculty | 30 |
| Age range | 3-13 |
| Enrolment | 165 |
| Classes offered | Pre-school, Kindergarten, Forest-school, Primary school |
| Language | English & German |
| Campus | Luzern & Zug |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| School Colour(s) | Green, White & Blue |
| Accreditation(s) | Canton Zug, Canton Luzern |
| Website | Four-Forest Bilingual International School |
Four-Forest Bilingual International School is a private day school located in Lucerne and Zug, Switzerland. Founded in 2007, it has around 165 students, whose ages range from 2 to 13.
History
The bilingual international school was founded in early 2007. In 2009 The Bee Hive Pre-school in Cham, Zug was integrated. Meanwhile more than 165 students are being instructed at the campuses in Lucerne and Zug. The school is located by the well-known Rotsee in Lucerne and in Cham, Switzerland near the City of Zug.
Bilingual Education
The immersion method, involving instruction by native-speakers, exposes students to the rational, emotional, and cultural dimensions of the second language. This is the foundation for developing complete fluency. de:Bilingualismus The instruction takes place in small groups. A preschool for children older than three, a forest-preschool, kindergarten and elementary school are offered. Instruction takes place in English and German, alternating weekly.
The school follows a unique curriculum which has been carefully put together using the local Swiss curriculum and elements from the British National Curriculum. This curriculum begins in Pre-School with the 3-year old children and is followed by all children until 6th Grade. The children are taught equally in both English and German on a weekly basis (one week German, one week English). The school is accredited by the Canton Zug and the Canton Luzern.
The core subjects in the academic curriculum are: English, German, Maths, French, Science, History and Geography. Furthermore every child has the following lessons each week: Art, Design Technology, Drama, ICT, Music, PE and PHSE (Physical, Health and Social Education)
Primary school
The Primary School at Four-Forest is a full-time programme. The unique bilingual curriculum uses the local Swiss curriculum and elements from the British National Curriculum. The children are taught equally in both English and German on a weekly basis (one week German, one week English). All Grades are taught by two qualified and experienced mother-tongue teachers.
Kindergarten
The Kindergarten curriculum is informed by a rigorous knowledge of children’s development as learners. It builds on what they already know and can do and what they are keen to learn next. Children start Kindergarten the August after the fifth birthday and are taught primarily by two teachers – one English mother-tongue and one German mother-tongue.
The children are taught on a weekly basis – one week English followed by one week German. The lively curriculum has a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy, and includes science, history, geography, ICT (Information and Communication Technology), P.E (Physical Education), dance, drama, music, art and craft.
Pre-school
The Pre-School gives young children their all important introduction to the learning environment from the age of three years. Play is the language of childhood and is an essential tool to introduce children to those concepts which are central to successful learning. In a carefully planned environment, children are taught how to learn, how to find things out, how to turn interests into knowledge and how to develop fully their natural aptitude for learning. Early years activities include sand, water, modelling, arts and crafts, construction, books, games, puzzles and role-play. As the children develop, their skills in reading, language and numbers are fostered to provide a secure basis for literacy and numeracy.
Forest school
The outdoor classroom encourages an appreciation of the natural world and builds self-esteem and confidence. This is achieved through weekly visits to a special woodland site. The philosophy of an outdoor classroom is to encourage and inspire children through positive experiences and participation in engaging and motivating achievable tasks and activities in a woodland environment, helping to develop personal, social and emotional skills.
Children need time to thoroughly explore their thoughts, feelings and relationships. This develops understanding of the world, the environment and everything within it through use of their emotions, imagination and senses.
In the Forest school children gain confidence in their own ability. Kinaesthetic learners [learning by doing] are particularly suited to learning in this woodland outdoor environment.
After school activities
Extra curricular activities:
1 Private Music Classes
2 School Choir
3 Drama
4 Chess Club
5 Art & Design
6 Football
7 Private Ballet Classes
8 Homework Club
9 Chinese
Locations
The world famous rowing lake Rotsee in Lucerne provides the perfect setting for the Luzern campus. A playground at school, a large playing field on the lake side and a woodland playground in the surrounding area offer ample space for the children to play and relax. The beautifully situated Zug Campus is near the monastery Heiligkreuz [2], Cham, Switzerland which was founded in 1862.
References
Luzern-Business [3]
Wirtschaftsförderung Kanton Zug [4]
External Links
Official Four-Forest website [5]
Kanton Luzern [6]
Schulen Luzern [7]
Notes
^Schon Dreijährige lernen Englisch^ [8], Neue Luzerner Zeitung
^Primarschule in zwei Sprachen^ [9], Wirtschaftsförderung Luzern