Languages
Creating confident, skilled and multi-language speaking young people is part of our mission at ELA Basel. We are very proud of our record of graduating non-native and native speakers alike into the Swiss secondary school system after Year 7. This achievement is testament to our strong languages programme at the school.
While English is the language of instruction at ELA Basel, we have a strong focus on German from Pre-school onwards and we also offer French from Year 3. In both German and French we follow the Swiss Lehrplan 21 curriculum.
There are streams for native and non-native speakers with children's learning supported in small groups by highly qualified, native-speaking staff. Our German Language Acquisition Guide offers you an insight in the careful planning and grouping we apply to ensure the children progress quickly in German whilst enjoying acquiring new language skills and proficiency.
ELA Basel is the only English Language international school in the region to be accredited with the Basel-Stadt Secondary School Transition Agreement. This license allows our senior students to transfer to Swiss secondary schools in the city without having to take the entrance examination. It is testament to the rigor and success of our German language teaching across the primary school.
Teachers make full use of our city-centre location to enhance and develop the children's language learning. This includes trips to German-speaking libraries, the Bookship moored on the Rhine and German-speaking musuems, galleries and theatres.
Children can receive additional support in morning booster classes and after-school German homework clubs. They also have access to a range of resources from our dedicated German library and the online Antolin programme.
Our dedicated German Language staff also offer additional Enrichment clubs after normal school hours (fees apply) to support the acquisition and enhancement of the German language skills. Here is an example of the German Enrichment clubs available in Semester 1 2022.
ELA Basel is the only international school in Basel to be awarded the Basel-Stadt Secondary School Agreement. This recognises and certifies the central role of German language tuition throughout our curriculum, assessment and teaching. It is a hallmark of German language excellence that ensures our children become confident and skilled in German during their time with us.