Following the success of its special offer last year, KSI Morges is once again offering an Early Bird Discount for any new students, who enrol at the international primary school before the end of April 2018!
Valid for 2018/2019 admissions and not applicable with any other offer*, the discount entitles students to 50% off Registration Fees if they enrol before the deadline. With Registration Fees still standing at Fr. 2,500.-, this is a great incentive for any parent of a child aged between 3 and 12, who is looking for an alternative approach to education that will provide them with the individual attention that their child needs.
Open Days at KSI Morges
If you would like to take a look around the school, School Director, Denise Coates, invites parents to drop in on any Wednesday afternoon, without appointment, between 14h and 15h30. However, appointments can be set up at any time throughout the week, if Wednesdays are not convenient. During the course of the visit, there will be an opportunity to talk to the Director, teachers and students.
Children visiting with their parents will also get a full, interactive experience of what it is like to be a student at KSI Morges, with plenty of opportunity to chat with other children and school staff.
Never one to rest on its laurels, GEMS World Academy Switzerland has been busy putting together a programme of exciting initiatives, events and incentives in 2018 that should appeal to both parents and the general public living in the Etoy region.
Swimming pool and fitness center now open to the public!
One initiative, which is sure to be a huge hit with sports enthusiasts is the opening of the school’s enormous new Pool and Sports Center to the public on Sundays. Between 8h and 12h, adults can now pay a one-off fee of just Fr. 8.- to access the pool and Fr. 15.- for the fitness center or a 10-entry pass for each priced at Fr. 70.- and Fr. 130.- respectively. The student and child rate for 4 to 15 year olds is less at Fr. 5.- for the pool and Fr. 10.- for the fitness center.
Other facilities can also be booked 7 days in advance, with costs ranging from Fr. 30.- for outdoor tennis and basketball courts, up to Fr. 100.- for the gymnastics hall and Fr. 120.- for the outdoor football pitch. Reservations can be made via email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or telephone (021 805 32 43). Click here for more information.
Special offer for knowitall.ch readers includes half price introductory private lesson (more details below).
A new tutoring service has been launched, which is proving popular with both parents and their teenage kids.
Called Optimise You, the service includes English tutoring for Anglophones, as well as UCAS support, career guidance, communication skills and creative writing workshops for teens.
Launched a few months ago by Natalie Adams Perrin, former Head of English at a private international school in Geneva, Optimise You instils a real joy for learning in students that makes them look forward to lessons and come back again…and again!
Asked why she decided to set up her own tutoring service, Natalie told us, “When I left my job, I still had parents contacting me for advice about English, educational choices, and university advice. Nowadays, there are so many choices available to students and it can be overwhelming. It is not just about academic achievement either. We expect students to be excellent all-rounders and this is further highlighted when they have to write their personal statement. I want to be there to take some of the pressure off both the students and the parents to help them achieve their goals.”
Services offered by Optimise You
Natalie offers general guidance on a wide range of educational topics but her services fall into 6 main categories:
- Bespoke English services depending on individual needs (this might be for IGCSE English, IB coursework, homework support, essay writing, etc.)
- 1 to 1 Personal Statement support
- Extended Essay guidance
- Study skills, personal organization and coaching for academic success
- Communication skills and developing EQ (a new service in response to parents asking for further workshops)
- Coaching for success – time management skills, organizational skills, career planning, developing a vision, and transitioning to university are just some of the services that Natalie has offered in the past.
While all teachers in the region were preparing for the new school year, those at the British School of Geneva had an extra reason to look forward to the start of term since, for the first time, BSG welcomed a class of Reception year students. These eager four-year olds occupied the front-row, centre spot at the whole-school assembly on Day 1, and have found their place in the school’s happy and busy environment ever since.
This small group of students is led by teacher Isabella Farrar, as well as a teaching assistant. Miss Farrar told knowitall.ch, “In our first few days, we have been working hard to create an environment in which each child feels safe to explore, ask questions and develop their innate sense of curiosity. I’m thrilled to be teaching our new Reception class, and I’m looking forward to helping my students become confident and independent thinkers.”
Since it opened its doors more than ten years ago, BSG has grown steadily and now counts more than 200 students on roll. It remains the only school in the region that brings the English National Curriculum to children from Primary straight through to A Levels (a pre-university qualification), but despite its student body having such a broad range of ages, it has retained its small-school feel. This year, there are more than 50 nationalities represented in its classrooms, which naturally means that students understand what it means to be “the new kid”, and the importance of a warm welcome. This ethos can make all the difference to a young child just starting school.
It was back to school recently for GEMS World Academy Switzerland (GWAS), an international school for children ages 3 to 18, located in Etoy between Geneva and Lausanne. The growing school is welcoming many new families and teachers, as well as returning students and staff.
One returning teacher in particular is generating a lot of excitement at the school; Melissa Pritchard, a grade 4 Primary teacher at GEMS, is just back from competing in the fifth edition of the Transcontinental Bike Race (TCR), a challenging self-supported bike race across almost 4,000km of Europe. Melissa was the first woman to arrive at the finish this year, completing the race in 13 days, one hour and 29 minutes.
Transcontinental Bike Race (TCR}: http://www.transcontinental.cc
TCR is one of the toughest annual ultra-endurance and ultra-distance cycling races.
#TCRNoS began on Friday 28th of July in Geraardsbergen, Belgium and finished in Meteora Monasteries, Greece. Although each participant was free to plan their own route, they had to pass by the following four checkpoints:
- CPl - Schloss Lichtenstein, Germany
- CP2 - Monte Grappa, Italy
- CP3 - High Tatras Mountains, Slovakia
- CP4 - Transfagarasan Highway, Romania
Although 236 single riders and another 28 paired riders signed up for the challenge, by August 9th, with the effects of heatwave Lucifer, the number of active participants was down to 160 racers. The first place winner, James Hayden, finished in 8 days, 23 hours and 14 minutes.
