Lakeside School is a private bilingual day school on Lake Zurich, with sites at Kusnacht and Horgen, teaching children from around age 3 to 12 in English and German. Operating since 1996, it differs from the city's full international schools by building its programme on the local Lehrplan 21 curriculum and pointing pupils towards the Bilingual Swiss Matura rather than a single international diploma. This profile sets out its approach, fee band, admissions and location for families comparing the international schools in Zurich.
At a glance
| Curriculum and approach | Bilingual English and German, built on Lehrplan 21; path towards the Bilingual Swiss Matura |
|---|---|
| Stages | Early years and primary, roughly age 3 to 12 |
| Founded | Operating since 1996 |
| Accreditation | Swiss private school following the local curriculum |
| Community | Around 155 pupils; local and international families |
| Fee band | Mid, full fee private |
| Campus | Two lakeside sites: Kusnacht and Horgen |
Curriculum and approach
Lakeside's distinctive feature is true bilingualism. English and German are used for speaking and writing in every subject, with teachers who are native speakers of one language or the other, and the academic content follows the cantonal Lehrplan 21 framework rather than an imported international syllabus. The aim is to carry pupils towards an academically demanding upper school route that leads to the Bilingual Swiss Matura.
Because it follows the local curriculum, Lakeside can enrol Swiss families without the restrictions that apply to some international schools, which makes its community a genuine mix of local and internationally mobile households. Families who instead want a full International Baccalaureate pathway from the early years can compare the options in our guide to the best international schools in Zurich.
Compare Lakeside School with other Zurich schools
Use our free compare tool to view Lakeside side by side with up to three other Zurich schools on approach, ages and location. Independent and free for parents.
Lakeside School fees
Lakeside fees fall within the Zurich school fees range and, as a bilingual day school on the local curriculum, typically sit in the mid band rather than at the top end of the full international schools. We do not publish a fixed figure here because the school reviews tuition annually; the current numbers should come from the school and any band shown elsewhere is illustrative.
Plan for the usual extras on top of tuition, including a registration charge, lunches, trips and any after school care. Because Lakeside is a small school across two sites, ask which site has availability in your child's year group when you enquire, and confirm the full schedule of charges.
Admissions
Admission is handled by the school directly. With a roll of roughly 155 pupils across the two sites, classes are small and places in popular year groups are limited, so it is worth enquiring early and being flexible about which lakeside site you join. The school will look at a child's prior schooling and language background to place them appropriately in the bilingual programme.
Families moving to the canton should allow time for residence paperwork and for a place to be confirmed before term. Lakeside considers applications across the year where space allows.
Location and who goes there
Lakeside's two sites both sit on the shore of Lake Zurich, at Kusnacht on the eastern, or Gold Coast, shore and at Horgen on the western side, both well served by the S Bahn and the lake boats. The lakeside setting and the bilingual model appeal to families who plan to stay in the region for the longer term and want their children to leave fluent in both English and German.
The community blends local Swiss families with international families who value the dual language route. The Zurich city hub maps how the lakeside districts compare, and you can line Lakeside up against other schools through our school reviews hub.
Lakeside is deliberately a primary stage school, and the question most parents ask is what comes next. The programme is designed to feed an academically demanding upper school route towards the Bilingual Swiss Matura, so families plan the transfer to a secondary school a year or two in advance, choosing between the bilingual Swiss state route and the city international schools. Because the foundation is genuinely bilingual rather than English only with German lessons bolted on, children typically leave able to switch between the two languages across every subject, which keeps both the Swiss and the international secondary options open.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Lakeside School fees?
Lakeside is a private bilingual day school that reviews tuition each year. We do not publish a fixed figure here; request the current tuition and any extras from the school before you apply.
What curriculum does Lakeside School follow?
Lakeside follows a bilingual English and German programme built on the local Lehrplan 21 curriculum, with the aim of preparing pupils for an upper school path leading to the Bilingual Swiss Matura. Every subject is taught in both English and German.
What ages does Lakeside School take?
Lakeside is a primary stage school for children aged roughly 3 to 12, across its Kusnacht and Horgen sites on Lake Zurich.
Is Lakeside School a good school?
Lakeside is an established bilingual day school with small classes and a clear English and German concept. We do not publish a star rating without verified parent reviews, so we describe its programme rather than score it.
Where is Lakeside School?
Lakeside has sites at Kusnacht and Horgen, both on the shore of Lake Zurich within reach of the city by train and boat.
