Placement Stories
Case Studies
All accounts are anonymised. Names, nationalities, and identifying details have been changed or omitted at our clients' request.
Every placement we make is different. The following accounts give a sense of how we think about a brief — what we assess, how we build a recommendation, and what it means for the student once they arrive.
We do not publish every outcome. We publish the ones that illustrate something useful about how good placement works: that it starts with honest assessment, not a shortlist of schools.
From undirected potential to Le Rosey — a two-year journey
The Brief
A family from the Gulf contacted us after their 13-year-old son had been asked to leave two consecutive schools in his home country. Academic results were inconsistent. Behaviour was described as disruptive. Previous consultants had recommended remedial programmes.
Our Assessment
Our assessment told a different story. The student was highly intelligent, easily bored in unstructured environments, and responded well to challenge and accountability. He was not a problem student. He was in the wrong school.
The Plan
We recommended a structured transition: one year at a mid-tier Swiss boarding school with strong pastoral support and small classes, followed by an application to Le Rosey for Year 10. We prepared an individual development plan with specific academic targets and extracurricular benchmarks. His parents were briefed monthly — they were integral partners in the process.
The Outcome
He entered Le Rosey on schedule. He graduated with the IB Diploma and secured a place at a leading European business school. His parents describe the two-year plan as the turning point.
Balancing elite tennis with a university-track education
The Brief
A British family approached us with a 15-year-old daughter ranked in the top 50 junior tennis players in Europe. Her current school was unable to accommodate her training schedule. Her family wanted a school that would support elite sport without sacrificing academic rigour or a pathway to a strong university.
Our Assessment
We reviewed her academic profile, training calendar, and long-term goals. She was academically strong — capable of top university entry with the right support. Her parents wanted a school with a credible academic track, not a sports camp with lessons attached.
The Plan
We placed her at an athletic boarding school in Spain with a structured morning academic programme and afternoon professional coaching. Her individual development plan included IB Diploma preparation, with extra sessions in the sciences to strengthen her university application. Her coach collaborated directly with her academic tutors. We arranged private arrival transfers and remained in contact with both the school and family throughout the year.
The Outcome
She competed at a national junior final during her second year, maintained a 36-point IB predicted score, and received an early-decision offer from a Dutch university with one of Europe's top sports science faculties.
Dyslexia, high ability, and the right Swiss school
The Brief
Parents from East Asia contacted us after their daughter received a formal dyslexia diagnosis at age 12. They had been advised by her current school to consider a non-academic track. They were not willing to accept that assessment and came to us for a second opinion on her educational options.
Our Assessment
We reviewed her educational psychologist's report in full. She had a significant phonological processing difficulty but high verbal reasoning scores and exceptional visual-spatial intelligence. The diagnosis explained her reading difficulty — it said nothing about her ceiling. We referred her for a supplementary assessment to identify her precise learning profile before any school was recommended.
The Plan
We identified an Institut auf dem Rosenberg programme with a dedicated learning support team experienced in twice-exceptional students. Her individual development plan included specialist dyslexia coaching three times per week alongside mainstream curriculum delivery with reasonable adjustments. Parents were given a full briefing on the school's support structure before committing.
The Outcome
She completed three years at Rosenberg with progressively reduced support needs as her compensatory strategies developed. She sat for the IB Diploma with 50% extra time and passed. She is now completing a design degree at a Swiss university of applied sciences.
All case studies represent genuine placements handled by Swiss Academic Network. Names, nationalities, specific school names in identifying contexts, and personal details have been changed or withheld to preserve client confidentiality. Outcomes reflect individual results and are not a guarantee of equivalent results for future clients.
Every placement begins with a conversation.
Tell us about your child. We will tell you what we think — without pressure, without a shortlist of schools we are paid to fill.
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