Switzerland: Early selection in schools - pros and cons

Published: 30.07.2026, 15:57

In a comparison of countries, the "Association of German-speaking Swiss School Principals" (VSLCH) found that selection in schools in Switzerland begins very early, at 12 to 13 years of age.

In the following article, we present the country comparison from the "Association of German-speaking Swiss School Principals" (VSLCH) and list the arguments for and against early selection in schools.

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The most important points in brief:

The "Association of German-speaking Swiss School Principals" (VSLCH) has found in a comparison of approximately 45 countries that selection in schools in Switzerland takes place very early, at 12 to 13 years of age (6th grade of primary school), although this does not apply to all cantons of Switzerland.
Proponents of early selection in schools put forward arguments such as: state spending on education is kept low, and homogeneous performance groups can be taught more effectively.
Opponents of early school selection put forward, among other things, the following arguments: early selection falls right in the middle of puberty and disadvantages late developers, enormous stress for the children, most remain stuck in their assigned track after being placed in a particular track, a waste of talent leads to a loss of prosperity, early selection reinforces the hierarchy of society (at least in the past).

Table of contents

Country comparison by the “Association of School Principals of Switzerland” (VSLCH)
Arguments in favor: For early selection in schools
Arguments against: Against early selection in schools
Conclusion

Country comparison by the «Association of School Principals of Switzerland» (VSLCH)

The country comparison on early selection in schools by the "Association of German-speaking Swiss School Principals" (VSLCH) was published in the “Tagesanzeiger” in July 2026 under the sensationalist and derogatory headline ‘Switzerland sorts schoolchildren out at an earlier age than almost any other country’. It is sensationalist and disparaging because children are not commodities to be sorted out like rotten fruit; rather, children are selected for the relevant type of school or the relevant secondary school level stream.

Unfortunately, the “Tagi” article does not make it clear why around 45 countries from all over the world were selected for the VSLCH’s country comparison, nor why these particular countries were chosen. Some are EU countries (though not all), some are OECD countries (again, not all); broadly speaking, however, there is no single characteristic that unites all the countries compared. In this respect, the selection appears arbitrary. Nor does the VSLCH’s website provide any further details on the precise background to the country comparison.

After all, many Central European countries are included among those compared, particularly Switzerland’s neighbours. Furthermore, other major industrialised nations are also represented, such as the USA, Canada, Australia and China. However, Russia, for example, is missing from the BRIC countries.

When comparing these approximately 45 countries, the selection process in Swiss schools begins very early, at the age of 12 or 13 during the 6th year of primary school, although this varies from canton to canton.

One of the cantons with the most rigorous selection process in Switzerland is the Canton of Zurich. This is because the first selection takes place as early as the 6th year of primary school, when the decision is made as to who may attend the long-term grammar school and who must go to secondary school; in the latter case, the question then arises as to which stream or section the pupil will be placed in: A or B (or C in some municipalities).

In the table below, you can see the results of the cross-cantonal comparison carried out by the "Association of German-speaking Swiss School Principals" (VSLCH) regarding the first selection process at school:

Education system	First selection
Germany	≤ 12 years
Austria	≤ 12 years
Netherlands	≤ 12 years
Belgium	≤ 12 years
Luxembourg	≤ 12 years
Singapore	≤ 12 years
Switzerland	12–13 years
France	14–16 years
Italy	14–16 years
Portugal	14–16 years
Poland	14–16 years
Greece	14–16 years
Türkiye	14–16 years
Mexico	14–16 years
Brazil	14–16 years
Chile	14–16 years
Colombia	14–16 years
Japan	14–16 years
South Korea	14–16 years
China	14–16 years
Hongkong	14–16 years
Taiwan	14–16 years
India	14–16 years
Philippines	14–16 years
Malaysia	14–16 years
Indonesia	14–16 years
Thailand	14–16 years
Vietnam	14–16 years
Israel	14–16 years
United Arab Emirates	14–16 years
Jordan	14–16 years
South Africa	14–16 years
Ghana	14–16 years
Kenya	14–16 years
Nigeria	14–16 years
Spain	≥15/16 years
Finland	≥15/16 years
Sweden	≥15/16 years
Norway	≥15/16 years
Denmark	≥15/16 years
Ireland	≥15/16 years
Canada	no formal selection
USA	no formal selection
Australia	no formal selection
New Zealand	no formal selection
United Kingdom	no formal selection, except for language subjects at age 11

Source: VSLCH and national school authorities

Arguments in favor: For early selection in schools

The VSLCH has criticised early selection in schools. However, not everyone shares this view. First, we will set out the arguments in favour of early selection in schools.

Keep government spending on education low

Originally, the aim of early selection at school was to keep government spending on education as low as possible. In the competition for the scarce places at grammar schools, better-off families had an easier time of it under this system, as they were able to ensure that even less academically gifted children gained entry to grammar school through targeted support for their children and paid tuition.

As a rule, only the exceptionally intelligent children from the lower social classes were able to progress, as they managed to gain entry to grammar school even without paid support.

It was not until the major grammar school reform that the system was somewhat relaxed. As a result, more places were created at grammar schools, and more cantonal schools with grammar school sections were built. This meant that more children from lower social classes were able to attend grammar school, thereby increasing equality of opportunity in education in Switzerland.

Teaching homogeneous performance groups is more effective

One argument in favour of early selection at school is that it allows pupils to be grouped according to specific performance levels, which can then be taught more effectively due to their homogeneity. This is also because, within each performance level, it is easier to cater for the pupils’ needs and abilities.

It’s best to start preparing for grammar school in Year 4!

Arguments against: Against early selection in schools

Those who criticize early selection in schools raise, among other things, the following counter-arguments.

Early selection occurs in the middle of puberty and disadvantages late developers

A strong argument against the early selection of 12- and 13-year-olds at school is that this selection takes place during these pupils’ puberty, i.e. at a time when they are still developing. Such early selection therefore carries a considerable risk of misjudgement, as claimed by the VSLCH, which calls for selection from the age of 15, when the cognitive, emotional and social foundations are more stable.

Puberty is the period during which the most significant hormonal changes in a person’s life take place, affecting both the mind and the body. Furthermore, the skills required for grammar school, such as abstract and analytical thinking, only develop during puberty. For this reason alone, selection in schools should be postponed to the 15 to 17 age group.

Furthermore, every child develops at a different pace. There are also children who mature early and those who mature late, with the latter being systematically disadvantaged in the selection process at the age of 12 to 13.

This is also a constitutional issue. Article 11 of the Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation states:

‘Children and young people are entitled to special protection of their physical and mental integrity and to support for their development.’

It is precisely this constitutional right to support for their development that is denied to children when they are assigned to a specific school stream or secondary school level stream before they have had the opportunity to develop.

Enormous stress for the children

The entrance exam for grammar school in Year 6 puts children under enormous stress, which can have long-term negative consequences. This is particularly true as children should not spend all their free time studying, but should also meet up with friends and pursue their hobbies. However, this is often severely neglected whilst they are preparing for the grammar school entrance exam.

Once assigned, most people remain stuck in that position

Once a pupil has been placed in a particular performance group at secondary school – for example, Secondary School Stream A – they generally remain in that group. Over 80 per cent of pupils do not change from their initial placement, even if their academic performance improves during their time at secondary school.

Many are reluctant, for example, to face the change in social environment that moving to a different class would entail.

A waste of talent leads to a loss of prosperity

Due to early selection in schools, Switzerland loses thousands of talented individuals every year. This results in a subsequent shortage of key skilled workers for the economy, which is particularly damaging in times of skills shortages and leads to a loss of prosperity in Switzerland. Estimates suggest losses amounting to 30 billion Swiss francs per year.

If selection were to take place later, talent could be nurtured for longer. Furthermore, a study has shown that with later selection – or no selection at all – the STEM professions, which are of such interest to the economy, would be pursued 15 per cent more often.

Early selection cemented the hierarchy of society

In the past, the aim of early selection was to keep public spending down, and the scarce places at grammar schools were primarily intended for children from the wealthier classes. Those who could not make it to grammar school on their own received support from their parents and paid private tutors. The other school streams were intended for the less affluent classes. Only very intelligent pupils from the lower classes also managed to get into grammar school, as they didn't require assistance from parents or private tutors.

Within this system, early selection at school thus cemented the hierarchical stratification of society into upper, middle and lower classes – or, respectively, the nobility, the bourgeoisie, and the working and peasant classes. At the same time, the exceptionally intelligent children from the lower classes raised the standard of the average children from the privileged classes, enabling the schools to maintain a high standard nonetheless.

Following the major grammar school reform in 1968, there are now significantly more grammar schools, which has led to a marked increase in the number of children from lower social classes attending grammar school. Furthermore, nowadays it is not only possible to transfer from secondary school to a short-term grammar school, but also to gain entry to a university or the ETH without a grammar school Matura, for example via the vocational Matura and the Passerelle supplementary examination.

So, although there is still an early initial selection process in the 6th year of primary school, this no longer cements the social hierarchy to the same extent as it did before the grammar school reforms of the 1960s and 1970s.

In this context, please read our article ‘Switzerland's dual education system offers opportunities - but not for all’.

Conclusion

Overall, the counter-arguments – that is, the arguments against early selection in schools – carry more weight.

There are already some cantons that are moving in the right direction as far as selection in schools is concerned. In the canton of Valais, for example, primary school is followed by a three-year orientation school for all pupils. A transfer to a grammar school is only possible after the second or third year of the orientation school.

The recently debated abolition of the long-term grammar school in the canton of Zurich was rejected by the Zurich Cantonal Council. However, abolishing the long-term grammar school would mean that selection as to who goes to grammar school and who does not would only take place towards the end of secondary school. Furthermore, secondary education as a whole would be strengthened if high-achieving pupils, who would otherwise have attended the long-term grammar school, were now required to attend secondary school.

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