Haut-Lac International Bilingual School

Since September 2021, Rossella Cosso MEd in educational leadership (Open University) and an MSc in physics (Sapienza, Rome). A former CERN physicist, she traded particles for pupils at College du Leman, where she spent 20 years rising from physics

Parents describe the admissions process as mercifully painless - a few forms, a school visit ‘relaxed, fun and genuinely welcoming’ (in person or online if you’re halfway across the globe), a chat with one of the directors and recent reports. Rolling

Support in last few years of secondary with tutors and curriculum heads sketching out what sets students up for life beyond the lake. By grade 12, there’s a counsellor keeping deadlines in check and a parade of university reps pitching their wares at

In 2025, all 33 students passed the IB Diploma Programme (DP) with an average score of 35 (global average was 30). Forty-five per cent achieved the bilingual diploma. All three students who opted for the Career-related Programme (CP) passed, as did

Plenty of choice here - bilingual English/French, English-only or French-only programmes, with progression into IBMYP and IBDP. Secondary students also have the option of branching into the IB Career-related Programme or the US high school diploma

Covers mild needs - from dyslexia, ADHD and mild autism to gaps after illness or travel. Teachers spot issues early, flag to parents and the individual needs team steps in with support or stretch, with a bespoke plan for each child (including

A dedicated team of EAL (English as an additional language) and FLA (French as an additional language) specialists (all native speakers), plus classroom assistants and volunteers, with quick integration as the aim - no one’s whisked away unless

Art is no afterthought here - it’s centre stage. The school is plastered with student work, a prolific display that parents (especially in primary) adore: ‘Something creative comes home every week’, said one. Two well-stocked art rooms brim with

Sport isn’t just big - it’s the beating heart of the place. One staff member quips: ‘No religion here, but if there was, it would be sport.’ Two lessons a week (one term includes swimming at a nearby pool), inter-house competitions galore and a

Boarding is housed in a leased building once used for camp accommodation, repurposed and polished by the school a few years ago when parents clamoured for beds not buses home. It sits a few minutes from the main campus - walkable if you fancy,

Discipline is clear, consistent and getting sharper - uniform rules now enforced, boundaries spelled out and suspensions or expulsions if needed. Parents say staff mean what they say and follow-through is solid.

Teachers and leaders are described

Parents say the community is a real draw.‘We’ve made so many friends,’ one told us. Active PA, aperos, picnics, BBQs, international fairs - pitch in or just enjoy. Plenty of professionals and high-net-worth families, but no hierarchy; teachers,

Privately owned by the two founding families. No scholarships.

Warm, family-built, refreshingly down-to-earth and proudly bilingual, Haut-Lac is no lofty ivory tower, more mountain lodge with results to match the view. A buzzing, community-driven school with a roll-up-your-sleeves ethos where teachers know every