We’re excited to be expanding our worldwide family of schools with the addition of the FOUR-FOREST Group in Switzerland, welcoming over 300 students and 60 staff to our international community.

FOUR-FOREST Group, which consists of two campuses in Luzern and one in Zug, joins our growing community of more than 100 schools across 16 countries, teaching over 85,000 students. This includes our two other schools in Switzerland, Obersee Bilingual School in Wollerau, and the International School Zurich North.

James Stenning, currently the Executive Head at the International School Zurich North, will also be taking on the role of the Executive Principal of FOUR-FOREST.

Commenting on the announcement, James said: “It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome FOUR-FOREST into our Cognita family. This is an exciting milestone in Cognita’s and FOUR-FOREST’s journey and one which we believe will benefit students and staff alike. We look forward to working with FOUR-FOREST’s dedicated teachers and staff – who join our ‘global staffroom’ of 18,000 colleagues that is rich in knowledge, opportunities, and best practices, ensuring that every child can thrive in a rapidly evolving world. We are excited for the future and what we can achieve together.”

FOUR-FOREST Group offer the local Swiss curriculum with elements of the British National Curriculum, educating over 300 students in German and English aged three to 16. The group’s first campus, FOUR-FOREST International Bilingual School Luzern, was founded in 2007, while their second campus in Zug opened in 2010. LMS-Schule, a traditional Swiss private school also based in Luzern, joined the FOUR-FOREST Group as a third campus in 2016. FOUR-FOREST Group shares Cognita’s dedication to holistic education, nurturing an environment that promotes academic excellence and supports students’ wellbeing and creativity. Going forward, James Stenning will be working closely with the current Heads of the three campuses in the Group.

Herbert Jurt, one of the founders of FOUR-FOREST Group, said: “When FOUR-FOREST Bilingual International School was founded over 16 years ago, our mission was to build a happy, creative, bilingual learning environment to help children achieve success and to celebrate that success. We believe that Cognita will continue to build on this legacy, retaining our school’s unique qualities while providing further benefits of becoming part of a reputable, larger international community. Cognita is a diverse and unique network, committed to providing a high-quality education that keeps children’s wellbeing at the heart. We are confident that there is an exciting future ahead for our wonderful school community.”

By being part of the Cognita family of schools, FOUR-FOREST educators and students join a global community that is rich in knowledge, opportunities, and best practices. School leaders and teachers will also have access to cutting-edge, tailored professional training programmes including our partnership with the world-leading University College London Institute of Education.

Welcome to our global family, FOUR-FOREST!