Director

International School of Berne in Switzerland was founded in 1961 to meet the needs of the primarily diplomatic community of the city and canton of Bern. Since then, the growth of the school, from 40 to over 350, has been in proportion to the growth of international business in the canton.

The children of expatriate executives now dominate the demographics of the school, putting the embassy children at about 35% of the school population. English is the official language of the school. However, English is not the mother tongue for more than 60% of students. Additionally, students are required to commit to studying either German and/or French, during their studies at ISBerne. These unique factors result in a student body comprised of 45 nationalities and a truly global experience for the students.

ISBerne’s dedication to international education has been part of the school drive to develop as an International Baccalaureate World School. After establishing the IB Diploma programme in 1995, the school was authorized to offer the IB Primary and Middle Years Programmes in 2007. In addition to the IB, the school is accredited by CIS and NEASC.

Since 2012, ISBerne has offered ISBerne Online, a new online school powered by the K12 curriculum, which opens ISBerne to students around the world. Through all programmes, ISBerne graduates are well-prepared for the future and have also developed an understanding of cultural diversity and the ability to work with others.

In April 2017, the school moved to a new purpose-built campus in Gumligen, a village at the outskirts of the city of Berne in which the school had been located for the last 55 years. The school continues to cater to a transitory expat clientele with an average residency in Switzerland of 3½ years. This constant flow of families fosters a strong community at ISBerne. The school serves as a home away from home, for both students and parents during their residency in Switzerland.

ISBerne is a subsidiary of Pansophic Learning, an education company that strives to provide students and educators exceptional learning solutions that enable them to maximize their success academically and in life, regardless of geographic, financial, or demographic circumstance. The organisation believes that every child should be able to be whatever they want to be in life regardless of where they were born. Pansophic Learning has its headquarters in Virginia, USA, and has operations globally, including schools in the Middle East, Africa, UK and Europe.

The Board of Directors are seeking to appoint a Director to lead the school from August 2018. The successful candidate will have demonstrable success in international school leadership, a true passion for holistic education and the ability to inspire and unite the school community. They should be well qualified and have up-to-date knowledge and experience of the IB programme. Inter-cultural sensitivity, strong moral character, and a commitment to maintaining and developing a culture of trust will all be important.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Edward Clark on +44(0)1256 862840 or +44 (0)7718 588616, or email at edward@lsceducation.com. To apply for this post, please visit www.lsceducation.com and follow the instructions provided, submitting your CV and a letter of application.

Key dates:

Closing date: 5 January 2018
Longlist interviews: w/c 8 January 2018 (by Skype)
Shortlist/Final Interviews: 30, 31 January 2018 (Berne, Switzerland)

ISBerne is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and as an employee of ISBerne you will be expected to share this commitment. The protection of its students’ welfare is the responsibility of all staff within ISBerne and individuals are expected to conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of their organisation.