St George's School in Switzerland (STGEO)

St. George's School in Switzerland is a British-style international school for boys and girls. The founders of St. George's wanted the school to reflect the following ideals: sound learning, an appreciation of beauty, and the promotion of peace through international good will. The school still adheres to this philosophy today.

The school aims to enable each pupil to achieve his/her full academic potential, and to provide a stable, secure environment in which pupils are encouraged and guided to exercise initiative and creativity, and develop physical fitness. The stimulation of intellectual curiosity is also regarded as vital, as is the provision of that wider education which will help a pupil to acquire the personal balance of self-awareness and confidence, thereby preparing and fitting him or her for the opportunities and challenges of adult life.

Small teaching groups, much individual attention with regard to academic programmes and careers advice, structured pastoral care, the provision of a wide range of sports, clubs and other extra-curricular activities, all these are intended to foster the above. It is to be hoped that the strikingly beautiful setting of the school, and its motto, 'Levavi oculos' - "I lift my eyes" , will surely inspire some awareness and appreciation of beauty even in the most insensitive. St. George's aims to provide an atmosphere which will stimulate and encourage aesthetic appreciation. Cultural activities within the school as well as visits to museums, places of natural beauty, concerts, dance and theatre trips are organised to facilitate this.

The school endeavours to promote knowledge, understanding and tolerance of and respect for other cultures, beliefs and lifestyles. Indeed it is difficult for students to avoid learning mutual understanding and the acceptance of differences while living as they do in such a close-knit community, comprising over 40 nationalities.

Mission

Founded in 1927 as a British School, St. George's School in Switzerland aims to combine its well-structured, traditional ethos with academic excellence in an international environment.

Enjoying a safe location, our whole school community endeavours to foster mutual respect and understanding whilst cultivating individual talents and potential.

As stated in our motto, 'Levavi Oculos', St. George's School encourages students to lift their eyes and recognise positive qualities within themselves and others and to nurture a caring and dynamic attitude in today's demanding world.

Philosophy & Objectives

Our School Philosophy and Objectives can be summarised in the following simple diagram:

Who we are...

St. George's School in Switzerland is a small school providing a complete educational programme in English for children aged 3 to 19.

We uphold traditional values and maintain high moral standards for students of all nationalities in a safe and spectacular French-speaking region of Switzerland.

Our aims...

• To provide a caring, supportive and nurturing environment
• To respect and value each student's individuality and ability
• To challenge, stimulate and encourage students to pursue goals
• To enable the development of physical, social and affective potentials
• To promote awareness of our multilingual society reflected in the breadth of the curriculum offered
• To foster intellectual curiosity and develop a desire for learning
• To empower confidence and critical thinking
• To reinforce social responsibility and a concern for and appreciation of others
• To equip students both academically and socially for progression to universities and other institutions of further learning and the world beyond
• We aim to play a role, together with the family and other organisations, in fostering praiseworthy attitudes, lasting values, and desirable behaviour in order to develop in students a sense of responsibility towards school, family, local and global contexts

Our methods...

• We provide a structure of sport, academic and pastoral support within the school through the House and Tutor system
• We have established a discipline structure which gives stability and reinforces positive and praise-worthy attitudes with our Prefects and Monitors as role models
• We work closely with parents in order to foster strategies to assist, help and advise students
• We acknowledge different learning styles and offer effective assessment to identify and develop students' qualities
• We monitor students and provide assistance for those who require support in their learning
• We encourage involvement in all aspects of school life and provide opportunities for students to contribute to the local community
• We continually revise the co-curricular programme so that it reflects the students' interests and allows them to develop initiatives whilst maintaining a balance between academics, sports, creative activities and community service
• We promote knowledge, understanding, acceptance and respect for other cultures, beliefs and lifestyles
• We endeavour to provide appropriate facilities and materials for effective learning to take place
• We recruit and retain an internationally minded faculty and staff of the highest quality and encourage their continued professional development