Admission to the British School Bern is open to all children regardless of nationality, race, religion or family background. All admissions are provisional during the first month after the student is accepted. Please note that our facility is not wheelchair accessible.

This is a one-time, non-refundable payment per child, that accompanies the application for admission. This fee covers the processing of the application. This payment must be received before the application form is processed.

This is a one-time, non-refundable payment per child. Once the application has been reviewed and accepted, you will receive a letter of confirmation as well as the invoice for the registration fee.

Students returning within one year will not be required to pay the registration fee. The administrative fee will be required.

New students will be placed in the year appropriate for their age. While parental input is an important part of the process, the decision of the school is final.

As part of the admission process, the British School Bern will be in contact with the previous schools and will require a confidential reference form to be submitted by the school.

New students will complete a 2-step process. First, they will fill out an intake form that marks their initial interest in the upper secondary school. Second, the students and families will fill out an application form and provide transcripts for staff to determine academic readiness for the proposed grade. If necessary, some may need to take a placement tests. The British School Bern will walk each family through the process.

The following are the age requirements for student placement from Playschool onwards. All students must be the appropriate age by August 31st.

The following are the age requirements for student placement from Playschool onwards. All students must be the appropriate age by August 31st.

For Playschool, children must be 2.5 years old to join the group. We require children to be toilet trained or in the transition phase.

Preschool, Reception and up the children must be the age listed as of August 31st.
For example, if a child is 4 in August and turning 5 during the school year, they will be in the Reception class. If a child is 4 and starts in one school year and is still 4 in August of the following school year, the class placement will remain the same.

It is important to note that class combinations and teacher assignments may vary each year due to fluctuations in student numbers and other factors. These details are updated annually and parents are notified

The British School Bern (BSB) is a private, international school following the British Curriculum since 1988. We acknowledge that some students may have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). While we do not have dedicated in-house support, we collaborate with parents, external organizations, and consultants to accommodate individual needs. Unfortunately, as the British School Bern is a small school, our facilities to provide appropriate individual support are limited.

Parents or guardians are obligated to disclose any special needs during the application process to ensure that the school can provide appropriate support. Where identified as being necessary, an assessment will be conducted to determine how to best meet the student’s needs, while maintaining a balanced learning environment. The British School Bern does not have wheelchair accessibility throughout the building, nor do bathrooms meet standards for people with disabilities. Where we cannot support a child with special needs at our school, we will partner with the parents to find the school, or learning center, appropriate to their child’s needs. Hiring a teacher’s assistant, or providing assessments, will typically come at an additional cost to the parent at current Swiss rates.

Our approach aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), particularly Article 23, which advocates for special care and education. At the British School Bern, we are committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment, where all students, regardless of who they are, receive a high-quality education in a supportive, safe, and respectful setting. We believe that diversity enhances our school community and that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Upon admission, your child’s English level may be assessed. Based on the results of the assessment, the school will decide whether your child requires intensive EAL support. Please be aware that if your child requires this support, there will be an additional cost. There will open communication between the school and family regarding the progress and duration of this program.

The school reserves the right to dismiss a student if the following is observed:

If a student…

• prevents or negatively impacts the teacher’s/school’s ability to plan, assess and deliver a full academic programme in the classroom.
• behaves in such a way as to pose a danger, whether actual, perceived or threatened, to the health, safety or well-being of any person.
• causes significant damage to or destruction of property or causes the removal of property and resources, limiting the resources for other students.
• prevents the ability of the teacher to fulfill extracurricular activities, daily duties and commitments required of being a part of the British School staff and community.
• interferes with the maintaining of the health and well-being of classroom teachers, specialist teachers, support teachers and students.
• commits, attempts to commit, or is knowingly involved in the theft of property

Interventions and supports will be implemented and thoroughly documented well before a dismissal is considered by the school. Dismissals will only be used when all other disciplinary measures, interventions, supports and options have been exhausted.