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INTERNATIONAL

areas, laboratories, art and music rooms;
meeting rooms available to teaching staff etc.

In 2009, the extension of the multilingual
primary school building followed this trend,
and it was complemented in 2021 by the
inauguration of an all-glass library on the roof.
Classes come here to work on interdisciplinary
projects, experiment with listening and group
work.

Is the Centre pédagogique alpin in Leysin
part of this strategy?
Of course. It was built as a year-round venue
for the School’s various camps (sporting, green
or dedicated to International Baccalaureate
creativity, activity, services (CAS) projects) as
well as conferences and training seminars for
our staff and teachers. It was designed as a sort
of elegant and practical mountain hut. of our school, values daily proximity with the Portrait
children and encourages community dynamics. Henri Moser
Custom-built with local raw materials (fir In addition to the extra-luminous main
and Rhône pebbles), the Center enjoys a building, two school restaurants, a gymnasium,
panoramic south-facing view of the Dents sports fields and green spaces for open-air
du Midi mountains. It features vast areas of lessons, sports, arts and science (a hands-on
communal space: a dining room opening onto approach based on the senses, observation and
the terrace, a multi-purpose room opening practical activities) enrich this complex set
onto the 180-degree alpine horizon, and an apart from the urban environment.
eight-meter climbing wall. Two floors of
balconies protected by bay windows also run Will the younger children also participate in
the full width of the plot. Like the light, the immersion learning?
landscape floods into the building. No one really learns a foreign language by
taking a few dedicated courses. Either you
And you’re currently developing a new campus immerse yourself in the country and culture
in Nyon to accommodate students as young as where it originated, or you teach subjects in
first year primary (1P)? that language.
That’s right. The construction work was
launched in 2022. Having outgrown our The opening of the École bilingue (French-
downtown premises, we chose a wooded plot German) in 1990, the inauguration of the
in Signy Park – like a return to the roots of École primaire plurilingue de Genève in 2009,
the original villa and its park on Route de and the introduction of the English-French
Clémenty! It will enable 600 future students bilingual module in 2010 have increased our
to follow a multilingual curriculum from understanding of language learning. Our
1P to the Maturité + IBDP double diploma. students benefit from a heightened appreciation
Inauguration of this magnificent 7,500m2 of cultural references and nuances, enhanced
space is scheduled for September 2024. communication skills, and a greater openness
to the world and to others. In Nyon, gradual
Will the new framework provide a tailor-made immersion in German and English will begin
setting for the School’s pedagogical principles? in Grade 1, with the aim of imitating the
Absolutely. As with our previous facilities natural acquisition process. Children will first
in Geneva and Leysin, we prefer a learning demonstrate their understanding through
environment that preserves the family spirit action and oral expression.

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