S U RVA L N E W S Winter 2021 Celebrating Excellence in Girls' Education for over 55 years www.surval.ch “This term’s success is thanks to a whole School effort, with everyone rising to challenges, showing aspiration, tenacity and compassion in all endeavours. Our girls have appreciated the Surval Experience more than ever” Welcome from The Principal It’s been a very, very positive term – one of the most memorable Winter Terms in my time here, with the best snow conditions ever! And thankfully in Switzerland, we have been able to capitalise on that. I have even seized the opportunity myself to take up skiing – it’s never too late to give new things a whirl. The girls subsequently told me “we’re so proud of you Mrs Woodhouse” - which meant the world! Simple words can mean so much, and the care we show for others defines our Surval family. As with all our new starters this year, physically being True to form, we have not closed over the Easter at school has made a huge difference to so many. break, Surval has proven a much-loved comfortable Girls have loved being able to enjoy their special family home for those unable to return home and Swiss setting, the live lessons in classrooms, and those having to arrive in Switzerland early to be ready our lively and vibrant community, living together for the start of term. I hosted lunch at my Chalet on with their friends. They have loved being able to get Easter Sunday for the Boarding House Residents; it out and about, travelling within Switzerland safely, was a joy, with roast spring lamb, fun Easter Egg Hunt adhering to all the measures; enjoying freedom they and glorious sunshine. simply haven’t had at home this last year, or in some cases ever! Recruitment for the new academic year has never been stronger; I have been kept busy with visits, virtual Continuing on the back of last term’s excellent Cognia tours, zoom meetings, online workshops and fairs. It Accreditation review, we have forged ahead with is a pleasure to share the Surval story and to see so our Teaching and Learning, developing girls’ critical much interest in our exceptional school. Similarly, thinking skills and ability to articulate and evaluate. we have been busy strengthening our Survalienne I have really enjoyed my ‘fly on the wall’ visits to a (alumni) links; I’ve really enjoyed connecting with number of lessons and have been deeply impressed Survaliennes, spanning from right back to when to see the girls so engaged, taking ownership and Surval first opened its doors in 1962 up to today. leading their own learning, displaying superior debating, problem solving and presentation skills. There is so much to look forward to in the Spring Term ahead, culminating in our We have all made the most of every possible Graduation and Prizegiving Celebrations which opportunity. Being creative in our approach, we have launch our big anniversary, “Surval at Sixty”… been able to continue with charity work, extend We cannot wait to share the festivities with you! our languages and delve into culture, with new experiences even on the pistes; we have enjoyed our best ever Ski Week in Anzere, with the added thrills of snowmobiling and our torchlight ski descent. I would like to pay tribute to the remarkable Surval community; our exceptional cohort of girls and dedicated staff team. This term’s success is thanks to a whole School effort, with everyone rising to challenges, Mrs Patricia Woodhouse showing aspiration, tenacity and compassion in all Principal endeavours. Our girls have appreciated the Surval Experience more than ever, being so grateful for all that they have been able to do here. 2 Winter 2021 Winter 2021 3 The Art Room has become a den of tranquility and creativity, Jigsaws! while the warmer weather Vicky (FY, England) has brought the pleasures of rollerblading by the lake, walking in the countryside and activities on the balconies and terraces. Baking Mrs Woodhouse’s Chalet Soirées Ana Paula (Grade 11, Mexico); Mariana (Swiss Gap, Mexico), Katie (Grade 12, Ireland) Vicky (FY, England), are always cherished moments; Seeteh (Grade 10, Saudi Arabia) the girls love the comfort and cosiness of these intimate Hiking at Haut de Caux evenings. The spoil of the Building snowmen Seeteh (Grade 10, Saudi Arabia) Vicky (FY, England) takeout food choices, with sushi Surval Life and Asian cuisine being firm favourites, is an added bonus! Update from Our Boarding Team Sledging “We continue to be Mariana (Swiss Gap, Mexico) The start of term saw us welcoming four new girls to Surval, who settled in well thanks to their impressed with the Tobogganing ‘buddies’ and orientation trips to Montreux and camaraderie between the Martina & Leah (Swiss Gap, USA) Vevey. For those who had to quarantine on arrival, girls; their determination online games and chats kept everyone upbeat and connected. to overcome and help their friends overcome With the snow, came the snowball fights and snowman building, and so much fun and laughter! any obstacle; and their The girls’ love of cooking and baking inspired willingness to try new our Surval Cookbook initiative (currently work in skills. While skiing, charity progress) and they delighted in learning to make fresh ravioli-style pasta with delicious tomato events and the masterclasses sauce all from scratch! epitomise some of this term’s physical achievements, it is Weekend outings have included independent ski trips to various resorts, including Leysin and the one-to-one conversations Rochers de Naye, and small groups visiting Gstaad, which reveal our community Library chill out Geneva, Chillon, the chocolate factory at Broc and Seeteh (Grade 10, Saudi Arabia) of individual, curious, a very chilly trip to Bern. Aisheeya (Grade 11, India) intrigued, enlightened Amongst the birthdays celebrated this term were young women.” Regina’s (Grade 9, Mexico) Quinceañera (Big Mrs Wilkinson 15th Birthday!) for which the Dining Room was Head of Boarding decorated and a tipple of Montreux pink fizz shared to commemorate the day, and Faith’s (Swiss Gap, Snow fun Regina's Quinceañera Katie (Grade 12, Ireland) Botswana) 20th with a fabulous cake for all to enjoy on return from the slopes. Valentine’s weekend also brought on a lot of cheerful baking ready for Katie (Grade 12, Ireland) our Valentine’s Fundraiser. Husky Sledging In addition to Ski Thursdays, there’s been so much Ice Skating joy here in our Swiss Winter Wonderland with Ski Surval-style, we created new fun Faith (Swiss Gap, Botswana) Week, husky sledging-come-hiking, ice skating, on our day out husky sledging Pancakes sledging, tobogganing - Winter Term at Surval at in February! Our sunny Sunday Seeteh (Grade 10, Saudi Arabia) really is a snow-lover’s dream! During downtime, proved too hot for the dogs to girls have enjoyed yoga, online HIIT workouts, pull sledges, so we delighted developing dance routines and fitness programmes in a Husky Trek Adventure in our fabulous Dance Studio, jewellery making, à pied, rewarding us with jigsaws and film evenings, as well as game enchanting Swiss snowscapes playing: Uno and Monopoly have really tested our and a full leg work out…. Highly ‘fair play’ skills. recommended! 4 Winter 2021 Winter 2021 5 Teaching and Learning Vice-Principal Mr Smale gives an overview of Up for Debate academic developments this term. Debate is good for the soul. It is Our Teaching and Learning approach is something we take great pride exciting, invigorating and wonderfully in at Surval. With last year’s lockdown shifting learning to online, we Swiss Gap Debaters managed to maximise the learning experience across time zones and insightful. It provides an opportunity to Ana Maria (Dominican Republic), continents and created something really special. However, following discuss, consider, evolve and develop Martina (USA), Mariana (Mexico) three months of Surval Education being online, we have all returned this academic year very excited to resume face-to-face lessons. The your own line of thinking. opportunity to debate and discuss, to question and consider, to think and challenge has been much appreciated this year. It also provides the opportunity to carry out It has been a pleasure to see their improvement, research, think on your feet and to actively listen. to see their confidence grow and I have no doubt Whilst such skills are incredibly attractive to that many of our girls will continue to debate at the Last term, our focus was to This term we have built on Flipped Learning and universities and future employers, debate also helps highest level for years to come. develop our approach to focused on critical thinking skills and the ability to open the minds of those involved, allowing them Flipped Learning which enables to ask questions, work collaboratively and be to see others’ perspectives. This is so important students to study, consider empowered independently; critical life skills as in a world divided by politics, misunderstandings “Before coming to Surval I had and understand a topic and well as heightening girls’ future prospects. Debate and opinion. content in advance of each has been launched as a separate, timetabled never participated or learned about lesson. This leads to higher subject giving all girls the opportunity to develop Introducing Debate on the Surval timetable has debate, so I decided that it would be level conversations, fascinating their reasoning skills, respond to challenge and been an exciting initiative. We are surrounded a good opportunity to take part in questions and time to process to structure, evidence and deliver their points of by bright, curious, intelligent and determined and think through subject view.