World Academy Switzerland
A school built around your child.
International school Ecole internationale
WELCOME Thank you for taking the time to find out more about GEMS World Academy Switzerland. This prospectus will hopefully give you a flavour of what makes our school, our teachers and our facilities so very special.
However, words and pictures can only give you half the story. Every student and parent I have spoken to has told me that the best way - the only way, in fact - to really appreciate what makes us special is to come and visit us.
You’ll be able to read more about the GEMS difference for both students and parents here, but my own personal philosophy is simple: I believe in educating the whole child. My personal vision is to give young people the tools and confidence to follow their passions and at the same time contribute to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.
So whether you come to one of our Open House Days, one of our special Introduction Days (during which children can enjoy a ‘student’s eye view’ of life here) or simply contact us to arrange your own, personal visit, you will always be welcome. And once you’ve felt the energy of the school, seen the quality of our state-of-the-art facilities and met the families and teachers who make it such a warm and vibrant place in which to work and learn, I truly hope you’ll come and join us.
And thanks to our very special approach, with the way we teach the International Baccalaureate® at its heart, I believe we are able to do just that.
I look forward to meeting you! Catherine McKeever P.S. If you’d like to know more, please visit www.GemsWorldAcademy-Switzerland.com or call +41 (0) 21 964 18 18.
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WHY WE’RE UNIQUE From our foundation in 2013, GEMS World Academy Switzerland has always set out to offer parents and families something different. Something special. We are part of a family-run, globally-recognised network of international schools with a heritage of more than 55 years of academic excellence. We combine that educational heritage with some of the best contemporary facilities of any school in the region with our outstanding state-of-the-art Sports Centre (with two swimming pools, gym, dance studio and climbing wall), our TV and radio studios, Music Academy and our World Language Learning Centre (WLLC). In keeping with our commitment to putting families right at the heart of our school, many of those facilities (including our Sports Centre, gym and Language Centre) are available for use by parents, including joining your children for lunch in our restaurant.
“WE ARE THE ONLY SCHOOL BETWEEN GENEVA AND LAUSANNE TO TEACH ALL THREE PROGRAMMES OF THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE” That difference also extends to our curriculum. We are the only school between Geneva and Lausanne that teaches all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes; less than 10% of IB World Schools offer all three. The IB approach doesn’t just give students a greater likelihood of University success, it also helps them become more confident, independent and internationallyminded. Add to that our unique focus on student wellbeing (overseen by the school’s own Director of Wellbeing) and you can be confident that we are just as concerned with your children’s emotional development and happiness as their academic achievement. You can find much more information about GEMS, our school and the IB throughout this prospectus, but if you’d like to talk to us in person, or arrange a visit, please don’t hesitate to call + 41 (0) 21 964 18 18.
GEMS WORLD ACADEMY SWITZERLAND
LAUSANNE LAKE GENEVA
GENEVA 7
YOUR CHILD’S WELLBEING IS AT THE HEART OF IT ALL While we are obviously committed to ensuring our students succeed academically, we are just as concerned about making sure every child who comes here feels happy, confident and supported on their academic journey. That’s why our Director of Student Wellbeing leads a team of caring professionals including a Nurse, Counsellors, and a Specific Learning Needs Coordinator, who provide for the overall wellbeing of all of our students from Pre-K to Grade 12. Together, this team ensures that the moral, physical and learning development of each student is on track and well supported. To do this, our Wellbeing Team is developing and implementing an original skills-based approach to Wellbeing based on the three pillars of Mindfulness (personal), Nonviolent Communication (relational), and Restorative Justice (communal). These three tools all have strong individual records of evidence-based success in improving school culture and student learning around the world. We are excited to be innovators in integrating these three programs into a comprehensive toolkit for wellbeing. If you’d like to find out more about our approach to Student Wellbeing, please get in touch and we will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
“THEY ARE DEVELOPING A GREAT SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND SELF ESTEEM, AN ATTITUDE “THEY ARE DEVELOPING A GREAT SENSE OF THEY WILL ENJOY THE RESTANOF THEIR LIVES. RESPONSIBILITY ANDFOR SELF-ESTEEM, ATTITUDE THEY WE WISHED WE THE HADREST CHANGED FEW WE YEARS WILL ENJOY FOR OF THEIRALIVES. WISH WE HAD CHANGED A FEW YEARS BEFORE.” BEFORE.” CURRENT YEAR X PARENT. Annie R., parent
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A DIFFERENT WAY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING Since our foundation in 2013 we’ve been the only school in the area that offers all three programmes of the International Baccalaureate (the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme.) If you are familiar with the benefits of the IB programme, you’ll know the incredible difference it can make, not just to a child’s academic or University success, but to their whole outlook and approach to the world. If you are new to the IB however, it’s as much about teaching students how to learn as it is in telling them what to learn. Through its ‘inquiry-based’ approach, students become more open-minded, more analytical and more independent and confident in their approach to learning. Not to mention encouraging them to see patterns and connections between different ideas and subjects.
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“IT GIVES THEM AN INCREDIBLE ADVANTAGE IN TODAY’S EVER-CHANGING WORLD.” The focus of the IB on academic rigour and extensive extra-curricular enrichment creates a challenging programme for highly motivated students. The emphasis on flexibility, on being creative and being open to change gives them the advantage in their preparation for University and their ongoing careers.
“GEMS STUDENTS CURRENTLY ATTEND 12 OF THE TOP 15 UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD, INCLUDING MIT, YALE, STANFORD, OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE.” Add to that the outstanding quality of all our teaching staff - many of whom are IB examiners themselves - and you can see why GEMS students currently attend twelve of the top fifteen Universities in the world. So all in all, not only are our IB students more likely to enrol at top universities, we believe they end their time at GEMS more adaptable, more tolerant and more understanding of their place in the world than they would through other educational approaches.
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HELPING CHILDREN DISCOVER THEIR CREATIVITY If you’ve read about how our International Baccalaureate programmes challenge children to take a more creative, inquisitive approach to work and life, you’ll know how much we encourage students to look for connections between ideas and between subjects. That’s particularly true in our approach to teaching subjects like art, music and drama. For example, while our art lessons often involve paper, paint and ink, we are just as likely to bring technology into the classes. Not only do students enjoy using different media to give them a richer, wider, more dynamic canvas on which they can express themselves and display their pieces, it also encourages them to become more openminded in how they approach solving problems. And just as importantly, we know that whether you are giving a musical performance, reciting a poem or even trying out a new foreign language, you are not just pushing your boundaries within that individual subject. You are learning the skills of confidence, public speaking and presenting that can stay with you for a lifetime - and help you in your University life or career.
“My main worry about GEMS was having a 5-star facility and not having the 5-star staff to go with it. But I was wrong. The staff is amazing.� Anna B., parent
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BRINGING TECHNOLOGY TO LIFE If you are a parent, you’ll know that technology is already an ever-present part of children’s lives. At GEMS, we’ve created a cutting-edge environment that supports and complements their academic development. From our world-class creative spaces, including our recording and TV studios, to the interactive screens in each classroom, we’ve created an environment that children are inspired by, can learn from and in which they can enjoy expressing themselves in a safe and secure way. What’s more, because from Grade 3 upwards, each student keeps an online blog that records key projects in their learning journey, you’ll be able to enjoy it with them - and they’ll leave school with their own digital portfolio. It also encourages one of our key Core Values, Leading Through Innovation, where students inquire how to create and make technology rather than just consume it. Come for a visit and we’ll be able to show you our MakerSpaces. Here you’ll find tinker stations, as well as creativity and design in action. Discover interactive installations and projects that combine 2D and 3D fabrication with code and electronics, bringing ideas to life through the design cycle. So whether or not your child chooses to follow a scientific career, all of our students leave GEMS with a high level of technological and scientific literacy, together with the enquiring, inquisitive and evidence-based skills to make decisions.
HELPING EVERYONE LEARN THE LANGUAGES THEY NEED Whether you are moving to Switzerland from overseas or you are a Swiss resident, you’ll know that speaking another language means much more than just being able to get along in a different country or with different nationalities. It can open so many other doors too. That’s why as well as teaching languages within the IB Curriculum, our World Language Learning Centre (WLLC) is open to both students and their families as well as the wider community. Located on our campus in Etoy, the WLLC gives parents and children the chance to enjoy after-school, Wednesday afternoon or evening language classes (and exams) in eleven languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and Mandarin. For students learning through our unique theatre approach, it’s a great chance to add to the languages they’ll learn at GEMS - not to mention improving their confidence maintaining a mother-tongue language not taught in class-time or for travel abroad. For parents, it’s the perfect opportunity to learn a new language for business or pleasure and make new friends within our school community. We look forward to welcoming you! For more information about the WLLC, either call + 41 (0) 21 964 18 18, email language_gwe@gemsedu.com or go to our website: www.GemsWorldAcademy-Switzerland.com/WLLC 15
OUR FULL LIST OF SUBJECTS Teaching all three programmes of the International Baccalaureate not only ensures our students enjoy a broad grounding across all the major study areas, it also means that as they progress through the school, they can focus on the subject areas which interest them the most and which will best prepare them for their University education.
PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME (PYP) Taught between the ages of 3 and 11, the Primary Years Programme is transdisciplinary in nature and focuses on the development of the whole student in the classroom and in the world outside. The Programme consists of the following subjects: MATHEMATICS: • Number, Pattern and Function, Shape and Space, Data Handling. LANGUAGES: • English: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, Viewing and Presenting. • French: four hours a week as a Mother Tongue or second language. SOCIAL STUDIES AND SCIENCE (integrated into units of inquiry) PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND PERSONAL EDUCATION ARTS
MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME (MYP) Taught between the ages of 11 and 16, the interdisciplinary Middle Years Programme includes: LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE: • English and French (for fluent speakers). • Language Acquisition: English, French, Spanish or German in Grades 6-9; in Grade 10, two or three language choices depending on Science choices. SCIENCES: • Combined sciences in Grades 6-8. Biology, Physics and Chemistry in Grade 9. Students choose one or two individual sciences in Grade 10.
SUBJECTS* INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETIES: • Integrated Humanities with increasing emphasis on Geography, History and Economics in Grades 9 and 10. PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION in Grades 6-10. MATHEMATICS: • Grades 6-10. Extended Mathematics also offered in Grades 9 and 10. DESIGN: • Integrated Design in Grades 6-8. • Choice of Design or Arts in Grades 9 and 10. ARTS: • Drama, Music and Visual Arts in Grades 6-8. Choice of Visual Arts, Performing Arts or Design in Grades 9 and 10. WELLBEING is included in daily Homeroom periods.
DIPLOMA PROGRAMME (DP) Taught between the ages of 16 and 18, the DP is a demanding, two-year curriculum that unlocks students’ full academic potential and leads to a diploma that’s prized by the world’s most prestigious universities. Students study six subjects, three at higher level and three at standard level, giving them both in-depth knowledge of interesting and difficult concepts whilst ensuring that they are exposed to a broad and balanced curriculum. They’ll study one subject from each of the first five groups and an extra subject from either Group 6 or one of the first five groups.
GROUP 1 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE • English Literature • Spanish Literature • French Language and Literature GROUP 2 LANGUAGE ACQUISITION • Beginner’s French • Beginner’s Spanish • Beginner’s Mandarin • French • English • Spanish • German
GROUP 4 EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES • Biology • Physics • Chemistry • Sports, Health and Exercise Science GROUP 5 MATHEMATICS • Maths Studies • Maths Standard Level • Maths Higher Level GROUP 6 THE ARTS • Visual Arts • Music • Film Studies
GROUP 3 INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETIES • Geography • History • Economics • Psychology • Information Tech in a Global Society
Currently run | Run online | Will run in Sep 2018 In addition to the choice of six subjects, the Diploma Programme goes a step beyond other post-16 qualifications worldwide by placing equal emphasis on developing the students as critical thinkers who respect themselves, the people around them and the world in which they live. So students study a range of interconnected modules, including International Mindedness, Theory of Knowledge (TOK), a 4000-word Extended Essay and the Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) component. * New course choices are made available based on student demand.
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OUTSTANDING SPORTS FACILITIES FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES Our state-of-the-art Sports Centre includes: • • • • •
Two indoor pools Multi-sports hall with viewing area Fitness studio Climbing wall Dance studio
Our campus also features: • International standard athletics track • Large all weather grass playing area with full size football pitch • MUGA (Multiple Use Games Area) These facilities are open to parents as well as students. In fact, many of our parents enjoy a yoga or exercise class after school drop-off and haven’t needed to join a local gym - choosing to use ours instead along with other parents. And of course, in addition to the facilities on our campus, we have the beautiful Swiss countryside on our doorstep, giving students and their families the chance to ski, hike, sail and enjoy Lac Leman and the surrounding mountains.
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A WORLD CLASS ENVIRONMENT TO HELP CHILDREN THRIVE
As a GEMS World Academy, we are one of only five schools within GEMS’ top tier of schools worldwide - and as such, we are able to offer students some of the best facilities of any school in Switzerland. An environment in which they can learn, grow and thrive. The technology focus at GEMS enables students to create inspiring digital experiences and a record of their time here that they can share with you, as well as their classmates. Our state-of-the-art TV and radio studios, managed by a dedicated professional technical support team, don’t just enable them to have fun creating audio and visual records of projects on which they’re working, they also help boost lifelong skills like organisation, confidence and public speaking, alongside technical and production capabilities. The food technology lab encourages budding chefs not just to stretch their creative culinary skills but also to research recipes, and source and cost ingredients. Most often, the food made here is sold to raise money for charity. And should students need some quiet time or want to expand their literary horizons, our beautiful, bright library is the perfect environment to nurture a lifelong love of books, even in this digital age.
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EXPANDING THEIR HORIZONS WITH TRIPS AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
GEMS students don’t stop learning and having fun once the lessons stop. We have a wide range of enriching clubs and extra-curricular activities students can enjoy all year round, helping them further longheld interests or learn new skills. From the creative and performing arts to subject extensions and sporting activities, our clubs and activities are designed to build our students’ aspirations, give them valuable, transferable skills and - most importantly - help them make new friends and have fun. Here’s just a taste of some of the activities students can enjoy at GEMS World Academy Switzerland: • Digital Photography • Basketball • Badminton • Track ‘n Field • Climbing • Athletics • Maths Club • Swimming • Dance • Football • Yoga • Judo • Tennis • Sailing • Performing Arts • Pottery Club • Gardening Club • Book Club • Cooking Club • Radio Club • Coding • Choir 23
PUTTING PARENTS AT THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY Moving to a new school (and sometimes a new country) can be a disruption for the whole family. Which is why we do everything we can to ensure parents are as much a part of the school community as our students. At GEMS, parents are welcome to use our outstanding sports facilities or learn a new language in our World Language Learning Centre. You are also just as welcome to stay on for a coffee (or a yoga class) after dropping your children off in the morning. We have a friendly, active Parent Group that organises regular social activities and always welcomes new members. All of which means whether you are moving from the other side of the world or changing schools locally, you’ll have a ready-made community of parents and new friends to welcome you. And because we think parents should have access to the Head of School and teaching staff, you are always welcome to contact the school and talk to any member of the teaching team about your child’s progress.
“I LIKE THE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES ON OFFER TO PARENTS – E.G. EXERCISE CLASSES, SOCIAL EVENTS, PARENT-RUN FRENCH AND GERMAN CONVERSATION GROUPS, ACCESS TO THE GYM AND SWIMMING POOL.” Moyette G., parent
HELPING OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD We are keen that our students develop a social conscience by helping them take part in charitable activities both in the local community and the wider world. Locally that includes working with L’Esperance centre for disabled children and adults in Etoy village, reading with Kindergarten children and working with l’Oasis des Vétérans for abandoned animals. But above and beyond that, we are also proud to support the Varkey Foundation, our chosen charitable partner in projects including: • • • • • • • • •
Training teachers in Uganda Building the capacity of teachers in Kenya and Lesotho to teach science, technology and mathematics to girls and women Educating students in Ghana via its first interactive distance-learning project Rebuilding a school in the Kenyan slum of Kibera Providing clean water in 25 Tanzanian schools with Dubai Cares and Oxfam Establishing ten low cost science centres in India with Pratham Rebuilding ten schools in Pakistan with Dubai Cares and Oxfam Providing school meals to improve access to education in India Supporting the UNICEF Schools for Asia programme in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, India, Nepal and Vietnam
We believe that by taking part in these projects, our students develop a better understanding of global development issues and the impact they can have in our world. In fact, our hope is that for every child enrolled at a GEMS school, we’ll change the lives of 100 underprivileged children for the better. To find out more about our work with local charities, please get in touch. Or to see how the Varkey Foundation changes lives through education, visit VarkeyFoundation.org +41 (0)21 964 18 18 | www.GemsWorldAcademy-Switzerland.com 25
WILL YOU JOIN US FOR LUNCH? When you come and visit us, we’ll be happy to give you a tour of the GEMS campus and all of our facilities. If feedback from previous visitors is anything to go by, our restaurant is sure to be a highlight. Run by Eldora, our chef and his team consistently deliver a healthy, balanced and varied seasonal menu. Students taking lunch in school can enjoy a salad bar, a choice between two balanced hot main courses including a vegetarian option, bread and a selection of desserts, as well as the chance to buy snacks during school breaks. We are a nut-free facility and can cater to students with other allergies and food intolerances. What’s more, because we think lunch should be a time for our whole school community to come together, we invite parents, grandparents and carers to join their children in our restaurant. (And yes, the food is delicious, by the way.)
“ALL THE CHILDREN ARE FRIENDLY AND THE RESTAURANT HAS THE BEST FOOD.” Carrie B., parent
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PERFECTLY POSITIONED Within easy commuting distance from both Geneva and Lausanne, GEMS World Academy Switzerland has excellent access to road and rail networks. Etoy station is just 200 metres from the school gates and with a carefully planned, large and efficient drop‑off area, you’ll find the school run surprisingly stress-free. If students want to cycle to school, they can leave bikes in our covered, secure bicycle shelter. We also offer, based on demand, a comprehensive student minibus service which currently operates at arrival and departure times and covers a radius of 25km from Etoy, reaching Nyon and Lausanne. And should you ever need to drop children off early or pick them up outside normal school hours, our extended care runs from 7.30 to 18.00 and includes breakfast in the mornings. Please contact us to discuss how we can help you with your family’s travel and extended care arrangements +41 (0) 21 964 18 18
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COME AND VISIT We think what we are able to offer students and their families at GEMS is something very special. It’s something that families have told us they only really understood once they’ve visited us themselves. So because we know it can be difficult to fit a school visit into your schedule, we’ve made it as easy as possible to come and see us. As well as having special Open House Days, when you can meet the Head of School, staff and current parents and take a tour of the school and Sports Centre, you are equally welcome to visit us at any other time from Monday to Friday, 8h00 to 17h00. Take a look at our website to find out about our next Open House Days. Or if you’d like to arrange a personal visit, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to arrange a tour at a time that suits you. If you’d like to get an even better feel for what it’s like to come here, we offer the opportunity for your child to be a GEMS student for a day. Not only will they get to meet their potential teachers, they’ll also find out about the kind of lessons they’d have, try out our facilities for themselves and make friends with some of our students. There’s no better way to find out what coming to GEMS would be like - and of the students who’ve come for an Introduction Day, most have gone on to enrol at the school. For more information about visiting the school, please call +41 (0) 21 964 18 18 or email registrar_gwe@gemsedu.com
“WHEN WE CAME FOR THE TOUR IT CEMENTED OUR DECISION.” Carrie B., parent
OUR ADMISSIONS PROCESS & SCHOLARSHIPS GEMS World Academy Switzerland welcomes students and families from all over the world, every background and at every stage of their education. Some admissions processes can be longwinded and complicated, so we’ve designed ours to be as simple, straightforward and informative as possible - and to ensure that it places as little pressure as possible on you and your child in particular. We also want to make sure that gifted children have the chance to enjoy a GEMS education, regardless of their background. Which is why we offer a full merit-based scholarship programme, covering a reduction in tuition fees from 10% to up to 100%. Whether it’s the arts, music, sports, or an academic subject in which your child has a particular talent, we’d be delighted to nurture their potential and provide them with the ongoing support and training they need to flourish. To start your enrolment process, or if you have any questions whatsoever about any aspect of the school, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll be happy to help. Telephone: +41 (0) 21 964 18 18 Email: registrar_gwe@gemsedu.com Address: La Tuilière 18, 1163 Etoy, Switzerland
“WE HAD INTERVIEWS IN THREE OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE DEDICATION THAT WE RECEIVED AT GEMS WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WE CHOSE THE SCHOOL.” Gustavo S., parent
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