College Beau Soleil

College Beau Soleil is a co-educational boarding school in which children from 11 to 18 years old study. In total, the school has about 200 students who are students on a full board basis.

Beau Soleil is located in the south-eastern part of French-speaking Switzerland, in the canton of Vaud, located at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level with a magnificent panorama to the south and a view of the Rhone Valley. Silhouettes of Mont Blanc, du Midi and the French Alps stand out on the horizon. It is no coincidence that Beau Soleil was built precisely in Villars-sur-Ollon - all year around this corner is bathed in sunshine. Lake Geneva, located nearby, softens the mountain climate, makes it softer, without sudden changes in temperature, and the Alps in the north protect from cold winds.

College Beau Soleil is an international school, one of the oldest in Switzerland. It leads its history since 1910. This year, the first group of students entered the threshold of the school. Her founder, Madame Blute, fulfilled the dream of creating a school where children will not only replenish their knowledge, but also learn to live in such a way that their life is full of joy and meaning.

Each year, college Beau Soleil graduates enter the leading universities of the world: Richmond College London, Keel University, Oxford Brookes University, European Business School, University of Denver, George Washington University, Boston University, La Sorbonne Paris, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne and others.

DIRECTOR (stand 2023)

Stuart White.

FAMOUS SCHOOL GRADUATES

• Charlotte Gainsbourg, singer and actress, winner of the Cannes Film Festival, winner of the Cesar (films "Science of Sleep", "21 grams", "Jane Eyre", "Melancholy")
• Jacques Villeneuve, race car driver
• Jean-Daniel Detwiler, skier, Olympic winner and World Cup winner
• Princess of Denmark Mary
• Guillaume, Crown Grand Duke of Luxembourg
• Prince of Luxembourg Louis
• Prince of Luxembourg Felix
• Claire Lademacher, bride of Prince Felix of Luxembourg

KEY FACTORS

• The school is part of the association of prestigious international schools Nord Anglia Education, which unites 42 schools around the world.
• Beau Soleil strives to give its students a complete education: intellectual, physical, emotional and social, so that students become full-fledged and successful personalities and can make their dreams come true.
• The school’s philosophy is designed to teach students to be responsible for their actions, show respect for others, set high goals and do everything in their power to achieve results.
• Small classes ensure that each student is involved in the learning process and allows teachers to give individual attention to each student.
• At College Beau Soleil, students can pursue a high level of research in preparation for university enrolment.
• We visited this school and are familiar with the principal.

EQUIPMENT

The school has a gym, an outdoor heated pool, a soccer field, tennis courts and volleyball and basketball courts. Students live in separate houses. The boarding house has the character of a large family, where older children take care of the younger ones and help them adapt more quickly. Such a “family” atmosphere helps foreign students quickly get used to the new environment and make friends.

PROGRAM

The school recognizes that there are no two students with the same experience, abilities and interests in a particular field. And therefore, the school curriculum offers a wide range of opportunities for each student: they can combine scientific, physical, creative, social or humanitarian studies, this allows our students to develop most harmoniously and comprehensively.

The College Beau Soleil curriculum has been formed over the years on the basis of accumulated experience and a thorough study of the changing nature of education. The training is conducted in English or French, the curriculum combines academic subjects up to the university level and includes classes in art, music, theater, sports and individual development.

French branch

Children learn fully in French all the time they are in school.

The training is conducted by professional teachers who have completed their training in France and Switzerland. The program is aimed at comprehensive preparation for passing the official French exams: Brevet Diploma and French Baccalaureate. The curriculum of the French department meets the requirements of the French Ministry of Education. In the last year of study, students are divided into three subject groups: economics and social sciences (EL), literature (L) and science block (S).

International branch

Children learn fully in English. Inspiring teachers develop in student’s activity and interest in learning, and also strive to develop in each child his best qualities and abilities.

In grades 9-10, students are preparing for the IGCSE (International Certificate of General Secondary Education) exam, and in grades 11-12 they are preparing for the IB (International Baccalaureate) exam.

The training is conducted by professional teachers who are constantly improving their qualifications in courses and seminars organized by the University of Nord Anglia. Teachers help students choose the right university and prepare for admission. In high school, special attention is paid to developing self-study skills.

ACCOMMODATION

Students live in rooms of two or four in the school residence, where they are under round-the-clock supervision, surrounded by caring school staff.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

The keynote of the curriculum at College Beau Soleil is “balance”: a harmonious balance between research, physical activity, creativity, and leisure.

EXCLUSIVE EVENTS

In their free time, students take music lessons (piano class, guitar lessons, singing, playing percussion instruments), do art (draw with pencil, paints, sculpt and photograph), take part in school theater productions (every year 7 different plays, often musical).

Particular attention is paid to sports: in summer and winter, almost all classes are held outdoors. Students cross-country skiing, snowboarding, skiing, playing soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, swimming and athletics, and proudly represent College Beau Soleil in interscholastic competitions. The school is known for its fascinating hikes and travels. In December 2005, in honour of the 95th anniversary of College Beau Soleil, a school expedition climbed the summit of Kilimanjaro.

COST, 2023-2024

CHF 122,380 per year.

Included in cost

• Education
• Accommodation and meals

Extra paid

• Registration fee - CHF 3,000
• Uniform package - CHF 6,250
• Deposit - CHF 15,000
• Add. expenses (sports, expeditions, activities)
• Flight
• Transfers to / from the airport
• Visa
• Services of the company "Paradise"

SERVICES OF THE EDUCATIONAL COMPANY INCLUDE:

• Selection of 5-6 schools that best meet the individual characteristics of the child, further goals, talents, with the desired environment. Help in the correct interpretation of school ratings, an explanation of why the school occupies one place or another. Help in obtaining reliable information about schools that are not included in the ratings, with an explanation of the reasons for non-participation in it.
• Admission to 1-3 schools, selected from the proposed. Which includes the preparation of the necessary documents, school reports, characteristics, recommendations. Selection and submission of tests to prepare the student for exam testing, assistance in preparing essays. Preparation for an interview with the teacher / principal, registration for the exam. The necessary list of recommendations when attending school for passing entrance examinations. Correspondence with the school (not all schools enter into correspondence with foreign parents, treat them with caution, trust only a trusted agent).
• Assistance in paying registration fees, deposits, bills. Clarification of school rules, including disciplinary and legal aspects.
• Filling out the required medical forms.

Student supervision during the first month of training is provided as a gift: assistance in resolving issues related to resettlement, billing, informing parents about the child’s health status, assistance with understanding of academic programs, organization of ext. classes for the child in a particular subject, help in choosing the program most suitable for the child, transfer to another class, etc.

IMPRESSIONS OF A SCHOOL VISIT

This is a small, solid, very comfortable school, the number of children in which is only 240 people, all of them are in a boarding school. Superiority in national composition is held by the CIS countries, Japan, Europeans. Only about 30 different nations.

It’s still difficult for Russians to get in, because once they enter Beau Soleil, the guys are unlikely to leave it without waiting for the treasured ceremony of throwing their hats in the air, as a result there are no places for new children (strict observance of the quota for each nationality) Strongly recommend admission 2 years before the start date of studies. In my opinion, the location of the school bribes in the first place - far from the city, children do not aspire anywhere, there are no temptations ... Just the desire to study and study in the heart of the Swiss Alps.

Views are just a fairy tale. The terrace where children can eat is almost in the clouds. Good living conditions in the residence: mostly in two, the older ones are sometimes housed in single rooms. The pension is very compact, very comfortable. Beautiful dining room. Good laboratories and classroom equipment. Very inspired academic director.

For lunch, we were invited prefects (the best high school students). This was the embodiment of what all parents want their children to see: guys from Angola, Japan and Mexico. The school adopted a "relative" uniform - pullovers with a school logo + skirts, trousers, strict jeans (except Monday, when all the guys put on a full uniform). Thus, children have a little freedom for expression - discreet jewellery, bracelets, shoes. But all the children looked very dignified and decent as one!

The guys were very confident, with a sense of humour, well-set and competent English, they represented the school with dignity. All of them were in the second year of the IB program, choosing such advanced students among world universities as the Imperial College of London (ICL), the London School of Economics (LSOE), the University of Warwick (Warwick), etc. Self-confidence and self-presentation of these guys suggests that, most likely, they will achieve their goals, no matter how high they may be.