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The International School of Sion has now been authorized as a Cambridge school.

Our school is a Cambridge International School, registered with Cambridge Assessment International Education, part of the University of Cambridge. Our programmes inspire students to love learning, helping them discover new abilities and a wider world.

Cambridge International School
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Welcome to the International School of Sion

International School of Sion > Welcome to the International School of Sion

Situation

Situated in an idyllic environment, The International School of Sion provides students with a magnificent, quiet and secure location in the heart of the Canton of Valais, one of the most beautiful regions of Switzerland.

The campus is a coeducational day and boarding school at the foot of the Swiss Alps. Our students benefit from a safe and pastoral environment to develop healthy and balanced study habits. We profoundly believe that students’ emotional and physical well-being is one of the keys to success.

Sion is a vibrant city offering many cultural opportunities alongside infinite possibilities for outdoor activities.

Our campus welcomes students aged between 14-18 years old and from all nationalities and backgrounds. Driven by the recognition of the importance of global mindedness, we provide an outstanding international education. Students are supported by a team of inspired and experienced educators who nurture, accompany and help them achieve their best. The school was founded by a team of experienced professionals of education and it is supported by an educational philosophy that recognises the importance of inquirybased education. We wish to help our students become reflective active members of local, national and global communities.

Educational philosophy

ISSion aims to prepare students for successful higher academic studies. It recognises the values of an international education and combines a challenging programme with opportunities to develop personal and interpersonal skills. It encourages curiosity in every aspect of life and cherishes the potential of each and every student with benevolence and compassion.

  1. Students should strongly feel that they belong to the school. They should make their school their own and have a feeling of ownership in every aspect. If students understand that their school is what they make of it, they will become responsible and want it to be successful. Thus, students should be in charge of the school environment, some of the learning and most of the extra-curricular activities.
  2. Students and the pedagogical team will be given every opportunity to be in contact and collaborate. Education is only truly possible when students have access to the pedagogical team and when the pedagogical team has access to students on a regular basis.
  3. Collaboration is a key factor and technology should be used in that way and made effective. Students should have easy access to technology and opportunities to share and collaborate should be made easier through its prism. This proved to be even more importance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. All in all, technology is necessary and unavoidable. It should therefore be made meaningful in the daily implementation of teaching and learning
  4. Making mistakes should be recognized as a chance to improve and evolve and not as a sanction. In any aspect, students and the pedagogical team have the right to be wrong and to make mistakes. What is important is that those mistakes must be acknowledged, understood, and when possible corrected. Mistakes are part of the learning process.
  5. Benevolence must be the attitude in every aspect of education.
  6. Pedagogy should be inquiry-based and the environment in the school should provide students with all opportunities to do so.
  7. International education is necessarily transdisciplinary and cross-cultural. This will be reflected throughout the pedagogy and throughout the environment. This is the reason why collaboration is crucial. This is also the reason why equal importance will be given to the culture of the host country and to the specific culture of the students.
  8. Students should not fear education but see it as a positive space, where mistakes are tolerated, but where healthy study habits are also necessary. Assessments which are often the focal point of this anxiety will be dealt with in a way that allows students to show their potential and to work on their areas of improvement.
  9. Literacy is still key. In a digital environment where everything is online and nothing needs to be “remembered” anymore, it is important to emphasise reading and literacy.
  10. In a world where information flows and changes almost instantaneously, it is primordial to remember to give ourselves time to learn.
  1. Students should strongly feel as if they belong to the school. They should make their school their own and have a feeling of ownership in every aspect. If students understand that their school is what they make of it, they will become responsible and want it to be successful. Thus, students should be in charge of the school environment, some of the learning and most of the extra-curricular activities.
  2. Students and the pedagogical team should be given every opportunity to be in contact and collaborate. Education is only possible when students have access to the pedagogical team and when the pedagogical team has access to students on a regular basis.
  3. Collaboration is key and technology should be used in that way and made efficient. Students should have easy access to technology and opportunities to share and collaborate should be made easier through its prism. This has proven to take even more importance throughout the COVID-19 situation. All in all, technology is necessary and unavoidable but it should be made meaningful in everyday practice of teaching and learning
  4. Making mistakes should be recognized as a way to improve and evolve and not as a sanction. In any aspect, students and the pedagogical team have the right to be wrong and to make mistakes. What is important is that those mistakes should be acknowledged, understood, and when possible corrected. Mistakes are part of the learning process.
  5. Benevolence must be the attitude in every aspect of education.
  6. Pedagogy should be inquiry-based and the environment of the school should provide students with all opportunities to do so.
  7. International education is necessarily transdisciplinary and cross-cultural. This should be reflected throughout the pedagogy and throughout the environment. This is the reason why collaboration is crucial. This is also the reason why equal importance should be given to the culture of the host country and to the individual culture of the students.
  8. Students should not fear education but see it as a positive space, where mistakes are tolerated, but where healthy study habits are also necessary. Assessments which are often the focal point of this anxiety should be dealt with in a way that allows students to show their potential and to work on their areas of improvement.
  9. Literacy is still key. In a digital environment where everything is online and nothing needs to be “remembered” anymore, it is important to emphasise reading and literacy.
  10. In a world where information flows and changes instantaneously, it is primordial to remember to give ourselves time to learn.

Mentoring

ISSion appreciates and values the relationship between all members of the school community and as such has established a mentoring programme. Rather than to develop specific academic skills or knowledge, it aims to build confidence and resilience among students. Mentors act with benevolence in order to provide a positive role model. While many mentoring programs include some direct academic support with homework or other school tasks, our approaches also focus on the emotional well-being of our students.

University counselling

Being academically successful is essential, but in order to reach one’s true potential and to be able to attend the university of one’s dreams, it is important to understand the university application process. Counsellors are essential to help students understand their strengths, needs, and interests and to help them acquire specific knowledge about the available careers and their chances of successfully reaching their goals. Counsellors guide and work with students to make sure they have the pre-requisites to apply to their university programmes of choice and make sure that all deadlines and requirements are kept.