Lakeside School - Kusnacht and Lipschule are both in Zug, about 2 km apart. Both schools offer Swiss programmes. Lakeside School - Kusnacht also offers Bespoke, and Lipschule also offers Montessori. Published annual fees are CHF 20,400 - 27,600 at Lakeside School - Kusnacht and CHF 21,456 - 31,416 at Lipschule, which puts Lipschule roughly 10% higher. Lakeside School - Kusnacht takes pupils from 3 to 12, and Lipschule from 3 to 16. Lakeside School - Kusnacht is the larger school, with around 200 pupils to Lipschule's 120. Typical class sizes are 18 at Lakeside School - Kusnacht and 25 at Lipschule.
Küsnacht, canton of Zürich, Switzerland. The campus is located in Küsnacht with a magnificent view of Lake Zurich. Getting to school is convenient by public transport: a ten-minute walk from the Küsnacht-Goldbach or Zollikon train stations. A school bus runs from the Tiefenbrunnen or Küsnacht train stations at no extra cost, and door-to-door service can be arranged depending on location. Bus routes are established each June for the next academic year.
Location
Lip Private School Zurich is located at Seestrasse 561, 8038 Zürich. It lies on the left bank of Lake Zurich near the city border with Wollishofen. The school is accessible by public transport.
Stages
Stages
Pre-Kindergarten; Kindergarten; Primary School
Stages
Cycle 1: Montessori Kindergarten and Primary Level from 3 years; Cycle 2: Middle Level from 9 years; Cycle 3: Secondary Level from 11 years; Focus Year: 10th School Year from 15 years.
School type
School type
Private, non-profit bilingual day school
School type
The school is a private Montessori-based school.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
In-house language and learning support rooms for small-group instruction
Additional learning support
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Country affiliation
Country affiliation
Switzerland
Country affiliation
Switzerland
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
School bus from Tiefenbrunnen or Küsnacht train stations at no extra cost; door-to-door service possible depending on location; routes set each June for the next academic year
Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application & Entrance Fees
- Registration (Anmeldegebühr): CHF 500.- (non-refundable). - Deposit (security deposit payable when the contract is signed): CHF 3,500.- for the 1st child / CHF 2,500.- for the 2nd child / CHF 1,500.- for each further child. The deposit is retained if the school contract is terminated less than 16 weeks before the child's agreed start date; otherwise the deposit is refunded on exit after settlement of any outstanding amounts. - For Pre‑Kindergarten programmes a school fund (Schulfond) charge applies: CHF 1,000.-. Sibling deposit scale shown on Pre‑K information: 1st child CHF 2,000.- / 2nd child CHF 1,000.- / from 3rd child CHF 500.- (specific Pre‑K registration/deposit information is published with the Pre‑K programme).
Tuition fees by programme and year group (month / annual equivalents where published)
- Pre‑Kindergarten (full programme; Wednesday afternoon free): CHF 2,050.- per month (annual equivalent CHF 24,600.-). - Pre‑Kindergarten (five mornings per week): CHF 1,310.- per month (annual equivalent CHF 15,720.-). Additional morning: CHF 260.- per month (annual equivalent CHF 3,120.-). Additional afternoon: CHF 210.- per month (annual equivalent CHF 2,520.-). - Kindergarten (full programme; Wednesday afternoon free): CHF 2,310.- per month (annual equivalent CHF 27,720.-). Options with an additional free afternoon shown at CHF 2,150.- or CHF 2,200.- per month (annual equivalents CHF 25,800.- and CHF 26,400.- respectively). - Primary school (1st – 6th grade; full programme; Wednesday morning only): CHF 2,310.- per month (annual equivalent CHF 27,720.-).
Additional day‑care, lunch and extra-curricular charges
- Day Care (sample rates published): morning care (07:30–08:45, five days) CHF 307.- per month (annual CHF 3,684.-). After‑school care options (15:45–17:30) CHF 429.- per month (annual CHF 5,148.-); (15:45–18:30) CHF 678.- per month (annual CHF 8,136.-). Single sessions and Wednesday‑afternoon options also listed with published per‑session rates. - Hot Lunch (catered lunch; VAT excluded): Monday–Friday (including Wednesday) CHF 250.- per month (annual CHF 3,000.-); Monday–Friday (excluding Wednesday) CHF 200.- per month (annual CHF 2,400.-); Tuesday & Thursday option CHF 100.- per month (annual CHF 1,200.-). - Holiday care and semester leisure courses are charged separately; published materials note guaranteed minimum holiday‑care weeks and that some leisure courses incur additional fees. - School bus: a guaranteed spot on the school shuttle from the nearby Tiefenbrunnen or Küsnacht train stations is provided without additional cost; door‑to‑door pickup may be organised depending on routing (published routing is established each June). Specific door‑to‑door provisions and routes are handled by the school.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Regular tuition and service charges are stated as monthly amounts and are payable in advance at the start of each month. Published materials show monthly amounts and annual equivalents. Price changes are reserved by the school. A sibling discount applies: 5% for the second child and 10% from the third child.
Boarding
- Lakeside School Küsnacht operates as a day school (day programmes, day care, after‑school provision). No boarding fees apply.
Other costs and typical extras
- School fund (Schulfond) charge associated with Pre‑K registration: CHF 1,000.-. - Enrollment or programme administrative charges for sport, excursions, specialised courses and some extracurricular programmes may be invoiced separately when offered; holiday‑care weeks and some leisure courses are charged in addition to base fees. Hot lunch, day‑care and single‑session charges are itemised as above. - Uniforms are not listed among mandatory fees in the published programme and pricing materials for the Küsnacht campus. Specific activity‑related equipment or course materials, if required, are invoiced or communicated per programme.
Refunds and cancellations (entrance fees / deposit rules)
- The registration fee CHF 500.- is not refundable. - The deposit is due at contract signature and is refundable on exit after settlement of any outstanding charges, subject to published notice and forfeiture rules (for example a deduction/forfeiture if the contract is terminated within the published notice period before the agreed start date). Specific published deposit amounts and notice conditions are stated in the entrance‑fees documentation.
Fee payment options
- The school accepts electronic and card‑based payment channels through supported payment providers listed in the school's payment and privacy information; published payment options include PostFinance, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, Apple Pay, Stripe and Klarna (as well as the school's invoicing/accounting platforms). Payment is typically handled by bank transfer or the school's accepted electronic payment methods.
Summary statement
- Monthly tuition amounts and the corresponding annual equivalents are published for Pre‑K, Kindergarten and Primary (1–6) and for day‑care and hot‑lunch options; fees are billed monthly in advance and are subject to the school's published deposit, registration and refund rules.
Fee details
Application / registration fees - No separate application or one‑off registration fee is published as part of the school's publicly‑listed fee schedule for the current academic year.
Tuition fees by year group (annual and per term equivalent) - Kindergarten 1 (age 3): Annual CHF 27,120. Per term equivalent (annual ÷ 3): CHF 9,040. - Kindergarten 2 (age 4): Annual CHF 27,120. Per term equivalent: CHF 9,040. - Kindergarten 3 (age 5): Annual CHF 27,120. Per term equivalent: CHF 9,040. - Grade 1 (age 6): Annual CHF 27,840. Per term equivalent: CHF 9,280. - Grade 2 (age 7): Annual CHF 27,840. Per term equivalent: CHF 9,280. - Grade 3 (age 8): Annual CHF 27,840. Per term equivalent: CHF 9,280. - Grade 4 (age 9): Annual CHF 30,480. Per term equivalent: CHF 10,160. - Grade 5 (age 10): Annual CHF 30,480. Per term equivalent: CHF 10,160. - Grade 6 (age 11): Annual CHF 30,480. Per term equivalent: CHF 10,160. - Grade 7 (age 12): Annual CHF 30,480. Per term equivalent: CHF 10,160. - Grade 8 (age 13): Annual CHF 30,480. Per term equivalent: CHF 10,160. - Grade 9 (age 14): Annual CHF 30,480. Per term equivalent: CHF 10,160. - Grade 10 (age 15): Annual CHF 30,480. Per term equivalent: CHF 10,160.
Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is presented and charged on an annual basis (the published fee figures are annual amounts). Per‑term figures above are simple thirds of the annual amount to show a per‑term equivalent.
Boarding / accommodation - The school operates as a day school; boarding provision is not part of the school's offering.
Sibling discount and family reductions - Sibling reductions apply: second child receives a 15% reduction; third child receives a 25% reduction on the published tuition.
Other costs and typical extras - No separate, mandatory uniform fee is stated in the published fee overview. Additional costs for items such as learning materials, school trips, extracurricular activities, lunches or late‑care are not included in the headline tuition figures and may incur extra charges.
Refunds and withdrawals - No public, itemised refund policy for partial terms, late starts, or early withdrawals is included in the school's published fee figures.
Fee payment options - The published fee information does not itemise accepted payment methods (for example bank transfer, direct debit or credit card). Contact details are provided for direct enquiries about payment arrangements.
Notes for record use - The amounts above are the school's published annual tuition rates for the current academic cycle and include the sibling discounts rule shown. Per‑term figures shown here are computed as one‑third of the annual fee to provide a term‑equivalent value for database display.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
Day School; boarding not offered.
Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
Hot Lunch is offered; lunches are nutritious and delicious.
Food options
Tuition includes meals. A Wednesday afternoon care option (12:30–18:00) is available for 265 CHF per month (3,180 CHF per year). Nachschulbetreuung (after-school care) runs after the end of classes from 16:00 to 18:00 and can be added for 1–4 days per week: 90 CHF per month (1,080 CHF per year) for 1 day; 137 CHF per month (1,644 CHF per year) for 2 days; 184 CHF per month (2,208 CHF per year) for 3 days; 231 CHF per month (2,772 CHF per year) for 4 days. The tuition schedule also lists full-time options with and without Wednesday meals (e.g., Vollpensum) priced accordingly (e.g., 2,440 CHF per month with Wednesday meals; 2,618 CHF per month without Wednesday meals; amounts vary by cycle).
House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
Governing body is The Lakeside School Foundation, a non-profit organization. The Foundation reinvests profits into the school; the Board of Trustees oversees governance.
Governance and ownership
Lip Privatschule Zürich operates Lip Schule as a private school. The operator's address is Seestrasse 561, 8038 Zürich, and the Handelsregisternummer is CH-020.4.018.819-2. Oliver Steinlin is listed as Co-Geschäftsleitung (Co-Managing Director). Lipschule AG is the corporate entity behind Lip Schule.
Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Primary School runs from Grade 1 to 6 and provides a bilingual foundation. Bilingual Matura offers upper-school options up to the Swiss Matura.
Curriculum details
Lip Private School Zurich is a Montessori private school offering Kindergarten and Primary (Cycle 1) from age 3, followed by Cycle 2 Middle Level from age 9, Cycle 3 Secondary Level from age 11, and a Focus Year (the 10th school year) from age 15. Cycle 2 features mixed‑age groups where students deepen their skills, explore interests, and learn to take responsibility, in an environment that strengthens personality and talents. The school is state‑recognized. Multilingual education is central: German and English are the everyday and teaching languages, and in Cycle 2 (grades 3–6 and the transitional year) lessons are conducted in German, English and French. New media are a fixed part of the curriculum, and every child has access to their own tablet. The Focus Year provides an individualized bridging year after secondary school for deepening, development and future planning, with personal guidance and flexible design.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
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Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
The school values shape the school culture and promote the social and emotional development of students.
Social & emotional learning
Learning is personal. Reliable relationships between teachers and students address individual needs. The school emphasizes personal development and provides a learning environment that fosters self-esteem within a familial setting.
Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
Student support rooms provide individual language and learning support in small groups.
Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
English-speaking and German-speaking class teachers work with classes; once a week they take their classes to the in-house library.
English as an additional language
The school uses bilingual German/English Montessori pedagogy and has multilingual teachers and staff.
Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
Social and emotional development is integral to the school culture, and parent conferences discuss a child's academic and social development.
Mental wellbeing
Wellbeing is fostered through a familial environment, personal development, and positive learning experiences that strengthen self-esteem.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
Campus Küsnacht houses kindergarten, primary school and the auditorium in a single building with a view of Lake Zurich. The auditorium is used for lunch together and for events such as assemblies, class performances and birthday celebrations. There are dedicated spaces for activities including group rooms for collaborative learning, a music room with many instruments, and a crafts, design and technology room with workbenches for textile and technical design. An exclusive in-house library is accessible to students, with weekly trips for reading and borrowing, and each class has its own small library. There is ample space to play and exercise, from a football pitch to basketball hoops and extensive play structures. After-school clubs include activities such as Kung Fu, gymnastics, coding and acting.
Facilities overview
Lip Montessori Private School Zürich sits in Zürich-Wollishofen near the lake. The building is designed for children's needs with bright, well-structured spaces that provide orientation and freedom of movement. Learning happens everywhere: in the learning landscape, on the break courtyard, and in the after-care area. The learning environment includes ateliers, learning niches, learning halls, and a school garden. The Kindergarten and early primary use a bilingual German-English Montessori approach, with German and English integrated into daily life.
Sports facilities
Sports facilities
On-site facilities include a football pitch and basketball hoops, with extensive play structures for outdoor activity. The space supports a variety of physical activities.
Sports facilities
On-site there is a large hall on the first floor used by the middle school, providing space for movement and sometimes serving as a theatre. The school operates an open learning space with personal workstations, group rooms, ateliers and a lakeside break area suitable for a variety of activities. There is no dedicated on-site gym; Lip Schule rents sports halls in Zürich and surrounding communities.
Academic facilities
Academic facilities
Group rooms support collaborative learning. A music room houses a large selection of instruments. A crafts, design and technology room provides workbenches for textile and technical design. Student support rooms offer individual language and learning support in small groups. An exclusive in-house library is available for classes, with weekly library visits and class libraries for student use.
Academic facilities
Lip Schule Zürich follows Montessori pedagogy in the Kindergarten and primary years, with a bilingual German-English environment. German and English are part of everyday life, supported by native-speaking teachers to encourage natural language acquisition; all other subjects are taught in German. The school emphasizes Montessori philosophy and a learning culture that fosters independence and curiosity. In the second cycle, digital competence and media literacy are integrated; students learn to research, evaluate sources, and use digital content responsibly, including use of iPads and other devices. In the third cycle, individual coaching focuses on expanding personal, social, and methodological competencies, with an emphasis on guiding the learning path toward future career choices. Examinations exist in various forms to demonstrate competencies, and a competence profile guides next steps toward future career choices.
Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
After-school clubs include Kung Fu, gymnastics, coding and acting. These clubs extend learning beyond the school day. Holiday Care provides a supervised holiday programme in a familiar setting. The Lakeside School Küsnacht campus offers a variety of after-school and holiday programs to engage students.
Extra curricular facilities
Exkursionen, camps and project days are integral to the program. From the primary to the secondary levels, students take part in field trips to nature, culture, and society, as well as theatre and museums. There are several project weeks and camps across three school years to explore different subject areas.
Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
Lip Privatschule Zürich is a familial private school on Lake Zurich that offers children and adolescents an inspiring place for personal development. Since 1998 Lip has stood for an inspiring learning environment—before, during, and beyond compulsory schooling. As a Montessori private school, Lip operates with room within Lehrplan 21 for holistic, competence-oriented education.
Community
Community
Kindergarten, primary school and auditorium are in the same building with a view of Lake Zurich. In the auditorium, lunch is eaten together and gatherings include assemblies, class performances and birthday celebrations. Exclusive in-house library access provides weekly visits to the library for English-speaking and German-speaking classes, and each class has its own small library. After-school life includes clubs such as Kung Fu, gymnastics, coding and acting, and there is ample outdoor space with a football pitch, basketball hoops and play structures.
Community
Lip maintains a close, friendly network with partners, suppliers, alumni, and the parents of its students. This Lip network provides graduates with additional opportunities and perspectives for entering the job market. The school emphasizes three core values: Inspiring learning happens everywhere—at the Wollishofen site, in the mixed-age open spaces, in the diverse learning niches, in the workshop, outdoors by the lake, and during outings; Personal learning is supported by reliable relationships between teachers and students and among staff, enabling holistic, competence-oriented growth within Lehrplan 21; and a Family-like environment that strengthens self-worth through positive learning experiences and encourages students to deepen their interests and pursue their own path.
Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
There is a Parents' Club Küsnacht. The parent community is active as part of Lakeside School Küsnacht. There is also a Parents' Club Horgen for the Horgen campus.
Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
Primary School provides a bilingual foundation with instruction in English and German. The school building houses kindergarten, primary school and an auditorium with a magnificent view of Lake Zurich, and spaces include group rooms for collaborative learning as well as a music room with a wide range of instruments. There is an in-house library that students access; English-speaking and German-speaking teachers take classes there weekly, and each class has its own small classroom library. There is ample space to play and exercise, with a football pitch, basketball hoops and extensive play structures.
Academic & intellectual
Digital literacy is emphasized; students learn to use iPads, phones, and computers to research, evaluate, prepare, and present information. Responsible use of digital and social media is taught in class and daily life, with parental involvement. English and French are part of daily schooling; native-speaking teachers enable natural language learning while other subjects are taught in German. Excursions, camps, and project days bring world topics into the classroom and support cross-disciplinary learning.
Arts & creative
Arts & creative
A Music Room provides a large selection of instruments. A Crafts, Design and Technology room has workbenches for textile and technical design. Group rooms support collaborative learning, and the auditorium hosts assemblies, class performances and birthday celebrations. The auditorium also serves as a gathering space for lunch and events.
Arts & creative
The Focus Year includes theater and music as modules. Project work and ateliers are integral to the curriculum. Rhythmized learning, stress management, and communication and teamwork are addressed. Garden projects, theater activities, and swimming courses are part of the experiential program.
Cultural & language
Cultural & language
English-speaking and German-speaking teachers accompany classes to the in-house library weekly to read and borrow books. Each class has its own small library that is always accessible to students. In Primary School, students are instructed in English and German. The bilingual environment supports language development across the curriculum.
Cultural & language
English and French are part of daily life not only in language classes but also during breaks, supervision, and meals. Native-speaking teachers enable natural, playful language acquisition. All other subjects are taught in German. The school uses Zurich's cultural offerings for excursions and projects to broaden students' cultural experiences.
Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
There is a football pitch, basketball hoops and extensive play structures for outdoor activity. After the bell rings, a diverse program of After School Clubs is offered, including Kung Fu, gymnastics, coding and acting. Students have opportunities to participate in sports and creative activities after school to stay active and engaged.
Social & hobbies
Community is built by collaboratively developing rules and encouraging respectful cooperation. Students develop social and personal competencies through teamwork and shared meals, strengthening their sense of belonging within the school. Open spaces support movement, play, and social interaction across age groups.
Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
Garden projects near Grenzsteig involve caring for the community garden, chickens, planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting; harvested produce is used in the garden kitchen. Internships and service-learning opportunities occur with partner companies to connect learning with real-world contexts.
Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
Career exploration is facilitated through modules on career choice, internships, and applications. There are internships and service-learning opportunities with partner businesses, plus development of communication, presentation, teamwork, and conflict-resolution skills. The Focus Year spaces resemble coworking environments to prepare students for the working world, supported by personal coaching.
Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
There is plenty of space to play and exercise on campus, including a football pitch, basketball hoops and extensive play structures. After School Clubs support physical and mental wellbeing through activities such as Kung Fu, gymnastics, coding and acting. Getting to school is convenient with a short walk from nearby train stations and a door-to-door school bus service from key origins.
Lifestyle & wellbeing
Swimming courses and first-aid training are offered as part of the program. Rhythmed learning and stress management are included to support well-being. An in-house kitchen serves fresh meals daily and accommodates dietary needs, with opportunities for students to assist in meal preparation. The Focus Year provides open, calm coworking-style spaces to foster balance and focused work.
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
The languages of instruction are English and German. In Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, each class is taught by one English-speaking and one German-speaking teacher, exposing students to both languages. In Primary School, students are instructed in English and German, with cross-language planning between a native English-speaking teacher and a native German-speaking teacher. German-language development remains strong in bilingual settings, and students with other language dominances also achieve strong English reading and writing skills.
Language provision
German, English and French are taught across Lip Schule Zurich. Cycle 1 uses German and English as everyday and teaching languages. Cycle 2 uses German, English and French. Cycle 3 provides English and French taught by a dedicated English teacher and a French specialist.
Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
Lakeside School Küsnacht offers bilingual education in English and German. In Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, each class has one English-speaking and one German-speaking class teacher working together. In Primary School, instruction is in English and German, with a native English-speaking and a native German-speaking teacher sharing responsibility and coordinating planning. The class has an English week when all subjects are taught in English, followed by a German week; Specialist subjects are taught in either language.
Bilingual teaching
Cycle 1 is bilingual, with German and English as part of everyday life and teaching languages. Cycle 2 uses German, English and French as teaching languages. Cycle 3 includes English and French taught by a dedicated English teacher and a French specialist.
Immersion programs
Immersion programs
English and German are used in speaking and writing in every subject. The programme is fully immersive with equal instruction in both languages (50:50). Our teachers are native speakers of either English or German.
Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Registration is online; you can register your child online for Lakeside School Küsnacht or contact us if you have any further questions. Fees and registration are managed via the Fees & Registration page, where offers and prices are calculated dynamically as you build an individual program. The Küsnacht campus offers Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Primary School; additional services include Day School, Day Care, Hot Lunch, School Bus Küsnacht, After School Clubs, and Holiday Care.
