International School of Lyon vs Ombrosa International School - Ecole Bilingue De Savoie

	I International School of Lyon Lyon, France	O Ombrosa International School - Ecole Bilingue De Savoie Lyon, France
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €7,744 - 18,024	Fees / year €6,540 - 17,890
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)	Curriculum French Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP), American Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 300	Pupils 1,270
Typical class size	Typical class size 15	Typical class size 21
Instruction language	Instruction language English, French	Instruction language English, French
Opened	Opened 2004	Opened 1971
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location 80 Chemin du Grand Roule, 69110 Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, France. Located in the peaceful suburb of Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, just southwest of Lyon. The campus sits between a family-oriented village and a world-class city.	Location —
Stages	Stages Ages 3-18; Primary through High School. IB Primary Years Programme and Diploma Programme.	Stages —
School type	School type Not-for-profit association (French law 1901); independent international school.	School type —
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix About 300 students with more than 45 nationalities represented. French is the largest nationality (~30%), with large groups including American, Brazilian, British, Indian, Japanese and Korean.	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support English language support (ESOL) is available for students who need it. In secondary school a minimum English level is required to access the curriculum. Extra support for students with learning difficulties is available for an additional fee.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure The school opens at 8:05; lessons begin at 8:20. Finishing times are 15:35 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 12:05 on Wednesdays; 14:55 on Fridays. IB Diploma students have a variable timetable.	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application fee - One-off, non-refundable application fee: EUR 500. Enrolment / Capital assessment fee (one-off, non-refundable) - Primary (first/second child): EUR 3,750. - Primary (third child): EUR 1,875. - Secondary (first/second child): EUR 5,000. - Secondary (third child): EUR 2,500. Tuition fees - company-sponsored - Kindergarten (PK–SK): EUR 9,471 per year. - Primary (Grades 1–5): EUR 13,503 per year. - Middle School (Grades 6–8): EUR 15,729 per year. - Lower Secondary (Grades 9–10): EUR 18,767 per year. - Upper Secondary (Grades 11–12 / IBDP): EUR 21,208 per year. Tuition fees - private-payers (first/second child and third child) - Kindergarten (PK–SK): First/second child EUR 7,744; third child EUR 7,434. - Primary (Grades 1–5): First/second child EUR 11,427; third child EUR 10,970. - Middle School (Grades 6–8): First/second child EUR 13,362; third child EUR 12,828. - Lower Secondary (Grades 9–10): First/second child EUR 15,955; third child EUR 15,317. - Upper Secondary (Grades 11–12): First/second child EUR 18,024; third child EUR 17,303. Additional mandatory and optional fees (per child unless otherwise stated) - Library deposit (refundable): EUR 350. - PTA membership fee: EUR 20. - ESOL (English support, where applicable, Grades 2–10): EUR 650 per trimester. - SEN (Special Educational Needs) support: - Placement A: EUR 900. - Placement B: EUR 1,800. - Placement C: EUR 2,700. - Placement D: EUR 3,600. - After-school care is charged per term and is non-refundable upon withdrawal. - Lunch service is available through an external provider and is charged separately. Additional charges may apply for school supplies, online learning platforms, external examinations (e.g. PSAT, SAT, BMAT), residential and extra-curricular trips, additional language support, ESOL, SEN support, and bank transfer charges. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition is generally payable in full before 31 August. - Private payers may pay in three or ten instalments by standing order, subject to a signed financial agreement. - Payments for the 2026–2027 academic year run from June 2026 to March 2027. - Students enrolling after 31 December pay 65% of the annual tuition, while those enrolling after 1 April pay 40%. - Accepted payment methods: credit card, cheque, or bank transfer. - One invoice is issued per family; additional invoices cost EUR 50 each. - Late payments incur 4.92% monthly interest plus a EUR 50 late payment fee. Refunds and cancellations - Application and capital assessment fees are non-refundable. - The EUR 350 library deposit is refundable upon return of borrowed books and musical instruments in good condition. - Students withdrawing before 31 December may receive a 35% tuition refund, provided written notice is given by 1 December. - No tuition refund is available after 31 December or if a student is expelled.	Fee details —
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details In Grades 6–8, ISL follows an in-house Middle School curriculum designed by subject specialists. The curriculum is broad and balanced and builds on the inquiry-based, transdisciplinary framework of the IB Primary Years Programme, moving toward an interdisciplinary approach to learning. The programme is fully aligned with ISL's Vision and Mission. Aims include connecting learning to real-world situations, enabling inquiry into issues of significance locally, nationally and globally, developing open-minded and internationally minded students, fostering empathy and a sense of common humanity, and encouraging personal responsibility to contribute to the public good, along with developing critical thinking, research, analytical, communication and collaboration skills. There are cross-curricular projects such as Grade 6 Leading Your Learning Project, Grade 6 STEAM Project, Grade 7 UN SDG Project, and Grade 8 Personal Project. In High School, Grades 9–10 follow the Cambridge IGCSE while Grades 11–12 prepare students for the IB Diploma Programme, with ISL Diploma available for graduates who do not complete the full IB Diploma.	Curriculum details —
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Average class size is 15. There are about 300 students and 46 educational staff, yielding an approximate student–teacher ratio of around 6.5 to 1.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results In the last two years of high school ISL offers the IB Diploma Programme, a challenging university-access qualification, while Grades 9–10 follow the Cambridge IGCSE. Assessment spans continuous coursework, with four skills evaluated (listening, speaking, reading and writing), and includes language options such as Language Ab Initio and Language B courses. The Cambridge IGCSE History course follows the Cambridge IGCSE 20th Century specification. ISL Graduation Requirements specify 21 credits to graduate, with the IB Diploma programme automatically qualifying students for the ISL Diploma; minimums include English (4), French or another language (4), Maths (3), Social Science (3), Sciences (3), PE (½ per year), Art/Music (½ credit/year, optional), Extended Essay/Senior Project (½ credit/year, 1 total), Theory of Knowledge (½ credit, 1).	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Applications for admission are accepted throughout the year. A formal decision regarding admission is typically not made until all required documents have been received. The online application is the recommended method for admission; a visit to ISL prior to applying is advisable where possible. The online admissions platform is undergoing an upgrade and will go live on the 16th of March; for questions about admissions, contact the admissions office. 2. Required documents must be uploaded through ISL's online application system. Documents required are: a Student Application Form with one passport-sized photograph; two full years of school transcripts (the most recently completed year and the previous year, with translation if needed); confidential teacher recommendations (Early Years: one from the previous class teacher; Grades 6–12: one from Mathematics and one from English or the relevant mother tongue teacher, sent directly by the applicant's previous school); a copy of vaccination certificates. If a document cannot be obtained, the Director will determine whether there is sufficient information to make an admission decision and may request additional information (translations may be requested if needed). 3. Admission decisions: The decision to admit rests with the Director in consultation with the Primary or Secondary Principal; the school reserves the right to contact a student's previous school to verify records. All students admitted to ISL must have a legal guardian residing in France, and any applicant turning 18 before starting must provide proof of visa before a place can be offered. 4. Acceptance of admission: After required documentation is provided, families are notified usually within one week of application. The accounts department bills the enrolment fee; once this is paid, the place is guaranteed. A tuition contract must be completed and signed before a student may start school; ISL reserves the right to refuse entry to a student whose financial arrangement does not meet these requirements. 5. Waiting lists and related processes: There are currently no waiting lists at ISL; if an application is accepted and no space is available in the appropriate class, the student will be placed on a waiting list and notified. When a place becomes available, it will be offered to a student on the waiting list. Waiting-list selection criteria include siblings already attending or applying, the existing gender balance of the class, background/experience in an IB programme, and any of the Criteria for Admission. 6. Deferrals and re-entries: An accepted or waitlisted applicant may defer the place to the following academic year, provided that the school receives notification in due time and there are spaces available; the admission and enrolment fees are deferrable for one academic year. Students who are enrolled and then leave can re-enter the school at a later date, provided that re-entry occurs no more than two academic years after departure; new application documents may be required. 7. Re-registration: Every February the Admissions Department gathers preliminary information about parents' intentions for the following year and bills families for a 500€ per student deposit for the next school year. Payment of the deposit guarantees a student's place for the following year and will be deducted from the tuition fee; no refund is given if a student leaves in the meantime. 8. Financial aid: The school does not have a bursary system in place, but a special calendar of payment may be put in place following agreement with the Director.	Admissions —
Scholarships	Scholarships The school does not have a bursary system in place, but a special calendar of payment may be put in place following agreement with the Director.	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist There are no waiting lists at ISL at present; if an application is accepted and no space is available in the appropriate class, the student will be placed on a waiting list, and the parents will be notified. When a place becomes available in the class, it will be offered to a student on the waiting list. Criteria used to decide which student on the waiting list is offered a place include siblings already attending, existing gender balance of the class, background/experience in an IB programme, and any of the Criteria for Admission.	Waitlist —
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