Haut Lac International Bilingual School

What Haut Lac International Bilingual School does

Haut-Lac International Bilingual School is a private, family-owned international school operating since 1993 in Saint-Légier-La Chièsaz, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, between Lausanne and Montreux on the Swiss Riviera. The institution delivers bilingual English-French education using the "one person, one language" immersion method from nursery (18 months) through secondary (18 years), and is authorized as an IB World School for the Middle Years Programme, Diploma Programme, and Career-related Programme; it also offers a US High School Diploma pathway and a Swiss Option bilingual cycle. The school serves roughly 600 students aged 3-18 drawn from 64 nationalities, supported by 101-250 employees and 30+ academic staff across two purpose-built campuses (Praz-Dagoud for ages 3-12 opened 2015; Roches Grises for ages 13-18 opened 2003), a separate Les Marronniers nursery in Vevey, and a boarding house opened 2022 for up to 32-40 international students aged 11-18.

The core product is a premium bilingual K-12 platform with multiple revenue streams: day-school tuition (CHF 21,800-40,600 annually by section), full or weekly boarding (CHF 68,000-88,000 annually), nursery care, holiday and summer camps (CHF 1,650/week), skill-specific sport camps, IB2 revision courses, private music lessons, and over 150 after-school clubs. Complementary infrastructure includes seven bus routes, MVR train and bus public-transport links, partnerships with World Academy of Sport for an Athlete-Friendly Education Centre, and IBCP career-pathway partnerships with Les Roches Switzerland, SCAD, Federation University, and SUMAS. The school's differentiation rests on three decades of pedagogical refinement rather than technology: the immersion methodology, multi-accreditation stack (IB, CIS, NEASC, BSA), and a 98-100% IB diploma pass rate with an average score of 35 versus a global average of 30.

The business is run as a founder-owned operating company rather than a venture-backed or PE-owned asset. Founding directors Anne-Marie Harwood, Neil Harwood, Grainne Dubler, and Jean-Louis Dubler continue to lead the institution 30+ years on, supplemented by a Strategic Advisory Board and a senior academic leadership team averaging 20+ years of international education experience. Marketing is primarily direct-to-consumer through the website, personalized tours, education fairs, and organic social (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), with bookings via a self-serve bookinglayer.com platform for holiday camps. No public financial statements, funding rounds, or institutional ownership are disclosed; tuition ranges imply annual revenue in the order of CHF 20-25M.

Name

Haut Lac International Bilingual School

Legal name

Haut-Lac International Bilingual School

Website

https://haut-lac.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Haut-Lac is a family-owned, Swiss international bilingual school (English-French) in Saint-Légier-La Chièsaz, Canton of Vaud, offering IB programmes, US Diploma, and Swiss options for roughly 600 students aged 3-18 from 64 nationalities, with boarding, nursery, and holiday camp services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private International Bilingual Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools (EDAJABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC)

Keywords

• Bilingual education services
• International baccalaureate programmes
• Boarding school programmes
• Private school tuition
• Holiday camp programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

La Chièsaz

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Day School Tuition: Annual tuition for day students from preschool through secondary, with fees varying by section (infant, primary, secondary). Range from approximately CHF 21,800 to CHF 40,600 per year.
2. Boarding Programme: Full boarding (7-day) and weekly boarding (5-day) options including accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock care. Annual fees range from CHF 68,000 to CHF 88,000 depending on boarding type and student age/year.
3. Holiday and Summer Camps: Residential summer camps (CHF 1,650/week all-inclusive), ski camps, spring day camps, and IB2 revision courses. Optional language lessons available for additional CHF 350/week.
4. Nursery Care: Les Marronniers bilingual nursery for children 18 months to 4 years, offering flexible part-time to full-time attendance options. Fees vary by days attended per week.
5. After-School Clubs and Activities: Over 150 after-school clubs included in tuition. External professional-led activities (sailing, golf, taekwondo) charged separately by club leaders.
6. Private Music Lessons: Individual 30-minute lessons for piano, guitar, cello, drums, or singing with Haut-Lac Music School teachers, billed separately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Haut-Lac International Bilingual School delivers bilingual French-English education for students aged 18 months to 18 years, offering the full International Baccalaureate continuum (MYP, DP, CP) along with US High School Diploma and Swiss Option pathways. The school also operates Les Marronniers nursery, boarding facilities for 11-18 year olds, and seasonal holiday camps on its two Saint-Légier-La Chièsaz campuses and Vevey nursery site.

Product overview

Haut Lac International Bilingual School is a Swiss international school offering a comprehensive educational portfolio from nursery (18 months) through secondary (18 years). The school operates on a platform-plus-programmes model comprising: core bilingual/English educational streams (Preschool through Secondary), three IB pathways (MYP, DP, CP), Swiss and US diploma alternatives, and specialized programmes (Sport & Study). Supporting services include boarding (ages 11-18), Les Marronniers nursery in Vevey, over 150 after-school clubs, holiday camps (summer, ski, Easter), and after-school care. The institution's integrated approach combines academic excellence with bilingual education, competitive sports, arts, and leadership development across its two Saint-Légier campuses and Vevey nursery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Les Marronniers Nursery
• Preschool/Infant Section
• Primary School
• Secondary School
• IB Middle Years Programme (MYP)
• IB Diploma Programme (DP)
• IB Career-Related Programme (CP)
• US High School Diploma
• Sport & Study Programme
• Boarding House
• Summer Residential Camp
• Ski Camp
• IB2 Revision Courses
• Sport Camps (Golf, Tennis, Basketball)
• After-School Clubs

Quantifiable outcome

• Average IB diploma score of 35 points (vs global average of 30)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lanterna EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lanterna Education for IB2 Revision Courses. Experienced IB tutors from Lanterna provide intensive revision in Mathematics, Economics, Biology, and Chemistry during spring holidays on Haut-Lac campus.
• Golf LavauxminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional golf coaches from Golf Lavaux run specialized golf camps at Haut-Lac for ages 5-17, offering skill-boosting training combined with general camp activities.
• La Veyre Tennis ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTennis coaching provided by La Veyre Tennis Club professionals during summer sports camps, offering participants expert instruction and court access.
• USA Sports CoachesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmerican sports coaches provide basketball camp instruction, bringing US coaching methods and expertise to Haut-Lac summer camps.
• Ski ZenitcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Ski Zenit to offer Ski Race Academy for serious young racers aged 11-18, providing specialized ski training alongside academic studies.
• World Academy of Sport (WAoS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaut-Lac is the first Athlete-Friendly Education Centre (AFEC) recognized by WAoS in Switzerland, enabling Sport & Study IB programme for elite athletes with flexible schedules around training.
• HEP (Haute École Pédagogique) LausanneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with HEP Lausanne for teacher training and professional development, ensuring staff stay current with educational advances.
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with EPFL for educational collaboration and professional development. EPFL graduates have completed PhDs and first graduate completed PhD at EPFL.
• SUMAS (Sustainable Management)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBCP partner for Sustainable Management pathway, providing career-related education option for students pursuing sustainability-focused careers.
• Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBCP partner for Art & Design pathway, enabling students to pursue creative careers through partnership with SCAD.
• Federation UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBCP partner for International Sports Management pathway, providing pathway for students interested in sports industry careers.
• Les Roches SwitzerlandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBCP partnership for hospitality management pathway, introduced in recent years for students pursuing hospitality and tourism careers.
• DebiopharmminorOthersCorporate partnership established for student engagement and potential mentorship opportunities.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Surval Montreux: Swiss Riviera-based private boarding school offering bilingual French-English education for girls ages 12-18 with similar tuition range and IB offerings. Same catchment geography and overlapping target families.
• Brillantmont International School: Family-owned private international school in Lausanne (10 minutes from Haut-Lac) offering secondary boarding and day programmes with similar size, family-run heritage, and bilingual curriculum focus.
• College du Leman: Larger Swiss-based international school near Geneva offering IB programmes and boarding for ages 5-18, with similar bilingual French-English model and overlapping expat family market.
• Beau Soleil: Premium Swiss international boarding school in Villars offering IB and similar outdoor/Swiss Alpine positioning, serving globally mobile families at comparable tuition levels.
• Aiglon College: Swiss international boarding school in Vaud canton offering IB programmes for ages 9-18 with similar boarding premium pricing and bilingual capability. Direct competitor for international boarding families.
• TASIS The American School in Switzerland: Well-established American-style international school in Ticino offering boarding and day programmes with multiple diploma pathways, competing for globally mobile families seeking premium Swiss education.
• Institut auf dem Rosenberg: Family-owned premium Swiss international boarding school in St. Gallen offering IB, IGCSE and High School Diploma pathways with similar bilingual education and elite family focus.
• Champittet International School: Swiss private school in Pully (near Lausanne) offering bilingual French-English education and IB programmes for ages 3-18, with direct geographic overlap in the Vaud Riviera catchment.
• La Garenne International School: Swiss international boarding school in Villars offering bilingual IB programmes for ages 5-18 in a smaller, family-run setting. Comparable academic offering and similar regional Swiss positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Le Rosey: Iconic ultra-premium Swiss boarding school with two campuses (Rolle and Gstaad), serving as a high-end reference point for the Swiss international school market and competing for elite families at materially higher price points.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjjacBncw69GRbIJaReaqeQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/hautlac
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/haut-lac-international-bilingual-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/hautlacschool
• Xx.com/hautlac

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Haut Lac International Bilingual School