Momizen visits: the people and places behind Zurich's schools
Meet Chris Derrick: The Principal Helping Every Child Thrive at ISZN
Looking for an international school near Zurich that takes children from their earliest years right through to university preparation? The International School of Zurich North (ISZN), based in Wallisellen in the canton of Zurich, is one of the options families in the area weigh up, alongside the same questions every parent asks: local, bilingual or international? Will my child be known as an individual, not just a name on a register? Will the school we choose today still make sense in ten years? We put these questions to Christopher Derrick, who takes over as Principal of ISZN this year.
Just a few minutes from Wallisellen train station, ISZN offers families an international education from infancy through to the end of secondary school, creating the possibility for children to grow within one school community from their earliest educational experiences through to university preparation.
For younger families, that journey begins with a dual-language Early Years programme in German and English for children from Kita through Kindergarten, followed by Primary School. Both stages are grounded in the British curriculum, with learning adapted appropriately to each child’s age and development.
ISZN brings together families with deep roots in Switzerland and those who have moved to the Zurich region from around the world. At the heart of the school are three values – Kindness, Respect and Resilience – and a belief that children learn best when they feel known, supported and appropriately challenged.
Leading that community from the 2026/27 academic year is Christopher Derrick, ISZN’s new Principal.
Chris joined ISZN as Head of Secondary in 2024 and has been closely involved in shaping teaching and learning across the school. His appointment as Principal represents continuity for ISZN, while giving him responsibility for the educational experience of children throughout the school.
“School leadership is a privilege,” says Chris. “My vision for ISZN is steady and clear: to ensure the academic, social and emotional growth of every young person entrusted to our care.”
For parents considering an Early Years or Primary education, that combination of academic ambition, wellbeing and individual development is central to Chris’s vision for the school.
Great learning starts with great relationships
Chris’s own decision to become a teacher was inspired by one of his teachers at school – someone who combined high expectations with humour, encouragement and a genuine commitment to his students.
“It’s amazing the difference one good teacher can make to a child’s future,” he reflects. “Great teachers can be transformational in young people’s lives.”
That experience continues to influence the way Chris thinks about education today. Particularly for younger children, learning begins with relationships. Children need to feel secure enough to ask questions, make mistakes, try something new and discover what they are capable of.
At ISZN, this translates into classrooms where teachers know their pupils well and where Kindness, Respect and Resilience are part of everyday school life.
Chris believes children should be challenged, but also supported to develop confidence in themselves as learners.
“Great lessons help students love learning,” he says. “Students should feel safe to explore new ideas, embrace challenges, take risks and learn from mistakes.”
For parents choosing an Early Years or Primary School education, this balance can be particularly important. The foundations children establish during these years – curiosity, confidence, independence, communication and a positive attitude towards learning – influence far more than their next report card.
Strong foundations for the years ahead
One perspective Chris brings to his role as Principal is an understanding of the complete educational journey.
ISZN’s British curriculum pathway is designed to build progressively from the earliest years. In Early Years, children develop the foundations of literacy and numeracy alongside learning through play, exploration and interaction. In Primary, these foundations are extended through increasingly rigorous learning across the curriculum, while children continue to develop confidence, curiosity, independence and strong learning habits.
These early foundations prepare students for the next stages of their education at ISZN, including IGCSEs and the school’s A-Level programme, providing a clear academic pathway towards universities in Switzerland and internationally.
Having previously led ISZN’s Secondary School, Chris knows the qualities children will ultimately need as they move into increasingly independent learning: the ability to think critically, communicate confidently, work with others, respond positively to challenge and take responsibility for their own learning.
But that does not mean rushing younger children towards secondary education. Instead, Chris sees the Early Years and Primary years as the time to establish the knowledge, skills and learning habits that allow children to flourish later.
ISZN has developed a shared approach to High-Quality Learning and Teaching across the school, creating consistency in what excellent learning should look and feel like while ensuring that teaching remains appropriate to each child’s age and stage of development.
For families, this offers continuity. A child can begin in ISZN’s bilingual Early Years environment, progress into Primary and, if the family chooses, continue through the school as their needs and ambitions evolve.
Supporting the individual child
One of the principles Chris consistently returns to is that high-quality education combines ambition with responsiveness to the individual learner.
ISZN’s approach encourages teachers to provide the right combination of support and challenge. Children are encouraged to contribute ideas, ask questions and become active participants in their learning rather than simply receiving information.
In the Primary School, this means developing communication, creativity, confidence and social and emotional skills alongside the fundaments of literacy, history, geography, mathematics and science.
In the Early Years, learning takes place in both German and English, with young children developing language naturally through play, stories, exploration and everyday interaction.
For an international school community, individuality also encompasses the individual language, culture and experience.
ISZN welcomes families who have lived in the Zurich region for many years alongside those who have recently arrived from elsewhere in Switzerland or around the world. Chris sees this diversity as one of the school’s strengths.
“Our students may not always realise it, because it is their norm, but global citizenship runs through our curriculum and ethos,” he explains.
For young children entering a new school – particularly after an international move – that sense of belonging can be especially important. Chris has been struck by how quickly new pupils become part of the ISZN community and credits both staff and children with creating an environment in which newcomers are welcomed and included.
Parents as partners
Choosing a school when a child is young also means choosing the community around them.
Chris believes strongly that education works best when families and schools work together. For parents, that means having a relationship with the school that extends beyond formal reports or parent conferences.
Understanding how a child is progressing, how they learn and how school and home can support one another creates greater consistency for the child. Creating a community in which parents feel involved has therefore been an important theme throughout Chris’s career.
He describes himself as a believer in “teamwork and in the progress that comes from consistently doing the basics very well” – an approach that applies just as much to communication, relationships and wellbeing as it does to academics.
Preparing children for a changing world
The children starting school today will grow up in a world that is changing rapidly. Technology will continue to evolve, international mobility is increasingly part of family life and children will need more than knowledge alone to navigate the future successfully.
Chris believes schools need to embrace innovation thoughtfully. Digital skills matter, but so do deeply human qualities: curiosity, creativity, judgement, communication and the ability to develop positive relationships with others. Developing learners who are critical thinks is even more important in this digital age.
His vision is therefore deliberately holistic.
Academic achievement is important, but it sits alongside wellbeing, sport, the arts, technology and the experiences that help children discover their interests and develop as people.
Ultimately, his measure of success is straightforward.
“If our students leave ISZN with strong academic skills while living out our core values of Kindness, Respect and Resilience, we have succeeded.”
Visiting or applying to ISZN
ISZN is located at Industriestrasse 50, 8304 Wallisellen, in the canton of Zurich, a few minutes' walk from Wallisellen train station. Families can book an open day or private visit, review the school's admissions process, or reach the admissions team directly at [email protected] or +41 44 830 70 00. General questions can also go through the school's contact page.
For families making those important first educational choices, that perhaps best summarises the philosophy Chris brings to ISZN: give children strong foundations, know and support them as individuals, inspire them to enjoy learning – and help them grow into confident young people ready for whatever comes next.
