Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil

Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil
Une École pour la Vie, A School for Life
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	1880[1]
Authorizer	NEASC, IBO, CIS, & ECIS
Director	Jerome De Meyer
Headmaster	Philippe Rochat
Staff	120[2]
Faculty	90[2]
Enrollment	~180[3]
Color(s)	blue, gold, black
Nickname	Beau Soleil
Affiliations	Secular
Information	([phone]
Website	www.beau-soleil.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 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.

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.
• 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

Tuition costs 130,000 francs per year, not including insurance, taxes, residence permit, stationary, expeditions, extra-currricular activities and the custom-fit tailored School uniform. This makes the school the most expensive in the world. Second is the Institute Le Rosey, which cost 94,000 francs per year, including insurance and taxes. Its fees also place it in a higher position to Aiglon College, also located in Villars-sur-Ollon, which is the third most expensive school in the world. Scholarship funding is not available - no Scholars.

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.

Expeditions

Beau Soleil is very well known for its expeditions. There are numerous expeditions each year. Every year, the whole school climbs 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.

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
• Prince Félix of Luxembourg
• Prince Louis of Luxembourg
• Prince Muhammad bin Talal of Jordan
• Princess Marie of Denmark

See also

• List of international schools
• List of most expensive schools

References

1. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". 2007. http://www.beau-soleil.ch. Retrieved 2007-07-26. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Essential Character". 2007. 
3. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1/7401162c-6690-11dc-a218-0000779fd2ac,dwp_uuid=eeb79658-6054-11dc-8ec0-0000779fd2ac.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
4. ^ The new Villeneuve: the life of Jacques Villeneuve, Bloomsbury Publishing, 1998 By Timothy Collings, page 79

External links

• Beau Soleil official site