Message from Ms Matillon, Director General
Dear Parents,
This week in school has seen the return of our successful first Duke of Edinburgh expedition of the year, that is, the Year 10 Bronze award kayak trip, and final planning for next week’s Year 7 and 8 campout, as well as the Years 12 and 13 Geography glacier fieldwork study at the Mer de Glace in Chamonix. In class, students are definitely fully immersed in their curricula and, in Secondary, have begun their CAT4 testing which will be completed next week. Enjoy the stories and photos below of the highlights of recent days at GES.
How lovely it is for us to have a short week this early into the school year! I have just had the pleasure of speaking to parents picking up their children at our Primary school, and I heard about many exciting long-weekend plans. I look forward to the children recounting their various travels and adventures when I see them again next week.
Have a wonderful Jeûne Genevois weekend, everyone!
All the best,
Christina Matillon
Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition
Our Year 10 adventurers had an amazing time on their kayaking trip in Ardèche last week, successfully completing their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Assessed Expedition!
Travelling by train and bus to Vallon Pont d’Arc, the gateway to the Ardèche Gorges, they launched on their kayaks for a two-day journey down the Ardèche river. Expertly guided by French kayak instructor, Bruno Ferrand, and accompanied by GES teachers Luke Pearce and Victoria Magowan, our expedition-goers made their trip downriver, pausing to take in some spectacular views of the 32km-long nature reserve which features beautiful cliffs inhabited by rare flora and fauna. Reaching their first campsite stop, they enjoyed dipping their feet in the cool river water before cooking their dinner.
On the next day, they continued their journey by kayak down to Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche, navigating both smooth waters and some exhilarating rapids. During the trickier passages, they demonstrated excellent teamwork and leadership skills, encouraging and guiding each other to ensure everyone paddled through safely.
Well done to all our participants and thank you to Mr Pearce and Ms Magowan for accompanying our students on yet another successful expedition!
This week in class
Year 1 enjoyed story time in French this week with the story La Sieste de Moussa, which follows character Moussa’s attempts to fall asleep despite the irritating squeaks of a mouse. As Moussa strives to quieten down the mouse, he finds himself surrounded by more and more animals, each making even more noise than the last. Reflecting on the sounds of the natural world, our young learners brainstormed on the different animals they know and what kinds of noises they make.
In Maths, Year 4 enjoyed using concrete resources to consolidate their place value learning. To progress through each task, students first solved the problem, then had a partner check it, and finally confirmed with an adult before moving on.
They loved working on their tables instead of books to solve and explain their reasoning!
Following on from their workshop with Drama expert Nina Hopley last week, our Year 9 students have been working on their stories for their upcoming performance art production that will tackle various ongoing world issues using drama and art.
Year 10 scientists have been learning about specific heat capacity. They carried out an experiment to measure the different specific heat capacities of different metals by linking the amount of energy transferred to the substance with its rise in temperature. This exercise was a great opportunity to revise some of the concepts learned in previous years, such as independent, dependent and control variables, and how these impact lab experimentation.
Beyond the Classroom
Campaigning for House Captain
This week, our Year 6 students showed great confidence and leadership as they stood before their Houses to deliver speeches for the coveted House Captain roles. Each candidate spoke with enthusiasm and courage, sharing their ideas, qualities, and vision for the year ahead. It was inspiring to see them take on the challenge with such maturity, showcasing not only their public speaking skills but also their commitment to representing, defending and supporting their Houses.
Well done to all the candidates!
Hollywood Science Club
Our Year 6 extra-curricular Science Club members learned all about movie magic this week, or how some special effects are created in films and television. Learning how to use a Bunsen burner safely, they carried out flame tests to make their own magic wands and sparklers, and reflecting on how Science also lies at the heart of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood!
Community News
Open Event for Prospective Families
The first of our school’s Open Events for prospective families is coming up on Monday 22 September.
During these online information sessions, prospective families will hear from our Heads of Section about our school’s academic and pastoral programmes, and the many extra-curricular activities open to students.
Help us get the word out about our wonderful school by sharing the poster of this event with your friends, neighbours, colleagues and networks. The poster can be downloaded here.
Reminder | School Photo Days
Our school photographer will be on site on Monday 22 September (at Primary) and Tuesday 23 September (at Secondary) to take portrait photos and group photos of our students by year group.
Please note that for organisational reasons, we cannot arrange new photo sessions in case of student absences. We, therefore, kindly ask families not to schedule out-of-school appointments for their children during these two days.
Further information about timings and sibling photographs will be sent by email.
Volunteering for the WWF
Over the summer, our Year 12 student, Emily P., volunteered with the WWF Campo di biologia marina at Isola d’Elba, in Italy.
Passionate about shark conservation, Emily hopes to study Marine Biology at university and dedicate herself to protecting the over 80 shark species that live in the Mediterranean (of which only 30 are protected), whose numbers are dwindling because of climate change and poaching.
During her volunteer experience with the WWF, Emily divided her time between research and observation, collecting data to analyse the organisms that populate the seabed of Elba and the ecological processes that shape it. Taking part in numerous snorkeling and sea watching expeditions, she also learned how to observe the marine ecosystem in a safe way for both the scientist and the creatures that live in the water. During one such outing, Emily and her team spotted a seahorse, a very rare species to encounter!
A Conservationist in the Making
Our very own Year 13 student Elen took learning into her own hands this summer, joining the Reserva Playa Tortuga, a research and conservation institute in Costa Rica which works to protect the country’s sea turtles, mammals, reptiles, birds and butterflies.
Working with expert researchers and conservationists, Elen used her knowledge of Biology gained in school to engage in marine research and conservation actions, especially for the protection of sea turtles. Sampling the beaches to collect and identify the various marine species, the conservation team also looked at plastic pollution levels and how these are evolving over time. This was followed up by beach clean-ups and night walks to find and protect turtle nests from poachers and predators. One of the highlights of the trip was watching and taking part in a hatchling release, whereby conservationists and volunteers guided the hatchlings from their nest to the sea using a red torch to avoid them being drawn to the light pollution from the beach.
This trip has given Elen an invaluable practical experience for her studies at GES and beyond. She plans to go on to study Biology at university, either at Exeter, Oxford or Bath.
Faces of GES
Our Faces of GES relaunches this week with a spotlight on Ann-Marie Mendes, Secondary English teacher who joined our school this August.
Having previously worked in the UK for almost 30 years as a teacher, Head of Department and Headteacher, Ann-Marie has a wealth of experience as an English and Drama teacher. Passionate about her subjects, she is dedicated to instilling a love of language and literature in her students.
Since arriving in Geneva in 2018, Ann-Marie has been an active member of the Geneva English Drama Society (GEDS), the Geneva Women’s Book Club and the Bike Club Switzerland. These activities, as well as continuing to learn French and looking after her rescue dog, Maisie, keep her very busy!
Ann-Marie is grateful for how quickly she has settled into GES and is truly touched by the warm welcome she has received from her colleagues, her students and their parents.
Welcome to the GES family, Ann-Marie!
