Neuchâtel school postpones launch after five expats enrol

Another new international school, this time in Neuchâtel, has decided to keeps its doors closed for another year after only five pupils were enrolled for 2008-2009. St George's, the Vaud-based school which was due to open a secondary-level campus in Neuchâtel this September, was aiming to attract about 150 students in an area that has many multinational companies. It now promises to open in September 2009. Everything was prepared for St George’s to open a secondary school in Neuchâtel after the summer holidays. It had planned to move into temporary premises at the existing international school in the city which teaches younger children, and thereafter move to another building. The 10 to 18-year olds attending the new school would be prepared for GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) - the British qualification taken at the age of 16 year - and the International Baccalaureat (IB).

Another new international school, this time in Neuchâtel, has decided to keeps its doors closed for another year after only five pupils were enrolled for 2008-2009. St George's, the Vaud-based school which was due to open a secondary-level campus in Neuchâtel this September, was aiming to attract about 150 students in an area that has many multinational companies. It now promises to open in September 2009. Everything was prepared for St George’s to open a secondary school in Neuchâtel after the summer holidays. It had planned to move into temporary premises at the existing international school in the city which teaches younger children, and thereafter move to another building. The 10 to 18-year olds attending the new school would be prepared for GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) - the British qualification taken at the age of 16 year - and the International Baccalaureat (IB).

But the Neuchâtel newspaper, l’Express, reported that only five students have been enrolled at the new school. Francis Kahn, the chairman of the board at St George’s, told the daily that they had run out of time to find students, but said that the secondary school in Neuchâtel would definitely open in September 2009. A free bus service has been organised to take the new pupils to St George's existing campus in Clarens, nearly 100km, a journey that takes just over an hour.
 
Kahn said the school intends to increase its communication campaign with multinational companies in the Neuchâtel area so as to encourage  foreign employees to send their children to the new school. The region’s department for economic development had told Swisster in April that many new companies expressed a need for a secondary international school in the area, an important factor for many of the international managers it was hiring.   
Last month the association ISN (International school of Neuchâtel) was formed to represent the interest of St George’s in negotiations with authorities. It is currently in talks on the terms for a move into state-owned premises currently occupied by the HGE management school, which plans to a different location in the city.
 
Last week, the International School of Monts-de-Corsier, announced  that it too would not open a new school near Fribourg for expat children, as they had not received a single enrolment.
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