Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil

Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil

"At Beau Soleil, we are of the conviction that a student confronting failure must assume full responsibility and not look for excuses. Students are encouraged to learn and grow from the experience. The real failure is not in slipping, but in failing to pick oneself up."
Location
Collège Alpin Beau Soleil, avenue centrale, 1884 Villars-sur-Ollon, Suisse Vilars-Sur-Ollon, Canton of Rhone, Switzerland
Information
Type	Private, International boarding school
Established	1910^[1]
Authorizer	NEASC, IBO, CIS, & ECIS
Director	Jerome De Meyer
Headmaster	Derek Lineham
Staff	120^[2]
Faculty	90^[2]
Enrollment	~180^[3]
Color(s)	blue, gold, black
Nickname	Beau Soleil
Tuition	CHF 90,000 (per annum)
Affiliations	Secular
Information	(+41) 24 496 26 26
Website	beau-soleil.ch beausoleil.ch

Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil is a private international school founded in 1910 and located in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland. Beau Soleil is the most expensive school in the world. It is also one of the oldest boarding schools in Switzerland. Today the student body numbers about 180 students from more than 50 different nationalities, The school was originally known as Institution Beau Soleil.

1 History
2 Curriculum
3 Tuition
4 Sports
5 Expeditions
6 Orphanages
7 Accreditations
8 Notable alumni
9 See also
10 References
11 External links

History

September 1910: Founding of the school in a châlet in Gstaad under the direction of Mme Bluette Ferrier Terrier.
1920: Move of the school to Villars-sur-Ollon.
1958: Pierre de Meyer became the second director. He adopts the name of his wife as his was that of a commoner. Following a hunting accident in the eighties (he shot himself in the foot) the school is run by Mr Ian Lawson who was a former headmaster in Gordonstoun (Scotland) and was also the tutor of Charles, Andrew and Edward of England .
1991: Jérôme de Meyer became the third director.
15 December 2005: Ninety students, alumni and teachers unfurled the flag of Beau Soleil on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro (at 5895 metres the highest peak in Africa). This was a world first. Never had such a large group attempted such a climb.
June 2010: Celebration of the 100th year will be taken. New building will be finished.

Curriculum

The average class size is 4 students per class.

Beau Soleil currently offers two distinct curricula, French and international, the latter being offered in English language (with the exception of foreign language instruction).

The French Section goes from classe de Sixième to Terminale. It prepares students for the official exams of Brevet des collèges at the end of classe de Troisième and for the Baccalauréat général in literature (L), economics and social sciences (ES) and science (S) at the end of classe Terminale. The curriculum conforms to the programs established by the French Education Nationale. The French Baccalauréat gives students entrance to all French universities.
The International Section goes from 7th grade to 12th grade. It prepares students for the IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) exam at the end of 10th grade and the International Baccalaureate or American High School Diploma at the end of 12th grade. The International Baccalaureat permits access to all universities, and the High School Diploma to American universities.

In the past, when the school was smaller, instruction began at the kindergarten level.

Tuition

Beau Soleil is the most expensive school on the planet. Tuition costs around 130,000 francs per year, not including insurance, taxes, residence permit, stationary, expeditions, extra-currricular activities and the custom-fit tailored School uniform.

Sports

Beau Soleil offers a wide range of sports, including: Football (Soccer), Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Equestrianism, Rugby union, cross-country running, Mountainbiking, Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Golf, Sailing, Rowing, Competitive swimming, and Water skiing during the spring and autumn terms. During the winter term, sports options are Skiing, Snowboarding, Ice-hockey, Curling, Snowshoeing, and Sledding. Everyone is obliged to ski at least 4 times a week.

Expeditions

Beau Soleil is world renowned for its expeditions. There are numerous expeditions each year. Every year, many students climb up the Kilimanjaro. Beau Soleil hold the worldrecord for climbing the Kilimanjaro with the biggest group. There are trips ranging from New Zealand, Japan & China to America, Antarctica & Chile.

Orphanages

Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil owns numerous orphanages including some in Madagascar and in India. The school regularly visits these orphanages as part of humanitarian expeditions.

Accreditations

The school is accredited by three international bodies:
- Council of International Schools (CIS)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
- International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO)

The school also belongs to l'Association vaudoise des écoles privées (AVDEP) and the Fédération suisse des écoles privées (FSEP).

Notable alumni

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Anglo-French actress and singer ^[4]
Jacques Villeneuve - motorist
Jean-Daniel Dätwyler, Swiss Olympic and World Cup skier

References

^ "Beau Soleil". 2007. http://www.beau-soleil.ch. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
^ ^a ^b "Essential Character". 2007.
^ "Financial Times". http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1/7401162c-6690-11dc-a218-0000779fd2ac,dwp_uuid=eeb79658-6054-11dc-8ec0-0000779fd2ac.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
^ The new Villeneuve: the life of Jacques Villeneuve, Bloomsbury Publishing, 1998 By Timothy Collings, page 79