Brillantmont holiday camp

The Brillantmont summer course has been running for more than thirty years. It is extremely popular and many students return year after year.

For some, it is their first time away from home; for others, it is a way of getting to know Brillantmont before commencing the school year in September. During the summer course many of excursions and activities include all the students together and this is a very important part of the Brillantmont experience, making friends from all over the world and feeling at home.

The summer course is for boys and girls aged 10-16 and students come from around 30 different countries. They study French or English in the mornings and take sports classes in the afternoons. There are many evening activities and a busy excursion programme at weekends.

Students choose to stay between two to six weeks. The programme is not a fixed block. This means that if a student stays for six weeks, he/she will study something new each week and will join new activities and excursions. All departures and arrivals take place on Saturdays.

We want the summer course students to make progress in their chosen language but we also want them to enjoy themselves and have memorable experiences. The programme is great value for money because there are no hidden extras in the price, everything is included. Only a small amount of pocket money needs to be provided.

Every afternoon, students take sports classes with others of the same age. We try to vary the sports so everyone gets the chance to try lots of different activities and maybe some new ones. Sports may include tennis, basketball, trampolining, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, zumba, running circuits, unihockey Some classes take place on campus; others take place in the surrounding area and by the lake, where if the conditions are suitable, students can enjoy the banana boat, stand-up paddle or windsurfing.

Usually twice a week, the students have a study period in which to do homework. Depending on the programme, this might be before or after dinner. Several evenings per week, an activity is organised, such as a quiz night, basketball tournament, games evening, cinema evening or out of school enjoying ice-skating, bowling or a lakeside walk. Every Friday there is a school barbecue followed by a disco.

Saturdays is the day when students arrive and leave. For those who are staying, we organise an excursion in the Lausanne area or maybe further afield to visit Berne or Geneva. On Sundays, a whole school excursion takes place. In recent years, this has been to glacier walking and rock climbing in Arolla; a moutain tree climbing circuit; caves in Vallorbe; underground salt mines in Bex; Aquaparc water park; a walking adventure hunt, mountain karting in Morgins, a hike to the Moiry dam.

The language classes take place in the mornings from 09h00 to 12h15, with a 15 minute break in the middle. In the first period, the student focuses on grammar and language structure, whereas, in the second period, with a different teacher, the focus is more on communication and oral fluency.

The classes often go out around Lausanne to put their language skills to good use, at the local market, the cathedral, the city centre or an exhibition.

Wednesday afternoons are given over to a class field trip to visit a place of cultural interest, such as the Cailler chocolate factory, the Chillon castle, the Olympic Museum. Normally, a guide leads the students or they join an interactive workshop. They prepare the field trip beforehand in class.

On Fridays, a small test checks the student’s weekly progress. On departure, all students receive a certificate with a grade and a teacher comment and take a full file of work home to show their parents.