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Two of the most popular academic programs for Grade 11/12  students globally are Advanced Levels (A Levels), which are the national examination of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the International Baccalaureate (IB). Most international schools will offer either of these two curricula for 16-18 year olds.

Here at Brillantmont, our students have the choice of an American High School Diploma with SAT / AP or studying for A Levels. But why do we recommend this programme over the IB and what are the main benefits for our students?

"A while ago, we shared our preparations for Geometry Week at Brillantmont International School. It's in full swing and the students continue to be engaged in interesting and exciting new ways of connecting maths to the world around us.  All this week students at Brillantmont are improving their geometry skills and getting to grips with abstract concepts. Every year our mathematics department joins forces with a different department and asks students to consider the links between subjects. This year we are connecting the dots between mathematics and art. Students have been learning about geometry and creating designs using abstract compositions and impossible shapes.

We're always thinking cross-curricular at Brillantmont and trying to find ways to engage the students in Maths by thinking creatively. We are currently in the throes of the "Splat competition", which is a regular annual event for which students can win a prize by completing as much of the booklet as possible. The Brillantmont Splat Challenge 2018

Every year Brillantmont celebrates the written word during Reading Week. Librarian Mrs Robbins and English teacher Mrs Nikyulu , who organised it, are not alone in believing that, even in this digital, fast-paced world, nothing beats turning the printed page.  As the softly falling snowflakes herald the arrival of winter, what could be better than snuggling up with a good book and being transported to another world?

The great thing about studying in a Swiss boarding school in Lausanne means that our students are very close to the design capital of the world -Milan, Italy. A couple of weeks ago, a group of students headed to NABA - the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti where they followed a workshop intended to give students experience of a college level design course. The topic was "You only live once, maybe twice" and was about recycling in design. The workshop was hosted by designer Hagit Pincovici, whose work is very philosophical. After an initial presentation on different types of design, with references to unusual,  original, artists, it was time to get creative.  The participants, who came from several schools,  were asked to  create a character which they could make using various materials available. 

This, the second installment of our exam preparation series, focuses on taking your exams effectively. We sat down with Mr. McClean to get the best tips for what to expect and what to do the day of your exams. Follow these recommendations to get the best scores possible while limiting your stress levels.

Here we are again, exams are coming up fast in all your classes and you start to feel overwhelmed with everything you have to do to prepare. This is totally normal. Even if you have been in school for a long time and do this every year, it can still be challenging to figure out how to prioritise your time, which subjects to tackle first and when to start studying. We are here to help you through this process as best we can. Both the teaching staff and the boarding staff know this is a stressful time of year. In order to get you started, we have put together a series of two blogs to give you some tips for exam preparation. This first blog will focus on early preparation. The following are five helpful tips:

The British, just like the Swiss, have a long and rich history of boarding school education. Centuries of refinement and excellence in both countries have brought forth some of the world’s greatest leaders, scientists, authors and more.