School of Tomorrow – Uster vs Tandem International Multilingual School

	S School of Tomorrow – Uster Zug, Switzerland	T Tandem International Multilingual School Zug, Switzerland
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year CHF 29,400 - 30,600	Fees / year CHF 25,320 - 33,600
Age range	Age range 4 - 12 years	Age range 6 months - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Swiss Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), Bespoke Curriculum, British Curriculum, Swiss Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 103	Pupils 350
Typical class size	Typical class size 17	Typical class size 22
Instruction language	Instruction language German, English	Instruction language German, English, French
Opened	Opened —	Opened 2004
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location —	Location Zurich region, Switzerland, with campuses in Erlenbach, Küsnacht, Zollikon and Zürich (Seefeldstrasse 111, CH-8008).
Stages	Stages —	Stages Early Years & Pre-School; Kindergarten; Primary School; Gymnasium (upper secondary leading to the Swiss Matura).
School type	School type —	School type Day school.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation Switzerland and United Kingdom (Zurich canton curriculum Lehrplan 21; UK National Curriculum).
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details Bus transfer from Erlenbach to Zurich connecting campuses with pick-up locations along the lake; 07:50 pickups in Erlenbach, Küsnacht and Zollikon; 08:20 pickup in Zürich Seefeld.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details —	Fee details Application & one-off (first-time) fees - Assessment (application) fee: CHF 300. - Registration / enrolment fee (one-off, charged after contractual offer): CHF 550. - Capital fund (one-off, charged at first enrolment for Gymnasium pupils): Progymnasium CHF 3'000; Kurzgymnasium CHF 2'000. Tuition fees — Early Years, Pre‑School (day care hours shown) - Early Years (0–3 years) — tuition per month (09:00–16:00): 2 days CHF 1'268; 3 days CHF 1'902; 4 days CHF 2'536; 5 days CHF 3'170. - Pre‑School (3–4 years) — tuition per month (09:00–16:00): 3 days CHF 1'902; 4 days CHF 2'536; 5 days CHF 3'170. Tuition fees — Kindergarten (4–6 years) - Annual tuition (08:50–15:40): 3.5 days CHF 25'320; 4 days CHF 27'960. - Optional French Fridays programme (includes lunch and day care): CHF 7'524 per year. Tuition fees — Primary School (6–12 years) - Annual tuition (08:30–15:55): 4.5 days CHF 28'380; 5 days CHF 30'360. (With 4.5 days, Wednesday morning ends at 12:30 and excludes lunch; 5 days includes Wednesday afternoon French in Zurich.) Tuition fees — Gymnasium and 10th Grade preparation (12–18 years) - Annual tuition (Küsnacht): Progymnasium CHF 31'800; Kurzgymnasium + 10th Grade Gymi‑preparation CHF 33'600. Optional / additional fees and typical extras - Kurzgymnasium afternoon preparation course (Aug–Mar) for Grade 8: CHF 2'500 (optional). - Additional language support (German/English/French), charged per semester: CHF 1'000 (optional). - DELF / Cambridge exam preparation, project weeks, external internships, multi‑day trips and other externally billed activities: charged individually when they occur. - Schoolbooks: personal schoolbooks are charged individually; routine school materials (except personal books) are included in the tuition. - After‑school clubs and extra‑curricular sessions: fees vary by activity, duration and provider; these are charged separately. - Holiday‑care / Holiday‑camp options: separate booking is possible; typical daily holiday‑care fee (separate booking) is CHF 160 per day per child (includes breakfast, snacks, lunch and materials). Holiday camp weeks have published per‑week fees and specific cancellation deadlines; cancelled bookings after the deadline are subject to full charge. Registration fees for some extra‑curricular camps may be non‑refundable. - School bus service is available (day‑time transfer between campuses and local pick‑up points); bus usage is an additional service with separate charges. Billing schedule and payment terms - Annual tuition is calculated on a yearly basis and is presented as a single annual amount. For billing simplicity the annual fee is divided into 12 equal monthly amounts. These monthly amounts are invoiced on a quarterly basis (three months per invoice). Invoices for each quarter are due before the start of that quarter. Optional charges are invoiced separately (arrears invoice). One‑off fees for new pupils are due before the start and are non‑refundable. Refund, cancellation and discount rules - One‑off fees charged at first enrolment (assessment, enrolment fee, capital fund) are non‑refundable. - Holiday camp cancellations: if a booking is cancelled after the stated deadline, the full camp fee is due; no refunds are given for missed sessions or illness in normal circumstances. If a camp is cancelled by the school for government‑mandated reasons, fees will not be charged. Registration fees for extra‑curricular activities may be non‑refundable. - Sibling discount: while multiple children from the same private‑paying family attend the school, each child receives a 5% reduction on the tuition (optional fees excluded). The enrolment fee for a second child is reduced by 50%. These discounts apply only when fees are paid by a private individual (not a company). Boarding - Tandem IMS is a day school; boarding is not offered. Fee payment options and invoicing - Tuition and additional charges are issued by invoice (quarterly for the 12‑month split; optional fees billed separately). Payment instructions and the required payment details are provided on each invoice. Optional fees and one‑off fees are due as stated on their respective invoices. Important notes about optional charges and variability - The published figures above cover the core tuition and commonly referenced optional items. Project weeks, residential trips, specialised exam fees, some extra‑curricular providers and certain consumables are charged on an individual basis when they occur. After‑school club and holiday camp fees vary by programme and are set per offering. Capital fund and one‑time enrolment charges apply at first enrolment for relevant programmes.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements Day school; no boarding offered.
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options Lunch is provided as part of day services; lunch service is offered.
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership Founders Sonya Maechler-Dent (Founder and Curriculum Development) and Philip Maechler (Co-Founder and Business Development). An Advisory Board provides strategic direction and guides quality improvements.
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details —	Curriculum details The core curriculum is Zurich Lehrplan 21 and the UK National Curriculum, with additional elements from the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. Translanguaging and enquiry-based learning are integral parts of the Tandem IMS curriculum. It is designed to prepare pupils for the Swiss Gymnasium or other upper-level schools. It follows a twelve-month span with monthly and weekly planning to tailor activities to each class and language development. It aligns Swiss and international curricula and supports multilingual education across languages.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results Gymnasium pass rate: 100%. DELF Prim pass rate: 100%.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression Prepares pupils for the Swiss Matura and direct access to Swiss universities. Progymi, Kurzgymi, and Matura are offered in bilingual and monolingual tracks. Starting in 2026/27, a 10th Grade Gymnasium Preparation bridge year supports ZAP/TAP readiness and pathways toward Gymnasium and related design/engineering tracks.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language The school provides multilingual education in German, English and French. English and German are spoken in nurseries, and French is part of the multilingual program from kindergarten. All pupils engage in translanguaging, with two native-language teachers working together in the same classroom.
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview Tandem IMS is a dynamic day school offering high-quality multilingual education in German, English and French in a warm, child-friendly environment welcoming local Swiss and international families. The multilingual concept accompanies children from early childhood to the Swiss Matura, with translanguaging and two native language teachers working in the same classroom. An enquiry-based learning curriculum based on the Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate ensures a stimulating, creative education. The core of the curriculum is Zurich's Lehrplan 21 and the UK National Curriculum, with assessments such as Swiss Klassencockpit and UK SATs to track progress. Since August 2025, a new campus in Küsnacht unites primary school and Gymnasium pupils in a modern learning environment nestled in nature, with small classes.
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities After School Clubs include football, taught by experienced InterSoccer coaches. The football club runs on Tuesdays from 16:00 to 17:15 for ages 6-9, with multilingual instruction (English and German) and takes place near the school on Bauerwiese or in the FGZ sports hall. Lessons are booked for the entire semester; a minimum of seven children is required; the cost is CHF 35 per lesson.
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities Translanguaging and multilingual education are central: English and German are spoken in nurseries, and French becomes part of multilingual education from kindergarten. Two native language teachers work together in the same classroom to support multilingual learning. An enquiry-based learning approach anchored in the IB Primary Years Programme leads to a stimulating, creative education. The core curricula are Lehrplan 21 (Zurich) and the UK National Curriculum, with assessments including Swiss Klassencockpit and UK SATs. Since August 2025, Campus Küsnacht offers a modern learning environment with small classes to prepare pupils for the Swiss Gymnasium and Matura.
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities After School Clubs and Holiday Camps are offered. Football is an After School Club, run with InterSoccer by qualified coaches. Football sessions run on Tuesdays from 16:00–17:15 for ages 6–9, with multilingual instruction (English and German) near the school at Bauerwiese or FGZ sports hall; course requires booking for the entire semester, with a minimum of seven children and a cost of CHF 35 per lesson.
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History Tandem IMS was set up by multilingual education specialists to advance primary education through multilingualism. It began with six children at the Uetikon site and grew to over 300 children from about 30 nationalities, with campuses in Erlenbach, Küsnacht, Zollikon and Zurich. Sonya Maechler-Dent founded the first Tandem IMS school in Uetikon am See and led expansion; the name Tandem International Multilingual School was adopted in 2010 with the motto 'Discover the world through languages'. In 2024 Tandem IMS celebrated 20 years of multilingual education, and in 2025 opened the Küsnacht campus hosting the Gymnasium and primary grades 5 and 6.
Community	Community —	Community Tandem IMS operates across four campuses: Erlenbach, Küsnacht, Zollikon and Zurich, serving Early Years through Gymnasium. The school offers After School Clubs and Holiday Camps as part of its community life. The multilingual environment includes engagement in English as the administrative language and classroom use of multiple languages, with 57% of students communicating in three or more languages and students from around 30 nationalities. The community emphasizes welcoming newcomers and fostering a family ethos across campuses.
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association The Tandem IMS PTA is an active link between teachers and parents to support school life in a wide variety of ways. It meets regularly and organizes volunteer groups to enhance school experiences, seeking input from a broad range of viewpoints. Its main objective is to partner with Tandem IMS to make a positive difference for children, strengthen the home–school link, and promote the Tandem IMS ethos. It organises events, projects and celebrations and welcomes newcomers to the Tandem IMS family. PTA funds are invested in extras to enrich learning and life for children, parents and staff. Administrative simplicity in a multilingual school is served by English as the working language.
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual STEAM Techlabs provide early exposure to programming and digital literacy. Junior STEAM (4–6 years) and STEAM (6–9 years) deliver age-appropriate technology experiences in Zurich. Techlabs are external providers, bringing high-quality technology education to Tandem IMS students. Most clubs are bilingual in English and German.
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative Music Club offers Private Piano Tuition in Zurich and Zollikon, and Private Guitar & Violin Tuition in Zurich. These music lessons are delivered in partnership with the Swiss International Music School (SIMS). The School Choir in Zurich welcomes all children and performs throughout the year, led by Miss Penrose.
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language German Booster – Zurich provides immersion to strengthen vocabulary, grammar, and communication in a small-group setting. Most Tandem IMS clubs are bilingual (English and German), while some language-specific or specialist clubs may be held primarily in one language. German language–focused offerings are part of the broader language-club provision.
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies Playball Programmes in Zurich promote a healthy lifestyle and teamwork. Ballet classes in Zurich and Zollikon help children develop coordination and self-expression. Football is offered in Zurich in partnership with InterSoccer, welcoming children of all levels. Architecture for kids introduces design and spatial thinking, while S.T.R.O.N.G. teaches nutrition and healthy habits.
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing Ballet classes in Zurich (and Zollikon) foster movement and artistry, while Playball programmes across locations promote fitness and teamwork. Gymnastics is available in Zurich to build strength and coordination, and Jiu Jitsu in Zurich focuses on discipline, balance, and self-confidence. Football in Zurich, delivered with InterSoccer, provides structured athletic development for varying levels of ability.
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision Languages taught are German, English and French. Early Years and Pre-School teach German and English; Kindergarten includes German and English with French optional; Primary includes French as an integral part of the weekly schedule. The core curriculum combines Lehrplan 21 (Zurich canton) with the UK National Curriculum.
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching A bilingual curriculum in German and English begins from six months old; French is offered in Kindergarten and becomes an integral part of the weekly schedule in Primary. In Early Years and Pre-School, groups are taught by a German and an English native-speaking teacher, and translanguaging is used to help children learn both languages. French is optional in Kindergarten and is integrated in Primary.
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs Translanguaging-based immersion allows seamless use of German, English and French; two native-language teachers work together in the same classroom to support multilingual learning; English and German are spoken in nurseries, with French added as part of multilingual education by Kindergarten.
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions —	Admissions Prospective families are invited to learn about the school's philosophy and curriculum; to enquire about space, fill out the Enquiry Form. International applicants will receive information and support from office staff to assist with a smooth transition for the entire family. The Admissions section also provides access to Tuition and Fees and School Holidays.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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