How can we help our children settle into Swiss school?

What is the Swiss education system — and why does it differ from what we’re used to in Hungary?

Swiss public education is organized by canton, and this is not just an administrative difference: the school start date, the names of the school levels, the order of subjects, and the grading system can all vary depending on which canton the child lives in.

The three main language regions and education:

Most Hungarian children who arrive in Switzerland start school in the German-speaking region. It is important to know that in school, teaching takes place in Hochdeutsch (standard German), but during breaks and in everyday communication the local Swiss dialect (Schweizerdeutsch) dominates. This creates a double challenge: the child has to learn both the language of instruction and the social language at the same time.

The school levels are structured as follows in most cantons (based on the HarmoS agreement, which most cantons gradually adopted after 2009):

• Kindergarten / Cycle 1 (years 1–2): ages 4–6, play-based learning

• Primarstufe / Cycle 2 (years 3–8): ages 6–12, primary school stage

• Sekundarstufe I / Cycle 3 (years 9–11): ages 12–15, tracked education (Abteilung A/B/C or local equivalents)

• Sekundarstufe II: from age 15, gymnasium (Gymnasium), vocational secondary school (Berufsfachschule) or mixed education

As a Hungarian parent, it is especially important to know that placement into Sekundarstufe I (which determines further education options) takes place at the end of primary school, and performance in the first Swiss years can influence this. If your child arrives at age 10–14, it is worth discussing with the class teacher already in the first month how placement is assessed for a newly arrived pupil who is not yet fluent in the language.

How does language learning unfold in the first months?

This is the hardest and most often underestimated stage of settling in.

The “silent period” is normal. According to research on language acquisition, some children hardly speak at all in the new language during the first 2–6 weeks — this is not regression, but an active receptive phase. Do not worry if your child comes home and says, “I didn’t understand anything.” This is temporary.

*Reception classes (Aufnahmeklasse / classe d'accueil):* In many cantons — including Zürich, Bern, Vaud and Genève — special reception classes or intensive language support are available for immigrant children. A child may attend these for anywhere from a few weeks to up to a year, either alongside their regular class or before joining it. The exact offer varies by canton and school — at the first enrollment ask the school leadership what language support is available.

Home language strategy: Research consistently shows that preserving Hungarian at home does not slow down the acquisition of the Swiss language — on the contrary, a strong mother-tongue foundation speeds up second-language learning. Keep communicating in Hungarian at home, read together in Hungarian, and do not force a switch to German or French if your child does not ask for it.

Practical help with language learning:

• Ask the teacher for a simple word list for the weekly topics, and practice them at home

• Encourage your child to ask classmates what words mean — this is both language learning and relationship-building

• Swiss children’s programs and books (e.g. SRF Kids content) naturally also help with understanding the dialect

• If possible, arrange playdates (Spieldaten) with one classmate at a time — structured, bilingual settings are less stressful than large groups

How do friendships develop — and why does it take longer than you expect?

Swiss children’s peer groups are usually closed, long-established circles. This is not rejection — it is one characteristic of Swiss social culture. Friendships deepen more slowly, but they tend to last longer.

What to expect in the first months:

• The child eats lunch alone or withdraws during breaks

• They’re not invited to birthday parties in the first semester

• They have a harder time understanding in-group humor and references

All of this is normal and does not mean something is going wrong. Active intervention rarely helps — patient presence does.

What you can do:

• Ask the class teacher to assign an “school buddy" (Götti / Gotte, i.e. a godparent-style buddy system) to help during the first few weeks

• Enroll your child in a local sports club (Sportverein) or music school (Musikschule) — these are key institutions in Swiss children’s social life, and they create connections on a different basis than school

• Do not force your child to “be friendly" — let them open up at their own pace

What can you do as a parent from home — and what is better left to the school?

Parenting roles in Switzerland are divided a little differently than in Hungary. Schoolteachers generally expect that the parent does not do the child’s homework for them and does not intervene directly in the child’s conflicts.

What is worth doing at home:

• A predictable daily routine: waking up, meals, and bedtime at the same time — this reduces stress

• Ask about the day’s events, but don’t interrogate — instead, tell them about your own day too

• Keep Hungarian cultural traditions alive (holidays, foods, stories) — they provide a sense of security

• Help your child find words for what they feel — sentences like “today I was sad because…”

What to leave to the school:

• The pacing of the curriculum and the way assessment is done

• Handling social conflicts (that is the teacher’s job, not the parent’s)

• Your child’s placement into a level — ask about it, but do not try to influence it through pressure

*Parent-teacher meetings (Elternabend) and consultation hours (Elterngespräch):* In Switzerland, the parent-teacher relationship is formal but open. In the first semester, ask for a consultation hour — you do not need to wait for the usual time. Bring an interpreter or a bilingual acquaintance if you are not yet confident communicating in the language of instruction.

What emotional challenges should you expect — and how can you help?

Integration is not a linear process. Typically, the following phases come one after another:

1. Newcomer phase (weeks 1–4): Everything is interesting and exciting, and the child eagerly tells stories

2. Frustration phase (months 2–4): Language and social barriers become obvious; withdrawal, irritability, and possibly school refusal

3. Adjustment phase (months 4–8): Gradual opening up, forming the first real friendships

4. Integration phase (months 8–12+): The child feels at home in the school environment

The frustration phase is the one most parents are not prepared for. At this stage, the child may long to go back to Hungary, refuse to go to school, or show unusual symptoms (headaches, stomach aches in the morning).

When to seek professional help:

• If the symptoms last longer than 4–6 weeks and intensify

• If the child withdraws completely and does not communicate

• If sleep or appetite problems persist

In Swiss schools, the school psychologist is usually available (Schulpsychologischer Dienst / SPD), and using this service is free and not stigmatized. Ask the teacher for contact details if you feel it may be needed.

What support does the school provide — and how do you ask for it?

Over the past decade, Swiss schools have significantly improved the system for welcoming immigrant children. You can expect the following:

Generally available support:

• Initial assessment (Einstufungstest) for placement in the appropriate class

• Differentiated instruction (Förderunterricht) — extra lessons in weaker areas

• Speech therapy if language development is delayed

• School psychological service (Schulpsychologischer Dienst)

Options that vary by canton:

• Reception classes (Aufnahmeklassen / classes d'accueil): more common in the cantons of Zürich, Bern, Vaud, and Geneva

• Mother-tongue culture and language education (Heimatliche Sprache und Kultur / HSK): in many cantons, the Swiss Hungarian community organizes weekend Hungarian schools — ask the local Hungarian community about this

• Bilingual education programmes: available in some cities (e.g. Zürich, Bern, Geneva)

How to ask for support: Don’t wait for the school to offer it automatically. At the first enrolment, ask specifically: “What language support is available outside my child’s class?” and “Is there a welcome programme for newly arrived children?”

What daily habits help with settling in?

Routines and small, repeated successes strengthen a child’s sense of security in an unfamiliar environment.

Morning routine:

• Leave on time — being late causes stress and makes a bad first impression

• Pack familiar food in the lunchbox, but gradually introduce Swiss foods too

• Ask what they can look forward to that day — it creates a positive focus

Afternoon routine:

• After coming home from school, allow 30–60 minutes of “wind-down time” — don’t ask right away what happened

• Do homework at the same time, in the same place

• Make the weekly schedule visible — predictability reduces anxiety

Weekend balance:

• Keep a balance between Swiss activities (sports club, hiking) and “Hungarian time” (stories, cooking, video calls with grandparents)

• Don’t spend every weekend at Hungarian community events — time in the Swiss environment is also necessary for settling in

What should you do if settling in is not going well — where can you ask for help?

If, after six months, the child is still struggling significantly and the school’s support is not enough, the following options are available:

Within the school:

• Ask for a meeting together with the class teacher and the school leadership

• Ask to involve the school psychologist (Schulpsychologischer Dienst)

• Ask whether a class change or another school format is possible (e.g. a smaller class size)

Outside the school:

• Swiss child and adolescent psychiatric clinics (Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrischer Dienst / KJPD) — a referral is required, but the treatment can be covered by compulsory health insurance (Krankenkasse / KVG)

• Hungarian community organisations — in many cities there is informal support and a network of experienced parents

• Online communities (e.g. the svajc.com forum) — other parents’ experiences can provide concrete, local advice

School or canton change: In extreme cases, if the school cannot provide adequate support, it is possible to transfer to another school or even another canton. This creates administrative burden, but sometimes it is the best solution.

Sources

• ch.ch — Swiss federal information portal: https://www.ch.ch/en/

• Federal Statistical Office (Bundesamt für Statistik / BFS) — education data: https://www.bfs.admin.ch

• State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SBFI / SERI): https://www.sbfi.admin.ch

• HarmoS Agreement and intercantonal coordination of education (EDK/CDIP): https://www.edk.ch

• Zurich Directorate of Education (Bildungsdirektion Kanton Zürich): https://www.zh.ch/de/bildung.html

• Geneva Directorate of Education (DIP Genève): https://www.ge.ch/organisation/departement-instruction-publique-formation-jeunesse

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