Issue: 5 - Friday 1st October 2021 - Geneva English School

Message from the Head

Dear Parents,

I hope you have had a good week. On Wednesday, our teaching staff – comprised of teachers and learning assistants – had the first of six after school INSET sessions with a focus on feedback. Our Secondary Deputy Head, Mrs Peart, took us through a great presentation about feedback and marking and then we looked at books of each other’s students, identifying areas of good practice. Educational research shows that one of the best ways of helping children of all ages to improve is through concise and targeted feedback that the students then act upon. At GES Secondary, we ask the students to redraft work in a purple pen so it is easy to see how they have acted on the guidance from their teachers. We are going to extend this into KS2 so students review their work in a purple pen as opposed to the green pen they currently use. In EYFS and KS1, staff are skilled at giving individual feedback that students can act upon, this could be verbally or through Tapestry. It was a great experience to have teachers working across Primary and Secondary together, sharing best practice. One of the strengths of being an all-through school (for ages 3-18) is sharing this professional learning which impacts work in the classroom across all year groups and ultimately the academic success of all our children.

Today is also the start of Black History Month. Students across the school will be learning about Black scholars, role models and black history. This will be through lessons, projects and activities as well as assemblies across Primary and Secondary. I look forward to sharing what we have been doing over the next two weeks before half term.

To all of our Primary parents we are so sorry for the delays and traffic you have been experiencing on pick up and drop off due to the roadworks in the local area. We had no idea there was going to be a traffic warden until you did, but hopefully the parents badge that was shared via Class Reps will have made things a little easier for you.

With the start of October, many of you will also be looking forward to the upcoming winter season. We have put together an exciting Ski programme for this winter. You can find all the details in an overview below – which will allow you to save important dates already now. We certainly hope to see many of your children on the slopes at some point over the winter.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Matt Williams
Head

From the Sport & PE Department

Netball & Football workshops - Saturday 9 October

We are delighted to invite students from KS1 right up to Y9 to our new GES Football and Netball workshops happening on Saturday 9 October.

These are an excellent opportunity for our students to try a new sport or develop new skills in a discipline they already like, and have fun with their friends.

All abilities are welcome.

Sessions/Timings details can be found under My School Portal, under Sport & Extra-Curricular.

If you would like your child to attend please complete this Google form by Wednesday 6 October in order to register your child’s place.

We are looking forward to another great sporty day!

Ski Programme & Ski Camps - 2-7 January 2022

We are delighted to announce that we will be running GES Ski Camps (Years 6 and Y7-9) this winter. All levels of skiing are welcome.

The camps will both run from Sun, 2 January to Fri, 7 January 2022 (eg. the last week of the Christmas holiday) in La Tzoumaz, Switzerland.

Both groups will be in the same chalet and depending on ski abilities also ski together. However, the two camps will be individualised around suitable, age-appropriate evening activities, incl age-appropriate behaviour rules, etc.

The programme will end for both groups with a ski competition including a BBQ on the slopes and a prize-giving.

The price for both ski camps will be CHF 950.

There will be a total of 50 spaces available for both camps and these will be assigned on a first come first served basis.

Registration is now open via My School Portal, under Sport & Extra-curricular. In order to secure a place, please sign up by Friday 8 Oct 2021.

In addition to the ski camp, we have organised an exciting Ski programme for our students this winter! Here is an overview of the Ski activities and events offered, so you can save the dates.

Further details will be sent out closer to the respective events.

For any questions, please contact Ms Shibil at [email protected].

Holiday camps - Registration open

Performing Arts: Years 5, 6 & 7

Mrs Humphreys, Ms Scott and Mrs Crucerey are delighted to offer a Performing Arts camp during this October half-term break.

The camp is designed for students in Years 5, 6 & 7, and will take place at the Primary campus in Genthod from 18 – 22 October (09:00 – 16:00).

Children will engage in exciting performing arts activities and learn and perform Sleeping Beauty – The Ugly Truth, a musical with a funny twist on the popular fairy tale. A performance will take place on the final day in front of parents.

Sign up via My School Portal, under Holiday Camps.

CrossFit: Years 5 to 10

Another half-term CrossFit camp with FITSPro is equally open for registration now – please click here.

The camp is designed for students between 10-15 years old and will take place at the Primary campus in Genthod from 18 – 22 October.

Activities will include street workout & gymnastics, running & conditioning as well as a wide range of water activities and swimming in the lake (with wetsuits provided).

The camp is also open to external students, so your son or daughter is very welcome to encourage their friends from outside GES to participate as well.

CHF 330 for half days (9.00 – 12:30)
CHF 640 for full days (9.00 – 17.00)

From the teachers

Y7 Team-building day - by Mrs Marett, Head of KS3

Y7 had an amazing team-building day yesterday at Signal de Bougy!

Under the sun and overlooking Mont Blanc, the students participated in accrobranche climbing and ziplining, volleyball, mini-golf, and enjoyed a picnic. The pictures in the gallery below should give you a great sense for the fabulous day we had.

We were really impressed by how they conquered their fears and really encouraged and supported each other. Well done all!

European Languages Week - by the MFL team

Pour célébrer la Journée Européenne des Langues, les enfants ont visionné de courtes vidéos des membres du personnel parlant différentes langues, le but étant de deviner la langue et la signification du message enregistré.

Grâce à leur vaste connaissance des langues, soit pratiquées à la maison, soit apprises à l’école, les étudiants de tous les âges ont pu trouver des similarités dans chaque langue, et deviner la traduction. Cours de Mandarin, Russe, et Latin, quiz, et même karaoké ont été organisés.

Il reste encore quelques langues à deviner avant lundi – nous invitons les parents à jeter un oeil aux vidéos ce week-end!

Message from the Head

From the Sport & PE Department

Netball & Football workshops - Saturday 9 October

Ski Programme & Ski Camps - 2-7 January 2022

Holiday camps - Registration open

Performing Arts: Years 5, 6 & 7

CrossFit: Years 5 to 10

From the teachers

Y7 Team-building day - by Mrs Marett, Head of KS3

European Languages Week - by the MFL team

What is happening next week?

What's on social media?

Message from the Head

From the Sport & PE Department

Netball & Football workshops - Saturday 9 October

Ski Programme & Ski Camps - 2-7 January 2022

Holiday camps - Registration open

Performing Arts: Years 5, 6 & 7

CrossFit: Years 5 to 10

From the teachers

Y7 Team-building day - by Mrs Marett, Head of KS3

European Languages Week - by the MFL team

What is happening next week?

What's on social media?

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