Lycée Rodolphe Töpffer is a French lycée that was founded in Geneva in 1954. It is a cosmopolitan establishment that welcomes approximately 220 students aged from 10 years old and over to our day and boarding school. Along with our experienced approachable staff we form a motivated, dynamic team. The family-like environment enables us to accompany students in a personalised setting, taking into account both present needs and future aspirations.

Educational Objectives

Our students are fully prepared for:

• entry into the Genevan junior high school (cycle d’orientation).
• entry into the Genevan high school (collège), engineering schools, art schools, business schools, etc.
• the French baccalaureate, which enables entry into all Swiss and foreign universities
• Foreign language assessment including Cambridge, TOEFL, IELTS, Goethe-Institut, DELE, etc.

Both dynamic and demanding, lycée Töpffer aims to offer its students high quality teaching support, a thorough learning programme and solid learning methodology. Personal growth and academic success are the cornerstones of our teaching and philosophy.

Read more: Presentation

The staff of Lycée Rodolphe Töpffer

Joseph Gabioud Principal President of the Groupement Suisse des Internats privés David Dumoulin Deputy principal Maya Gabioud Financial director               Anne Gabioud Doyenne and responsible for Junior high school pedagogy     Cédric Magnin Doyen of high school Delphine Planes Doyenne of Primary section               Marie-Line Druel Head of pastoral care     Pascal Gault Responsible for Quality control   Sihame Chaib Head of boarding school

HOLIDAYS 2023 - 2024

Read more: Holidays 2023 / 2024

GENERAL INFORMATION

School equipment

At the start of the school year each student must bring the following equipment: a school bag, homework diary, complete pencil case, coloured pencils (small box), compass, simple calculator (until class of 3ème and afterwards a Texas Instrument TI-83 CE PYTHON edition), ruler, set square, protractor, A4 squared paper. We recommend students use medium width A4 ring binder with two rings (as opposed to four), with coloured dividers and plastic sleeves. Each teacher will also give students a list of specific equipment depending on their subject.

• Textbooks will be given out during the first few days of term. The invoice for books, along with a flat rate for photocopies and educational material will be sent to parents.
• Primary students will receive a separate list of necessary equipment.
• The students have lockers assigned nominatively by the school assistant, all they have to do is bring a padlock.

Daily timetable

 (*concerns the boarding house):

NOTICE: The daily timetable may be altered depending on individual or class timetable

Read more: General information

Primary Classe

(from 10 years old)

Class

Our establishment accepts children in their last year of primary, known in Geneva as 8P Harmos, and in France as CM2 (Year 6 in UK system and 5th grade in USA).

Read more: Primary Classes

SECONDARY

Classes

We follow the Swiss programmes known as 9ème R3, 10ème R3, and 11ème LS, which correspond to the three-year lower secondary Genevan system. These classes are also referred to as 6ème, 5ème, and 4ème in our establishment and are the equivalent of 6th to 8th grade in the US and years 7 to 9 in the UK systems.

Read more: Secondary I

BACCALAUREATE

Preparation for the French baccalaureate exams (3ème, 2nde, 1ère and terminale classes, the equivalent of Year 10 to 13 in the UK and 9th to 12th grade in the USA)

THE FRENCH BACCALAUREATE IS INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED:

The French baccalaureate is a world-renowned springboard towards successful further education. It opens the doors of all Swiss and foreign universities and schools. It is obtained with an overall pass of 10/20 with a coefficient system and no minimum qualifying grade.

More than a simple diploma, the French baccalaureate develops an analytic mind and an in-depth general culture.

THE NEW BACCALAUREATE FROM 2021:

This reform replaces the different series of baccalaureate (science, economy, literature & arts) with a general programme completed by 3 speciality subjects chosen by the students, and if they wish extra, optional subjects.

So:

• All baccalaureate students will benefit from the being taught the same basic subjects, guaranteeing the acquisition of fundamental knowledge and the success of each student.
• Students will choose 3 speciality subjects in which to extend their proficiency in their areas of interest, thereby studying their favourite subjects further and increasing their motivation!
• Students can increase their results further thanks to optional subjects such as mathematics, Latin, a third foreign language, Arts and Sport.

Read more: Baccalaureate Classes

DAY SCHOOL FEES 2023/2024

* All prices are in Swiss francs (CHF)

Read more: Day school fees 2023-2024

DAY SCHOOL FEES 2022/2023

* All prices are in Swiss francs (CHF)

Read more: Day school fees 2022-2023

BOARDING HOUSE FEES 2023/2024

School and full boarding fees :

* All our fees are in Swiss Francs (CHF) All taxes included.

Read more: Boarding house fees 2023 - 2024

BOARDING HOUSE FEES 2022/2023

School and full boarding fees :

* All our fees are in Swiss Francs (CHF) All taxes included.

Read more: Boarding house fees 2022 - 2023

ACTIVITIES

Below you will find a non-exhaustive list of extra- curricula activities organised by the lycée during a typical school year.

Educational Activities

• “Dustbin day”: Recycling awareness day in the context of the Eco-Schools label, collection of toys, clothes and medicine for the charity Aide en Raid (all classes)
• Visits to Geneva university bioscope to study DNA (2nde class), digestion (5ème class) and neuroscience (1er S class)
• “Clean Up day”: rubbish pick up in nearby forests, parks and riversides (6ème class)Lycée Science Festival: scientific discovery and experiments (classes of 6ème to 3ème)
• Visit to Geneva university: microbiology experiments (Terminale S class)
• Visit to Geneva university to study the experimental protocol and changes of states in the physioscope (Primary)
• Talent week: various student presentations (all classes)
• French Language Festival: assorted linguistic games (6ème to 3ème classes)
• World Poetry Day: presentation by poet and singer Pierre Alain and creation and presentation of poems by students 5 Primary to 2nde classes)
• Visit to Geneva university to study human behaviour in the bioscope (4ème class)
• Kangaroo maths competition (all classes)
• Trip to the Salève mountain: biology and geology experiments (1erS class)
• First Aid training (Primary and 3ème classes)Internet and Plagiarism Awareness campaign (Primary to 3ème classes)
• Traditional food specialities during Spanish class (4ème to Terminale classes)
• French and foreign language book club (Primary to 3ème)
• Penfriend letter exchange with Spanish high school in Barcelona (1er class)
• Highway code awareness (4ème class)
• Digestion workshop at University Medical centre (Primary classes)
• Visit to Geneva university bioscope to study stress and the human body
• Start-up creation with Graines d’entrepreneurs (3ème class)
• Eco-Schools cross-disciplinary project: Waste Land, the cycle of hazardous waste (2nde class)
• Book collection: Eco-Schools whole school project

Read more: Activities

SPORTS

These are the sporting activities offered by the lycée during the school year in the course of physical education classes:

Read more: Sports Class

STUDY TRIPS

Every year the lycée organises a multi-field school trip. Aside from the educational and cultural value of such a trip, it is also an unforgettable, enriching experience from a social point of view for the students.

Read more: Study Trips

 CLASS THEMES

SECURITY

For Primary classes

Several activities related to this theme are organised during the school year; a conference by the fire department on avoiding and dealing with fire or accidents, First Aid training, highway code training given by the police service, etc.

ECO-CITIZENSHIP

For the 9ème class (Geneva system) – also referred to as 6ème in the French system (6th grade USA and Year 7 in UK)

Raising awareness about sustainable development, recycling, energy consummation and economy, saving water. The classes take part in Clean Up day and Land Art creation.

Having received and kept the label “Eco-school” since 2018, the lycée organises many activities on this theme for all the students.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES

For the 10ème class (Geneva system) – also referred to as 5ème in the French system (7th grade USA and Year 8 in UK)

The advantages and risks of new technologies; conferences are organised on themes including bullying, the dark web, dangerous sites, plagiarism, copyright law, Internet and social media.

Read more: Class themes

PHOTOS

Find our most recent photos as well as a selection from the archives in the albums of the french version of our website.

PARENTS AND STUDENTS SECTION

Dear students, dear parents,

From this page you can access your PRONOTE account as well as the various sites created by our teachers and the school. You can follow our current events through the lycée’s official Facebook page.

Read more: Parents and Students section

HOLIDAYS 2022 - 2023

Read more: Holidays 2022 / 2023

LYCEE RODOLPHE TÖPFFER

 Switzerland

The lycée is located close to public transport networks. (http://www.tpg.ch)

In the residential neighbourhood of Florissant, Geneva, between the town centre and the countryside, the lycée is situated in a calm, beautiful area, perfect for studying. Several bus lines pass close to the school, including the 8 (Station- Veyrier) and 21 (Station/Eaux Vives direction).

The lycée also organises school transport with its own minibuses from Hermance (passing by Vésenaz and the Eaux Vives station).

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