With provision from Nursery to Year 12, ISZN educates 205 children and young people of the international community in Zurich. The school offers the IB curriculum for primary students and the IGCSE and International Advanced Level courses for secondary students.  

Cognita’s 74^thschool 

ISZN will be Cognita’s 74th school, Stuart Rolland, Cognita’s CEO for Europe, said, “This is an exciting expansion within Europe, where we already have a strong presence in the UK and Spain, and our first school in the country where our majority owner is based.” He continued, “Jacobs shares our long-term commitment to the development of young people and with ISZN now joining our global family, we look forward to the positive impact Cognita can have in Switzerland.” ISZN’s founder, Daniel Sarbach, will remain at the school in a supporting role until the end of the calendar year to help ensure a smooth transition and continuity. He said that being part of Cognita will bring new opportunities for the school’s students and educators to connect and collaborate with peers across the world.

The three pillars of education

“The three pillars of a Cognita Education – academic excellence, character development and a global perspective – fit very well with the culture and values that we’ve fostered in ISZN over the past 20 years. Being able to tap into the educational experience and expertise across the group will be a real benefit for our students and educators.” Cognita has appointed Jonathan Taylor, one of its most successful and experienced international school leaders, as Head of ISZN and to support Cognita’s expansion in Switzerland. Currently Head of North Bridge House Senior School & Sixth Form Canonbury in London, Jonathan was previously Programme Director for Dulwich College International in Guangdong, China. “Jonathan will play a key role in ensuring continuity for ISZN together with the current leadership as the school becomes part of the wider Cognita family,” explained Mr Rolland. “Each Cognita school has its own unique ethos and curriculum, reflecting the needs of the families it serves. We want to ensure ISZN retains its individual identity while joining in our common purpose to create an inspiring world of education that builds self-belief and inspires individuals to succeed.” Commenting on his appointment, Jonathan said, “I’m excited to be joining ISZN as it embarks on a new stage in its history. The school’s mission to develop lifelong learners who are open-minded and globally aware is fantastic and I believe Cognita can help take ISZN from strength to strength.” He continued, “Switzerland is a dynamic and successful country known for its high-quality education. I look forward to building our network in the country.”

About International School - Zurich North

International School – Zurich North (ISZN), located in the city of Wallisellen, was founded by Karin and Daniel Sarbach in 1999 to offer high quality education to the children of the growing international community in the Zurich area. Today, the school provides a truly international education from Nursery until Grade 12 and hosts more than 200 children and young people. The programme is based on the IB curriculum for primary and the IGCSE and International Advanced Level courses for secondary students. ISZN encourages all members to be lifelong learners with endless curiosity and passion for discovery and strives to inspire open-minded individuals with local and global awareness. 

About Cognita

Launched in 2004, Cognita is an extraordinary family of diverse yet connected schools spanning nine countries. Cognita shares one common purpose: to create an inspiring world of education that builds self-belief and empowers individuals to succeed. With 74 schools in Europe, Latin America and Asia, Cognita employs 7,000 teaching and support staff in the care and education of more than 45,000 students. Together, Cognita schools provide a uniquely global education that goes beyond grades to develop all-round academic excellence – equipping young people with the confidence and resourcefulness that prepares them to grow, thrive and find their success in a fast-changing world.Subscribe to Relocate Extra, our monthly newsletter, to get all the latest international assignments and global mobility news.Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory

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