What can you do when your child's annual 8P average falls half a point short of the threshold for the pre-gymnasial track (VP)? For many families in Vaud, this feels like a failure, as their child is then directed to the general track (VG).
Yet narrowly missing the threshold should not close the door to VP and future university opportunities. École Vinet, a private school in the heart of Lausanne, offers an alternative for parents looking for other options: choosing this track remains possible, despite the missing half-point. Every year, our management board looks carefully at these situations.
Missing VP by Half a Point: The Key Facts
At the end of cycle 2 (8P), the decision on promotion and orientation into the pre-gymnasial track is governed by the Law on Compulsory Education (LEO) and is based on several factors:
- the student's annual average, which takes into account the year's results and the cantonal reference tests (ECR) in French, mathematics and German;
- a minimum number of points required in the main group and the restricted group of subjects;
- half a point can be enough to fall short of this minimum.
For a detailed explanation of how this system works in the canton of Vaud, our page on the pre-gymnasial track sets out the whole official process. Some families choose to challenge the decision by lodging an appeal with the school; the procedure is also explained there.
A Profile École Vinet Knows Well
At Vinet, this situation is nothing unusual. Every year, some of the students who join us in 9VP from public schools arrive with exactly this profile: their 8P annual average fell half a point short of the VP threshold.
This admission option has existed at École Vinet for a long time. It is not a new situation for our teachers, but one we approach with a real understanding of what these families are going through.
How Vinet Assesses These Applications
Admission is not based on a single number. Our management board looks at each application as a whole: report cards from previous years, results for the current year and ECR results, but also the student's profile, their curiosity and the way they approach schoolwork. The aim is to gain a clearer picture of the child's real potential, beyond the missed threshold alone.
The Process, Step by Step
Get in touch
In an initial conversation, the family explains their child's situation and the half-point missing for VP orientation.
Application
The school tells you which documents to provide, including the report card and ECR results.
Meeting with the family and the student
An interview helps us better understand the child's profile and needs, and present the support we offer.
Admission decision
Based on the application and the interview, the school decides on admission to VP.
Confirmation and enrolment
Once admission is confirmed, enrolment is completed according to the terms provided.
Questions about VP admission at École Vinet?
Contact our teamSupport Designed for These Students Once Admitted
Thanks to the specific support we put in place, in line with each family's educational goals, and to small classes and an attentive environment, our teachers have time to explain a concept again and adapt to each student's pace. Students fill their gaps and regain their self-confidence.
Missing the annual average by half a point does not always reflect a child's real potential. Among the students we welcome with this profile, we most often see:
- a lack of study skills rather than a lack of understanding of the subject;
- particular stress during the ECR tests, which affects the result without reflecting their usual level;
- a lack of maturity or organisation, common at this age, which fades with the right support;
- a school year affected by a one-off event (a move, a long absence, a period of fatigue).
Regular Follow-Up with Families
Support does not stop at admission. Regular meetings are held with parents to review their child's progress. If a difficulty persists despite the support in place, the teaching team discusses it directly with the family to adjust the support and prepare the student as well as possible for the rest of their VP education.
A Real Example
Three years ago, a student joined us in 9VP with exactly this profile: half a point short of the threshold in the public system, and a school history affected by dyslexia and spelling difficulties (dysorthographia). Supported throughout her secondary education, she completed a good 10VP and 11VP, before obtaining her certificate in June 2026 and passing the admission exams for the Matura track at the gymnase. One example among many of what a well-supported path, tailored to each student's needs, can achieve.
Questions Parents Often Ask
Does my child have to sit another entrance exam to join VP at École Vinet?
No, admission is not based on a new exam. It relies on a review of the student's school record (report card, ECR results) and on the interview with the family, as described above.
My child did badly in the ECR. Can they still join VP at École Vinet?
This is a common misunderstanding: it is not the ECR alone that determines orientation, but the overall annual average, in which the year's results count for 70% and the ECR for 30%. A weaker ECR result therefore does not automatically rule out access to VP. Whatever the exact reason for the missing half-point, École Vinet looks at each application as a whole.
Is admission possible during the school year?
Yes, mid-year admission is possible.
