Cities / Geneva / Geneva English School
Geneva English School
Not-for-profit British school in Genthod offering the English National Curriculum from Early Years to A Level for 310 students from 60+ nationalities. Annual fees for 2025-2026 run from CHF 19,000 (Pre-school) to CHF 35,800 (Year 12-13), placing GES among the…
In brief
Geneva's longest-running fully British school, founded in 1961, on a leafy campus in Genthod by the lake. Strong reputation among British and Anglophone families for warmth and community feel.
GES follows the English National Curriculum through to IGCSE and A Level, with around 310 students aged 3 to 18. Accredited by CIS, ISI and BSO, and a COBIS Patron member. Operated as part of the Inspired schools group. Matthew Williams runs the secondary phase. Around 60 nationalities sit on the roll with almost 50 languages spoken at home.
Families describe a school that is friendly, unpretentious and caring, with high one-to-one attention and teachers who stay long enough to know children well. Parents repeatedly use the phrase family school, with regular shows, fairs, ski trips and sports days that draw the community in. Fees of CHF 19,000 to 35,800 climb steeply through the secondary years. The Genthod location works well for families based in Versoix and along the lake, less so for anyone tied to the city centre or the south bank.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-school | 3 | Annual | CHF 19,000 |
| Reception | 5 | Annual | CHF 23,000 |
| Years 1-6 | 6 | Annual | CHF 28,500 |
| Years 7-9 | 12 | Annual | CHF 33,000 |
| Years 10-11 (GCSE) | 15 | Annual | CHF 34,250 |
| Years 12-13 (A Level) | 17 | Annual | CHF 35,800 |
| Application Fee | One-time | CHF 250 | |
| Registration Fee | One-time | CHF 1,500 | |
| Tuition Deposit | One-time | CHF 3,000 | |
| Capital Development Fee | One-time | CHF 4,000 |
Reviews
- Reviews online are consistently warm. r/geneva and r/Switzerland surface multiple unprompted recommendations from parents whose children attended GES.
- Parents praise the standard of teaching, the Versoix and Genthod settings, and the unpretentious British feel. One parent said "It was very good" after a nine-month stint, and another described GES and Ecole Mosaic as the most helpful schools to approach with SEND needs when other options pleaded "not enough resources".
- A repeated pattern is families using GES as a transitional school. One r/geneva user noted seeing "many kids" move to GES initially and then on to local Swiss schools once their French was strong enough.
- The Good Schools Guide and iSchoolAdvisor reviews echo the Reddit picture, with GES described as academically successful, popular, and a "happy children" community.
- Critical commentary is rare and isolated. The dominant note is loyalty from parents who chose GES over alternatives.
Head of school
Matthew Williams
Christina Matillon is the Director General of Geneva English School, overseeing the school's commitment to academic excellence and a nurturing environment. She emphasizes the importance of community and individual student support, ensuring that every child thrives in their educational journey.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
- COBIS Patron's Accreditation and Compliance 02
- British Schools Overseas (DfE) 03
- ISI 04
Academic results
- A Level Pass Rate 2025 99%
- A*/A Grades 2025 51%
- GCSE Grades 9-7 (2025) 66%