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The third term at Brillantmont International School is always a busy one and we often find ourselves wondering where the year has gone! This is the time of year when students are taking official examinations and setting their sights on future plans and goals. The most common exams taken by are students are the British IGCSE and A Levels or the American Advanced Placement exams.

Last month we had a wonderful alumni gathering in Miami, Florida where a number of students who graduated in various decades reconnected with one another and reminisced about their time at boarding school in Switzerland. This event highlighted how our graduates originate from all over the globe and end up engaged in a wide variety of careers on every continent.

What are the ingredients for the best Swiss Boarding School?

Some of the most popular blogs that we publish on this platform highlight the perspectives of parents who have decided to send their children to Swiss boarding school. The beautiful natural setting, excellent reputation for safety and security, world renown private education, and exposure to multiple languages, have brought families to this country for centuries.

Switzerland is linguistically a very diverse country with four official languages - French, German, Italian and Romansch - and English is often the language of business. Because of the small size of the country and the diversity of its population, students studying here get exposure to all of these languages and more. Located in the heart of French-speaking Switzerland, Brillantmont International School is an English-speaking campus, but we offer a number of language classes. We attract students from all over the world who speak many different languages and are curious towards other cultures, which is why we teach not only French, German, Italian, and Spanish and other languages, but also offer an excellent programme for non-native English speaking students.

Switzerland has the ideal environment for all kinds of year-round sports. The mountains and lakes are perfect for summer hiking, climbing, cycling, and swimming and in the winter Switzerland is famous for its skiing, skating and other outdoor snow sports. If you send your child to boarding school in Switzerland these are some of the incredible outdoor activities that await them!

Keeping students and parents in touch with their learning is of course crucial in any school. This happens in a variety of ways throughout the boarding school year depending on what the focus of the time is.  At Brillantmont International School, every four weeks students receive what is called an "Attitude to Learning" report, which grades students on their efforts and achievements, based on clearly defined and published criteria. 

This week we had the opportunity to sit down with our wonderful Maths Co-ordinator, JK Kennedy, to talk about how to engage students in this subject at boarding school and all of the exciting things that he is doing with the Brillantmont Maths programme. Don’t miss his enthusiastic insights and great activity ideas for making maths fun, understandable, and applicable.

Many parents send their children to boarding school in Switzerland, nestled in the centre of Europe, both because of its reputation for safety and security, its fresh air and beautiful landscapes. Safety risk in Switzerland is very low compared to other countries and there is a history of elite families coming here where discretion is highly valued. This tradition also filters down to Swiss boarding schools like Brillantmont where we are used to working with people who seek safety and a good all-round environment for their child. Health and security are therefore prioritised here, and this blog will explore the details of how this is true on our international school campus. 

The extra-curricular activities at boarding school in Switzerland add that essential element of fun to your experience abroad. Switzerland offers incredible natural surroundings ideal for outdoor adventures in all seasons and the rich history of the country makes weekend outings both educational and memorable. Studying at a private institution in a new country gives you the opportunity to explore that part of the world, through the activities and trips that the school organizes for students. Not only is it fun, but it also contributes to the overall development of the individual. This week we sat down with Ginette Tonge, the Activities Co-ordinator and Humanities teacher at Brillantmont.

We have been hearing a lot from students in our blog series this winter, now it is time to hear the parents’ perspective! Why did they choose to send their student to study in Switzerland and how have they seen this benefit their child? These are essential questions to answer for families considering boarding school abroad.