As a boarding school with strong sports, arts and service programmes, Le Rosey’s approach to education is holistic, but academic expectations and success lie at the heart of what we do. We insist on high standards, backed up by up-to-date teaching methods and facilities underpinned by traditional rigour, and above all, bilingual and bicultural programmes.
Curriculum
Rosey students are diverse both in what they know and how they have learnt. Our curriculum is international with the breadth and depth characteristic of the strongest national and international programmes and a strong emphasis on languages.
A full Rosey education is split into four different stages: the Juniors, the Cadets, the Jeunes Seniors and the Seniors.
Languages, Bilingualism and Biculturalism
For well over a hundred years both English and French have been the languages of instruction at Le Rosey, now combined in a bilingual system, providing all students the chance to learn in both.
Roséens choose French or English as their main language of instruction and study the majority of subjects in this language.
French and English classes are provided in a way that challenges all: language and literature for the most advanced, and foreign language classes for those with levels ranging from beginner to a good command of the language.
As soon as they are able, students study at least one subject in another language. All students are advised individually on their choices. Students taking a fully bilingual programme receive a Le Rosey Bilingual Diploma at the end of the Pre-Bac program.
In practice, the mother tongue of more than half of the Rosey students is neither English nor French: nearly 30 different mother-tongue languages are taught at Le Rosey, it might therefore be more appropriate to talk of trilingual studies.
Academic Standards
All students without exception must follow demanding academic tracks culminating in the full diploma of the International Baccalaureate (in English, French or both) or an academic série of the French baccalauréat.
Over the last five years the pass rate for the French bac has been 100% (and over 60% of students have obtained mentions), while 98% of our International Baccalaureate cohort have obtained the full IB diploma – against a world average of about 80%. The average grade is 36 points (world average 30) and over two-thirds of students obtain a bilingual IB diploma (more than double the world average).
All students proceed to university and over 30% of these to universities ranked in the top 25 across the world including the Ivy League, MIT, Stanford and “Ivy League Plus” in the US, and Oxbridge and other Russell Group universities in the UK.
Classes and atmosphere
With an average class size of fewer than ten students, Roséens benefit from close attention to their needs and interests as well as a special relationship with members of our teaching faculty. And of course, one of the particular advantages of boarding school life is the chance to see teachers outside class.
With an international teaching staff, one would expect teaching methods and approaches to vary – and they do. Whilst only selecting highly qualified staff, Le Rosey does not believe in a one-size-fits-all teaching technique. Teachers are regularly evaluated and provided with professional development opportunities but all are encouraged to be individuals and to enjoy being in the classroom since we believe that happy and committed teaching makes for successful learning.
