La Garenne is a family-run international boarding and day school located in Villars-sur-Ollon, a safe and family-friendly Alpine resort in the Swiss Alps, welcoming students aged 3 to 18.
Founded in 1947, the school offers a continuous international education from Pre-Reception and Reception through Primary and Secondary School to the IB Diploma or the La Garenne High School Diploma. Known for its strong values, close-knit international community and focus on well-being, La Garenne combines academic ambition, pastoral care and an international outlook in the heart of the Swiss Alps.
Its motto is 'Be Happy, and Never Never Never Give Up'.
Quick Facts (2026)
- Grades: (Boarding Students) 1-12
- Grades: (Day Students) PK-12
- Enrollment: 200 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $105,094
- Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $58,111
- Acceptance rate: 90%
- Average class size: 10 students
- Application Deadline: None / Rolling
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
La Garenne ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 273 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Offering Breadth
School Overview
Definition of Terms | 2025 School Data
La Garenne
School Focus
College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)
1-12
Grades Offered (Day)
PK-12
School Type
Co-ed
ADD/ADHD Support
Supports Learning Differences (LD)
Dual Language Immersion Program
Secondary Immersion Language
Spanish
Religious Affiliation
Year Founded
1947
First Day of School
Mon. Aug 31, 2026
Last Day of School
Thu. Jun 17, 2027
Student Body
Enrollment
200 students
% International Students
100%
% Students Boarding
90%
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
Academic Profile
Saturday Classes
No
Classroom Dress Code
Average Class Size
10 students
Student-Teacher Ratio
2:1
Number of IB Courses Offered
18
ESL Courses Offered
Summer Program Offered
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
n/a
Courses
Tuition & Financial Aid
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$105,094
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
$58,111
Merit Scholarships Offered
n/a
Admissions
Application Deadline
None / Rolling
Average Percentile SSAT
n/a%
Acceptance Rate
90%
Director of Admissions
Mark Silverstein
Associate Director of Admissions
Gavin Williams
Application URL
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
24
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
2
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Arts and Music Programs:
Juventus Football Academy
Arts and Music Programs:
ABRSM Music Examinations
College Matriculation
School Notes
- La Garenne at a Glance: Founded in 1947, La Garenne is a truly international community of more than 200 students from over 40 nationalities. It occupies a safe, family-friendly location in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland - one of the world's top safest countries (Global Peace Index).
- Curriculum: The school offers a consistent academic pathway starting from Pre-Reception and Reception, followed by Primary, then Middle School, up to the IB Diploma and High School Diploma programmes.
- Early Years (ages 3-5) follows the EYFS framework with Forest School-inspired learning.
- Primary School (ages 5-11) follows the English National Curriculum and the International Primary Curriculum.
- Middle School combines the IB Middle Years Programme (ages 11-14) with IGCSE qualifications (ages 14-16).
- Senior students (ages 16-18) choose between the IB Diploma Programme and the High School Diploma, with classes of up to 12 students.
- Languages: Education is conducted in English, supported by an Intensive English Programme until students reach at least B1 level. French is compulsory until age 16, with DELF diploma certification.
- Academic results: Academic results: in the 2025/26 academic year the average IB score was 36 versus a global average of 30 (top score 44), with a 100% first-choice university acceptance rate.
- University: university guidance begins in Year 9. Class of 2025/26 graduates received offers from universities including UCL, Manchester, Bristol, Pennsylvania State University, Bath and UC Davis.
- Extracurricular activities: more than 50 activities are offered, ranging from mountain biking, music and robotics to Model United Nations.
- Boarding: run by the Mean family for decades, La Garenne follows a "Family Away from Home" approach. Boarding is available across the Primary, Middle and Senior sections, with approximately 200 boarders from more than 40 countries living in three age-specific residences. Full-time House Parents and boarding staff live in each house, providing daily supervision and pastoral support, with a boarding staff-to-student ratio of 2:1. Students also have access to counselling, wellbeing and safeguarding support throughout the school.
- Campuses: La Garenne has two age-based campuses in Villars-sur-Ollon, five minutes apart on foot: the Primary and Middle School campus, and the Secondary campus, Le Roc, for senior students. The school is approximately 90 minutes (119 km) from Geneva Airport, 40 minutes from Montreux and 60 minutes from Lausanne.
- Accreditations: La Garenne is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and is authorised as an IB World School for the MYP and DP. It is an authorised examination centre for Cambridge English Qualifications, IGCSE (Pearson Edexcel and Oxford AQA) and IELTS, and is a member of SGIS, the Boarding Schools' Association (BSA) and the Swiss Private Schools Federation (FSEP).
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does La Garenne cost?
La Garenne's tuition is approximately $105,094 for boarding students and $58,111 for day students.
What is the acceptance rate of La Garenne?
The acceptance rate of La Garenne is 90%, which is higher than the boarding school average of 64%.
What sports does La Garenne offer?
La Garenne offers 24 interscholastic sports: Alpine Skiing, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Climbing, Cross Country, Cycling, Equestrian, Figure Skating, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Motorsports, Mountain Biking, Nordic Skiing, Riding, Skiing, Snowboarding, Soccer, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball and Winter Track. La Garenne is ranked as one of the top boarding schools for most sports offered.
What is La Garenne's ranking?
La Garenne ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for High percentage of international students, Low student-teacher ratio and Most sports offered.
When is the application deadline for La Garenne?
The application deadline for La Garenne is rolling (applications are reviewed as they are received year-round).
Nearby Boarding Schools
The nearest boarding school to La Garenne is Leysin American School in Switzerland (LAS) (3.5 miles away)
School
Location
Miles
Quick Facts
Chemin de la Source 3
Leysin, Switzerland 1854
0041244934872
Leysin, Switzerland 1854
0041244934872
3.5 miles
Gr: 7-12, PG | 300 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Avg. class size: 10 students Acceptance rate: 64% Tuition listed
Chem. de Pangires 26
Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz, Switzerland 1806
412155550
Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz, Switzerland 1806
412155550
14.3 miles
Gr: 6-12 | PK-12 (day) | 620 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Avg. class size: 10 students Tuition listed
Route de Sauverny 74
Geneva, Switzerland 1290
41227755656
Geneva, Switzerland 1290
41227755656
42.5 miles
Gr: 4-12 | PK-12 (day) | 1,800 students Tuition listed
Gmeindi 318b
Hasliberg Goldern, Switzerland 6085
41339729292
Hasliberg Goldern, Switzerland 6085
41339729292
62.3 miles
Gr: 8-12, PG | 100 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Avg. class size: 6 students Acceptance rate: 75% Tuition listed
St. Josefsweg 15b
Altdorf, Switzerland 6460
0766909288
Altdorf, Switzerland 6460
0766909288
85.9 miles
Gr: 8-12, PG | 80 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Avg. class size: 15 students Tuition listed
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