What Is an Alternative School? A Modern Education for the 21st Century

École Koenig is often described as an alternative school, though our approach is alternative only to educational models designed for a world that no longer exists. We offer a structured, research-based, and ambitious education rooted in how children actually learn and designed to prepare them for the realities of the 21st century.

👉 What is an alternative school? Alternative to what?

Alternative to outdated educational models

Traditional schooling was built for an era of predictability, standardization, and memorization. Today’s world demands something different: adaptability, creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to connect knowledge across disciplines.

École Koenig was created as a response to this shift. Our program is not experimental or unstructured; it is forward-looking, intentional, and grounded in scientific research on cognitive development and learning.

What began as a preschool in 2008 grew into a full elementary school because families asked for continuity. Parents wanted their children to remain in an environment where intellectual engagement, curiosity, creativity, and confidence are not optional extras — but central educational goals.

Why arts-integrated learning matters

At École Koenig, children engage daily in music, theatre, and dance as integral components of learning — not as extracurricular activities.

Research in neuroscience and education consistently shows that the arts:

• Strengthen attention and memory

• Support language development and executive function

• Enhance collaboration and emotional regulation

• Increase motivation and long-term retention

Just as importantly, they foster joy, curiosity, and deep engagement — conditions that neuroscience identifies as essential for lasting learning. Arts-integrated education allows children to think deeply, express themselves confidently, and remain actively involved in their own learning.

A structured, research-based school environment

Contrary to common assumptions about alternative education, École Koenig is highly structured. Clear expectations, careful observation, and ongoing assessment guide each child’s academic and personal development.

Our teaching approach combines:

• Strong academic foundations

• Individualized observation and guidance

• High expectations paired with emotional support

We are currently on the path toward IB Early Years Programme (EYP) certification, reflecting our commitment to internationally recognized standards, pedagogical rigor, and continuous improvement.

Preparing children for a changing world

As Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education at the OECD and author of World Class, explains:

“There is no need to memorize content when Google does that for you. What matters is what you can do with what you know.”

Education today must prioritize understanding, critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to apply knowledge in new contexts.

Historian Yuval Noah Harari makes a similar point, arguing that education must prepare children for constant change, uncertainty, and lifelong learning in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

At École Koenig, these ideas directly inform how we teach, structure learning experiences, and support children as thinkers, collaborators, and individuals.

A demanding, joyful, and human education

École Koenig offers a demanding yet joyful education — one that nurtures academic excellence while cultivating flexibility, confidence, creativity, and emotional intelligence.

Our goal is not simply to prepare children for exams, but to equip them with the skills, mindset, and curiosity they will need to thrive in school and beyond, in a world that is still being invented.