Verbier International School

VIS is a school with bright ideas and ambition. Its educational philosophy accepts that each student is different and we seek to build adventure into the classroom or ski slope while preparing our students for life in an international and multicultural world. Our guiding principles are kindness, courage, teamwork, family, and curiosity. These inform all our student and staff relationships and actions.

VIS is located in the heart of the beautiful village of Verbier. The school is based in two different buildings: Chalet Mascotte and Chalet Orny. The school was founded in 2011 and has grown progressively without losing its family ethos and focus on outdoor education. The school is distinct in that it offers year-round education but also welcomes students and families exclusively for the Winter term. VIS also offers boarding throughout the year, a Winter term experience, as well as weekly and flexiboarding.

Success in public examinations is a significant but not overwhelming focus of our academic curriculum which extends from bilingual opportunities for our youngest students, Forest School experiences and a commitment to a stimulating After School Activity programme. Teachers and students are encouraged to take risks in the classroom and to be as creative as possible in pedagogy and learning.

VIS includes Preschool in its educational provision. The ground floor of Chalet Mascotte is a welcoming, stimulating and caring environment for our youngest children. The Preschool offers a bilingual (French/English) programme with the emphasis on learning through play and outdoor activities. The children go on small, local expeditions together.

VIS Primary students develop a love of learning through a strong foundational core programme. Children learn through experiential and playful classes with caring and dedicated teachers. There is a strong emphasis on the concept of inclusion and family.

From a gentle, supportive entry in Year 7 to IGCSEs in Year 11, VIS Secondary students are grounded in a thorough preparation for success in exams, while also encouraging students to strive for excellence beyond the classroom.

The VIS Secondary School offers a balanced curriculum that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and open-mindedness to the cultures and beliefs of others. VIS prepares students for the Cambridge IGCSEs in Years 10 and 11. Years 7-9 follow the Cambridge Lower Secondary Curriculum, which provides students a solid foundation for their future studies.

At VIS we value the insights and potential experiences that different languages offer.  As we are located in a French speaking environment we promote French as a mother tongue or second language. In the Primary School, French is an obligatory course. In the Secondary School students can study up to 6 lessons per week of French and we encourage French IGCSE to be taken when the student is ready for the exam. We also emphasise trilingualism and encourage one studied language to be a mother tongue. For example, a Swedish student could learn most of the curriculum in English and study Swedish and German if suitable.

Experiences beyond the classroom are an essential part of life at VIS. Daily after school activities foster creativity, resilience and skill development. These include mountain biking, theatre productions, yoga, videography, service opportunities,  chess, woodwork, choir, cooking, drama, cross stitch, dance and arts and crafts.

We use our incredible natural environment to good effect through the weekend programme for boarders, the PE curriculum and other the sporting activities that one can enjoy in a truly exceptional alpine resort.

Skiing is an integral part of our sports offering during the winter season, with comprehensive skiing programmes, which provide opportunities for all levels to progress their skiing.

Students ski at least twice a week as part of their school week from January to April in the biggest and possibly most beautiful ski area in Switzerland. All our ski programmes are run in conjunction with the Ecole Suisse de Ski Verbier and every ski group is accompanied and coached by a qualified professional ESSV ski teacher. This ensures safety is prioritised for all students.

Secondary School students can opt into an Improvement and Enjoyment section as well as  Race, Freeride and Combi Academies.

As an international school, VIS looks to foster a global awareness amongst its students. We do this through promotion of the diversity and similarities between our different nationalities to enable students to gainfully respect and understand different cultures. We actively seek opportunities to use our location in central Europe to visit Switzerland and other countries.