ICS Annual Report 2022-2023
Message from the Head of School
As we reflect on the accomplishments of the past year, we are reminded of the strength of our community, the exceptional nature of our students, and the unwavering commitment of our staff. The year 2022 challenged us with its change, yet together, we succeeded, and this is what lies at the heart of our school, the ability for every child to know success. In this Annual Report, we capture the identity of our school, through images that define who we are, the uniqueness of our individuals, and the extraordinary experiences that define the ICS community. Belonging Undergoing our Re-Accreditation brought our community to a place of reflection and of celebration. The opportunity to look back at our last five years, and to celebrate all that we achieved. To review our policies, and to be better prepared in planning for the future of our school, enabled the School Executive to garner a deep awareness of the functions of the organisation, and the strength of the School. We were lauded by both NEASC and the IB for our work on Belonging, for our commitment to defining this as a community, and for the uniqueness of the framework we are implementing as a school. We were celebrated for the strength of our commitment to the IB, and the exceptional work of our educators in this space. Commitment As a community, we remained centred on learning, focused on the individual growth of every child, and their happiness at their school. We opened our minds to constructive and critical feedback from our community, so as to build a connection to understand the journey of an ICS student, and how we can continue to prepare them for the world they will inherit. I pay homage to the educators of ICS, who, in their belief in the mission of this school, continued to adapt and to alter their approaches to teaching and learning, so as to provide the quality of the education that ICS has become synonymous with. Change New to the school, I came to learn quickly how special this place is, how soulful and spirited this community is, and how this is captured in the energy of our young people each and every day. Like any person new to a role, there came deep and profound learning opportunities, and I relished these, so as to glean clarity about what it was that had enabled the school to cement its place in Zurich for over 60 years. I was appreciative, and remain so, of the work of the Trustees, in continuing to serve the School community, through my own transition and that of the new Chair of the Board. I have learnt that change should not be feared; it is like the seasons that come and go, we grow through them, and learn more about ourselves because of them. Appreciation I extend my sincere thanks to every member of our community over the past year. The Board of Trustees, the School Executive, every member of staff, our parents and most importantly of all our students. We are a school that grows in strength through the commitment we all have to caring for each other, and to creating a community that places the student at the centre of all we do.
Lucy M. Gowdie Head of School
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ICS Annual Report 2022-2023
Message from the Chair of the Board of Trustees
In this, my first year as Chair of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to deliver to our community our Annual Report. I welcome to the Board, two new Trustees, Mr Hans-Dieter Krauss (who will also serve as the treasurer), and Mrs Linda Elzvik, who joined us at the commencement of this academic year. I thank them both for the time they will give to the betterment of our school and for their service to it. I extend my thanks also to Ms Bettina Diggelmann, who, as the incumbent Vice-Chair, brings with her a breadth of experience that will support the school in our Swiss context, and in our strategic pursuits. For their service to the last academic year upon which this report is based, I thank all Trustees, those who have departed, and those who have continued, in support of our school. As we reflect on the academic year that was 2022-2023, I am proud of our school’s achievements. Not only the results of our Grade 12, in their IB Diploma Programme studies, but of every student for reaching success in their own studies. This success speaks to the uniqueness of our school and the work done in the service of it. I extend my deep gratitude to the teaching fraternity, and their commitment to the potential of every child. I further thank all those who work in administrative and operational capacities across the school to make it the vibrant place that it is. The information provided in this Annual Report tells the story of a school stepping confidently towards its future, and this is in no small part due to the commitment of our entire community in shaping the uniqueness that is ICS Inter-Community School Zurich.
Greg Vlasek Chair, Board of Trustees
ICS Annual Report 2022-2023
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Financial Information for 2022 – 2023 Financial Review The financial charts in this Annual Report represent a summary of the school’s financial status as of 31 July 2023 in accordance with the audit conducted by Ernst & Young AG, was presented to the Board for approval on 13 November 2023. The School has at its core the quality of its teaching and the power of its learning. We continue to prioritise small class sizes and optimal resourcing of learning, particularly as it relates to the International Baccalaureate. Revenue While enrolment remains robust, at approximately 800 students, the School increased its fees for the first time since 2019. This increment provided the platform for the School to continue to enhance the learning outcomes of our students both on campus and outdoors. Capital Improvements We reported our commitment to the enhancement of our grounds last year and have made steady progress in our aims for renewal. We continue to prepare for alterations to our playground, and black top renewal, and as part of preparations for the new building, will announce a new traffic flow upgrade soon. Like any institution that is ageing, we maintained our commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all staff, through reinvention of our learning spaces and renewal of equipment, which were updated regularly and with an emphasis on sustainability.
Administration, Marketing & Communications The School has undergone substantial review of its communications tools, platforms, and engagement technologies. We have worked to streamline accessibility and provide for a more seamless user experience. Our community will have noticed a refresh of the school’s engagement tools, with new designs, colours, and creativities featuring across all of our publications over the past year. We have progressed in our determination to re-brand and strengthen our identity and look forward to sharing this with our community in 2024. Yearly Result and Reserves The increase in education costs and staffing, saw a net deficit for the academic year 2022-2023. Our aim remains, and our effort will be, to produce an annual surplus, which will be invested back into the school to continue to improve the quality of the education and to fund enhancement projects across the School. Our Financial Position While the School is robust, we must continue to remain cognisant of external factors that can, and most likely will, impact upon our planning. Through careful strategic development, through disciplined and considered project management, we will not falter in our endeavour to ensure the School steps confidently into the next academic year, and the future; safe in the knowledge that the efforts of the Board, and the School Executive, will strengthen our position further.
Statement of Activities and Balance Sheet Statement of Activities
2022-2023
2021-2022
Tuition fees
25’128
25’827
Educational fees
1’600
1’419
Other revenue
1’576
884
Total revenue
28’304
28’130
Staff expenses
-22’947
-22’258
Other operating expenses
-5’011
-5’282
Depreciation
-1’233
-1’423
Total Operating expenses
-29’191
-28’963
(CHF in thousands)
Revenue
Expenses
Financial result
-12
-32
Total expenses
-29’203
-28’995
-899
-865
Net result
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ICS Annual Report 2022-2023
Balance Sheet as of 31 July
2023
2022
Current assets
2’602
3’576
Non-current assets
38’176
38’010
Total assets
40’778
41’586
Liabilities
4’664
4’573
Foundation capital
36’114
37’013
Total liabilities and foundation capital
40’778
41’586
Assets
Liabilities and capital
Revenue and Expenses Total Revenue TCHF 28’304
5% Other Revenue
3% Other Revenue
6% Educational Fees
5% Educational Fees
89% Tuition Fees
92% Tuition Fees
2022-2023
2021-2022
Total Expenses TCHF 29’203
4% Depreciation
5% Depreciation
17% Other Operating expenses
18% Other Operating expenses
79% Staff expenses
77% Staff expenses
2022-2023
2021-2022
ICS Annual Report 2022-2023
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External Examination Results IB Diploma Results
ICS
96.0%
35.5
60.0%
Worldwide
38.0%
30.2
79.6%
27.0% 29.0%
Student Pass Rate
Mean Score of candidates awarded diploma
Candidates receiving 35+ points
Candidates receiving bilingual diploma
IB Diploma - mean score by subject group 2023 5.47
5.90 4.82
Language & Literature
5.24
Language Acquisition
ICS
5.56 4.74
4.37
4.35
Individuals & Societies
5.75
5.10
5.06
Science
37.0
36.5 32.0
30.2
2023
2022
35.0 30.0
2021
2020
Mean SAT Scores 2021-2022 1317
Total
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ICS Annual Report 2022-2023
Worldwide
34.0
30.0
2019
673 529
Evidence Based Reading & Writing
30.0
2018
ICS 645
1050
Arts
ICS
35.0
33.0
4.38
Mathematics
IB Diploma - mean score of candidates awarded diploma 35.5
Worldwide
521
Mathematics
Worldwide
University and College Acceptances for the Class of 2023 UNITED STATES North Eastern University Loyola Marymount University University of Chicago Middlebury College University of Pennsylvania UNITED KINGDOM Reading University City University London University of Kent Leeds University Surrey University Edinburgh Napier University Birmingham University King’s College London Exeter University Durham University Jimmy Choo Academy London University of the Arts London (UAL) Royal Holloway University Warwick University University of Bristol
SWITZERLAND University of St Gallen ETH Swiss Business School (SBS), Zurich SPAIN IE University Madrid NETHERLANDS University of Amsterdam Maastricht University Vrije University Amsterdam Groningen University Eindhoven University Delft University of Technology Erasmus University Rotterdam
GERMANY Technical University Munich CANADA McGill University FINLAND Lappeenranta University JAPAN Ritsumeikan University SINGAPORE Singapore University of Technology and Design
ICS Annual Report 2022-2023
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ICS Inter-Community School Zurich Strubenacher 3 8126 Zumikon Switzerland Website: www.icsz.ch Email: contact@icsz.ch Tel: +41 (0)44 919 8300