Your questions, our answers

FAQs about the Secondary School of formatio Private School

Concept

As an all-day school, school also becomes a common living space. What are the qualities that distinguish the community spirit of Secondary School?

We are a small school with a family atmosphere, where everyone knows and appreciates each other. Our pedagogical understanding is based on the common motto of the formatio Private School “Strengthening strengths”. A good relationship with the students is very important to us. As a common ritual we start and end the school week with a school meeting, the Assembly.

How is it ensured that learners are individually supported and challenged?

With our class size of around 15 pupils, we guarantee an optimal supervision ratio and thus the promotion of individual strengths. Furthermore, our main subjects are taught at two levels, which allows for additional differentiation. In addition, we offer learning groups every morning for the main subjects, in which our teachers provide targeted and individual support.

What role does personality development play at the Secondary School of formatio Private School?

We focus on personal education. This means that exploring one’s own personality, getting to know personal strengths and developing individual talents play a central role in our pedagogical understanding. In the subject “personality development”, pupils are given the necessary space for this under expert guidance. We use various concepts and tools from positive psychology to specifically promote these abilities, talents and potentials of our students.

What does language-sensitive-teaching mean? Why is language sensitivity given such a high priority in the school concept?

Language sensitivity means knowing what a key role linguistic competences play in performance at all subjects. Language sensitive teaching therefore ensures that the learning material and tasks in all subjects must be prepared in such a way that they are comprehensible for all pupils. All our teachers are methodically and didactically well trained to make their lessons language sensitive.

The Secondary School describes itself as a plurilingual school. What does that mean in concrete terms?

Multilingualism plays a central role in our school concept, as we want to prepare our students for an international, global world. Therefore we offer bilingual teaching in various subjects. Currently, the subjects mathematics, physics, geography and history are taught in English. In this way, foreign language skills are expanded and deepened. We also offer preparation for internationally recognised language certificates in English (Cambridge) and French (DELF). As a certified examination centre, the Cambridge examinations can be taken at our school.

How are digital media integrated into everyday school life?

As a pioneer for digital education in Liechtenstein, we have been using iPads in our Secondary School since 2016. Thanks to our many years of experience, we know when digital media can be used sensibly in the classroom to promote learning in the best possible way. Our classrooms are equipped for modern, up-to-date teaching and allow for the best possible digital and analogue work. Many teaching materials are made available to students via learning platforms. We also use digital media to communicate with parents and guardians and to involve them transparently in the learning process of their children.

What does it mean to learn cooperatively?

In Secondary School, the focus is on cooperative learning in the form of table group work. Our students work together in table groups of four to five students. Through the guided cooperation, the students develop a strong sense of valuable collaboration and teamwork, which prepares them for their professional future in the best possible way.

What pedagogical concept is followed in the fourth grade of Secondary School?

Our individual and differentiated approach continues in the fourth grade of Secondary School. With the fourth grade we therefore offer an optional transitional class, which is mainly of a repetitive and deepening character. This gives young people the opportunity to prepare themselves in peace and quiet for vocational training or entry into the Upper Secondary School.

Lessons

When do the lessons start and end?

Learning needs structures. That’s why we give our students a daily structure for when teaching and learning takes place at the Secondary School. Regular lessons usually start at 08:30 and end at 16:25. From 12:00 to 13:00 there is a lunch break, during which meals are taken together in the cafeteria.

What is the significance of the daily morning entry time?

Daily from 08:00 – 08:30 a.m. we offer the entrance time, which enables the students to prepare for the lessons already supervised. During this time, there are also open learning groups in the main subjects, in which our teachers are available to answer questions and deepen the learning material.

What is the curriculum of the Secondary School?

Our teaching content is based on the new Liechtenstein curriculum (LiLe).

What about homework?

We attach great importance to the fact that learning happens mostly in the classroom. Home exercises are given by our teachers to repeat and deepen the learning material. Students can complete the majority of their work tasks at school in supervised study, and some of them take them home with them. Ultimately, it also depends on the performance of the individual child which learning tasks still have to be completed at home.

What exactly is taught in the project afternoon?

In the project lessons, which cover the entire Wednesday afternoon and thus four lessons per week, the pupils have the opportunity to experience their talents and try out their skills in different settings. The range of activities is as broad as the interests of our students, so there is always a suitable project for everyone.

What is the significance of interconnected learning in everyday teaching?

Learning material can be understood much better if it is presented in a networked way, i.e. from different perspectives, and stored in the brain. That is why we attach great importance to networked learning. In our cross-curricular subjects and projects, a learning area is taught simultaneously by different teachers in different subjects. The theme days lasting several days are devoted to socially relevant, current issues.

How do you support the professional orientation of the students in class?

We attach particular importance to a goal-oriented preparation of our students for their choice of career. For this reason, we focus on vocational orientation in the third and fourth grades in the subject of personality development.

What is the school subject “personal challenge”?

In the fourth grade of Secondary School, our students practise a personal challenge in which they pursue a project of their choice over a semester. In doing so, they learn to carry out a project independently and responsibly and also experience their self-efficacy.

Structure

The Secondary School of formatio Private School is a private school with public rights. What does that mean?

After thorough examination by the government of the Principality of Liechtenstein, we have been granted the right to issue legally valid certificates etc. – just like state schools. Our teachers are certified specialists who are recognised by the school board.

How long is my child at school every day?

Regular classes usually start at 08:30 and end at 16:25. The supervised entrance time begins at 08:00, during which our students can already prepare for classes and the learning groups take place. Your child can also be supervised until 16:45 by arrangement. From 12:00 to 13:00 is lunch break.

How do the students spend their lunch break?

We attach great importance to community in our school environment. Therefore we have a cafeteria with our own gastro kitchen. The food is fresh, healthy and regional every day.

Certificates and graduation

What kind of report card do the students receive?

In Secondary School, students receive a report twice a year with assessments in all subjects. In addition, all pupils also receive a written report twice a year on their social and working behaviour. As a school with public status, our reports have the same status as the performance records of a public school.

What pathways do students choose after Secondary School?

About half of our students choose the Upper Secondary School of the formatio Private School or another Secondary School (upper secondary level), the other half chooses a teaching profession. Of course we accompany our students closely during this important decision and involve parents and guardians transparently and thoroughly in the process.

Under which conditions is it possible to change to the Upper Secondary School of formatio Private School?

For particularly high-performing pupils, the transfer to the Upper Secondary School of formatio Private School is possible after the third grade of Secondary School. This recommendation is made by the teachers’ conference or the school management based on the outstanding academic performance of the respective learner. After the fourth grade of the Secondary School, this transfer is usually possible without any problems if the candidate has successfully worked in the main subjects at the upper level.

What graduation certificate do secondary school pupils receive?

The graduates of our Secondary School receive a certificate of completion after the fourth grade and thus have proof that they have fulfilled the general compulsory school attendance.

Admission

How does a transfer from another school to the Secondary School work?

The school management or their deputy will conduct a personal interview with each candidate as well as with the parents and check the previous certificates. After at least one “Schnuppertag” and competence checks in English, German, French and mathematics, the school management decides to which school level and under which conditions a transfer is possible. We attach great importance to the social interaction of our students. In order to be able to support our students in the best possible way, it is important to us that they can integrate well into the respective class community.

Could my child get to know the lessons and Secondary School without further obligation?

Yes, interested children are welcome to get a taste of our teaching in an uncomplicated, non-binding and free way. Please contact us at any time via phone (00423 392 20 88) or e-mail at lernen@formatio.li. You are also welcome to use our contact form.

We are very interested in a change to the Secondary School of formatio Private School. How high must our child’s language skills in English be for this?

As a plurilingual school, (foreign) languages are the focus of our work. Therefore, your child should have a basic interest in languages. In our many years of experience, previous knowledge of English itself plays a minor role in a successful school change. It is much more important to support your child in his or her entry into school and to ensure that he or she is well received by the social structure. Should a lack of language skills really be an obstacle, we offer various support services.

What costs are associated with school attendance?

As a private school, we charge school fees for our extensive and outstanding educational services. We would be pleased to send you our cost statement and other documents. Please contact our secretariat at lernen@formatio.li.

Is there a possibility for a scholarship?

Under certain circumstances, it is possible to apply for a scholarship. Please send a mail to lernen@formatio.li.