Secondaire 2 (Diplomas)
Florimont prepares students for the Swiss Maturité, French Baccalauréat and the International Baccalaureate (all four-year programmes). We guide students and parents to make the best choice but it is possible to change programme to reflect students’ interests and aptitudes.
Swiss Maturité
A long-established curriculum with a focus on society
At Florimont, the Swiss Maturité (in French or bilingual French/English) is a four-year programme (3ème, 2ème, 1ère and Terminale, 14-18 years) following the curriculum set out by Swiss federal authorities and the Geneva Department of Education. It is accepted by all Swiss universities.
The 14 subjects in the Swiss Maturité are examined from 2ème (15-16 years), mainly by continuous assessment, with results from regular tests informing the teaching.
From 3ème (14-15 years), the curriculum:
– Requires pupils to choose an arts subject, a second Swiss official language and a science subject;
– Includes an introduction to economics, law and the scientific approach;
– Gives the choice of studying mathematics at a standard or higher level.
Students choose a specialist option (option spécifique) in 3ème (14-15 years) from biology-chemistry, economics-law, Spanish or physics and applied mathematics. An additional option (option complémentaire) and philosophy are also included in the final two years of the programme.
Students are also required to produce the ‘Travail de maturité’, an independent research paper, in their final two years. The choice of possible topics and breadth of study encourages personal commitment and independent thinking. Students present their work to a school panel, similar to a university assessment.
Florimont’s added benefits
At Florimont, we offer students a range of opportunities additional to their core studies, such as preparation for external language examinations, a work experience placement in the world of industry, competition in Olympiads in various subjects, participation in the University of Geneva’s Athéna project, community projects, or debating.
French Baccalauréat
Institut Florimont is an institution licenced by the Académie de Grenoble and a member of GESBF (association of Swiss Schools teaching French Baccalauréat).
The programme covers a wide-ranging and balanced curriculum consisting of:
The programme follows the French Ministry of Education curriculum, addressing key knowledge areas and providing scope for an interdisciplinary approach, often using digital technology. Students learn through hands-on class projects and a range of activities, showing the links between different subject areas and encouraging reasoning.
The IB mission statement
“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
All the IB programmes are aimed at developing people who are sensitive to the international context, aware of the links between human beings, mindful of the responsibility that each of us has towards the planet and keen to contribute to building a better and more peaceful world.” (ibo.org)
The IB programme is aimed at encouraging students to develop certain skills and personal characteristics known as the “learner profile”: inquiring, knowledgeable, risk-taking, principled, open-minded, caring, balanced and reflective.
Florimont has been an authorised IB World School since September 2014.
IB International bilingual track
The international track (bilingual French/English) is a four-year programme offering access to the best universities in Switzerland and worldwide, depending on the points received.
The programme is set out as follows:
– 3ème and 2ème are preparatory years providing an interdisciplinary approach to all subjects, and drawing on the best of the Swiss, French and English-speaking curricula.
– 1ère and Terminale are dedicated to the Diploma Programme as specified by the International Baccalaureate. There is a choice of 6 branches (3 at higher level, 3 at standard level), with students choosing one from each category: literature, modern languages, social sciences, sciences, mathematics and arts (can be substituted for another subject.)
– Students also follow common core subjects (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity and Service), encouraging artistic and sporting activities as well as more general tasks.
– The approach to teaching and learning in the IB is positive and designed to promote self-confidence, as well as providing a sound structure through targeted assessment, individual research and group work; the exciting programme develops reasoning skills that will be useful in third-level study and life in general.
