Swiss School Rahn Education Milan

The School

The School

From the Beginnings to Today

Many years have passed since that distant day in 1860 when the first students walked through the doors of the International School of Milan, which officially became the Swiss School of Milan in 1919.

A School That Made History

Since then, the Swiss School Rahn Education Milan has witnessed, and withstood, some of the most significant chapters of modern history: the First World War, the Second World War, the cultural transformations of the 1960s and the student movement, and the beginning of the new millennium.

Learning with Tradition and Future Vision

Over time, more than 7,000 students have filled the classrooms and hallways of the school, contributing to the creation of a strong, dynamic, and ever-evolving identity.

A Strong Community

Today, the Swiss School Rahn Education Milan is a growing institution, recognized for its excellent reputation and credibility both in Milan and by Swiss and Italian educational authorities. This recognition is the result of the dedicated work of the directors and board members who have guided the school over the decades.

Thanks to All Who Shape It

Above all, it is thanks to the commitment of parents, teachers, and, most importantly, the students who have lived and continue to live the school every day, making it a place where tradition, innovation, and community come together.

Our Team

Giovanna Ciancimino

Head of Administration

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Daniel Schmid

Head of School

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Regula Affolter

Head of Lower and Upper Secondary School

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Corina Lovati

Head of Kindergarten and Primary School

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Gotthard Dittrich

Chairman of the Board

Jonas Vischer

Board member

Beat Sommer

Board member

Benjamin Hein

Board member

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Claudia Fauser

Board member

Carlotta Burgi

Board member

Our History

Our school is an open window to the world

Our school was founded in 1860 to offer education in German in Milan and to provide an alternative to the predominantly Catholic educational system. In 1919, it was recognised by the Swiss Confederation as a Swiss school abroad. Since 1939, the school has been located at Via Appiani 21, in the vibrant heart of the Lombard capital, and can look back on 160 years of history.

The Swiss School Rahn Education Milan is special because of its innovative teaching methods and the teaching of German as a first language. It is one of the seventeen Swiss schools abroad that are recognised by the Federal Department of Home Affairs in Bern and the Italian authorities. The school has around 250 students of different nationalities, making it a truly cosmopolitan school.

Teaching follows the guidelines of the Canton Graubünden and Curriculum 21. High-quality teaching is ensured by native-speaking teachers who are constantly engaged in further education and training programmes. Bilingual education begins in kindergarten and continues until the acquisition of the Matura, which is recognised by both the Swiss Confederation and the Italian Ministry of Education. Our school's diploma opens the doors to national and international universities. The Swiss School Rahn Education Milan is multilingual. Our educational approach is based on bilingualism, but English lessons are added to German and Italian lessons from the third grade onwards. French and Latin are taught from the second year of secondary school, and Spanish can be chosen as an optional subject in high school.

PATRON

In October 2015 Prof. Dr. Bernhard Vogel, Prime Minister of the region Rheinland-Pfalz and the State of Thuringia became a patron of the Rahn Schulen Kairo

"I admire the initiative and the courage of Rahn Education to stabilize the country of Egypt and to strengthen the German-Egyptian relations. With the patronage I want to support this commitment "expressed Prof. Vogel his motivation for this step. Gotthard Dittrich is very happy about this development for Rahn Schulen Kairo: "We are proud and joyful satisfied that a personality of political life as the chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Prof. Dr. Bernhard Vogel is on our side which supports our goal of developing a free, non-profit, independent German school abroad.

The contact between Rahn Education and Prof. Vogel has existed since 2007, which is the year of founding Primary School in Altenburg, where Prof. Vogel is a patron from the very first day. In 2014, Prof. Vogel visited the campus in Neuzelle and held there his speech at the graduation ceremony. During this visit, he already could provide detailed information on the international orientation of Rahn Education.

The idea of patronage for Rahn Schulen Kairo was born during the conversation between Sameh Elmahmoudy (board member of the European Foundation of Rahn Education for Education and Culture), Gotthard Dittrich (CEO) and Prof. Vogel.

In March 2016 Prof. Vogel visited Rahn Schulen Kairo for the first time. The students showed him with great pleasure their school and prepared a patronage ceremony.

Our patron is Prof. Dr. Bernhard Vogel

Mission

Our mission is to educate young, dynamic and curious global citizens, providing them with the fundamental tools to prepare them for an increasingly international and globalised reality. Bilingual teaching and an environment that promotes the encounter between different cultures and languages contribute to creating tolerance, respect and open-mindedness. The Swiss School Rahn Education Milan is a peaceful and multicultural environment, the ideal place for the development and education of children, thanks in part to the school's political and religious independence and its consideration and respect for the decisions and identities of students, parents and staff. High-quality teaching, education for independence and responsibility, intellectual curiosity and the development of critical thinking are our hallmarks. Innovation and dynamism are the hallmarks of our school.
The fundamental values of the Swiss Confederation – autonomy, freedom and openness – give our pupils a passport to the world.

Educational concept

The Swiss School Rahn Education Milan follows Lehrplan 21, which is implemented in 21 Swiss cantons, as its didactic and pedagogical reference. However, the division of the cycles is based on the Italian national system.

Kindergarten Primary school: from first to fifth grade
Secondary school: from sixth to eighth grade
Gymnasium: from ninth to twelfth grade

Fifth-grade pupils follow a dedicated programme to prepare for the Eligibility Exam, required at the end of primary school to progress to the next level.

In lower secondary school (grades 6–8), starting from the second semester of grade 7, students begin preparing for the State Exam (Licenza Media), which concludes the eighth school year.
High school students follow a curriculum designed to obtain the bilingual Italian–Swiss Maturity Diploma, an internationally recognized qualification.

Bilingualism and Multilingualism

At th Swiss School Rahn Education Milan, language learning is a fundamental pillar of the educational journey. Classes are taught by native-speaking teachers and follow the standards of Swiss Pedagogical Universities.

The linguistic pathway develops progressively:

German: introduced through play in Preschool
Italian: introduced through play in Preschool
English: from 3rd grade
French: from 7th grade
Latin: from 7th grade
Spanish: offered as a core or optional subject in High School

Students can also obtain internationally recognized language certifications, including:
Goethe C1 (German), IELTS and Cambridge Advanced C1 (English), DELF B2 (French), and DELE B2 (Spanish).

German Language Support for Families

Enrollment does not require parents to speak German. Upon request, the school can organise introductory courses for families wishing to learn the basics of the language.

Swiss School Rahn Education Milan