Independent day and boarding school in Chesières-Villars, Vaud, Switzerland
Aiglon College is a private co-educational boarding school in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Founded in 1949 by former Gordonstoun teacher John C. Corlette, it occupies a scenic location in the alpine village of Chesieres, close to the ski resort of Villars-sur-Ollon, 58 kilometers from Lausanne.
The school prepares its students for IGCSE exams and the IB Diploma, and is also known for its extensive program of outdoor education and prowess in winter sports.[3] The school is a founding member of the Round Square conference of schools.
History
John C. Corlette opened the school in 1949, with six pupils.[4] A former teacher at Gordonstoun, Corlette had sympathised with the theories of its founder, Kurt Hahn, and began to think about opening a school of his own.[5]
Corlette suffered from ill health as a child and was never physically robust. This spurred a personal philosophy emphasizing stamina and toughness upon which the principles of Aiglon were founded.[5] Corlette's decision to open a school in Switzerland was likely inspired by his own experience: he left Stowe at 16 to finish his education at Alpine College, having been sent there for the benefit of his health.[5]
Following a financially precarious beginning, during which it rented various chalets, the school acquired its first permanent building with the purchase of the Hotel Beau-Site in 1955.[6] Though founded as a school on the British model, by 1957 half the student body were American nationals. British parents at this time were put off by a combination of high fees and a weak pound.[7] By 1983, there were approximately 250 pupils from 142 nationalities.[8] Today, the school's policy is that no one nationality can account for more than 10% of the student body.
Though founded as a boys' school, Aiglon occasionally admitted girls under exceptional circumstances; a female student, Marsi Paribatra, was enrolled in 1949. In 1968 the school became co-educational and 22 girls arrived that September.[9]
In the late 1950s, another idea borrowed from Gordonstoun, the 'rank system', was implemented. This ranked boys according to merit, academic or otherwise, with extra privileges awarded to the higher ranked.[10] By the 1970s Aiglon had drawn some criticism for its long hours, with the working day running from 7:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. for the youngest children, and up to 11:00 p.m. for the oldest; the school maintained this was necessary to "develop the whole child" and set this against long vacation times, which lasted up to 11 weeks in the summer.[11] All students are required to take part in expeditions every term. These include hiking, camping, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, ski mountaineering, and other outdoor challenges.[12][13]
Aiglon has long been among the world's ten most expensive boarding schools; as of 2022, annual fees were $135,000 (US).[14] Yet, a 1995 Newsweek profile noted that high fees did not "buy luxury" at Aiglon, and student dormitories were surprisingly modest. Such "unpretentious surroundings" were said to be popular with wealthy parents who did not want their children to be living in too much comfort.[15]
Campus
Aiglon’s campus consists of approximately 40 different buildings and chalets spread across approximately 60,000 m2. The school has eight senior boarding houses and two junior houses. The village campus is a combination of existing chalets and renovated hotels joined with purpose-built buildings.[16][2]
Administration and organization
Aiglon College Junior School caters to boys and girls in years 5 to 8 (US grades 4–7). The Senior School caters to students in years 9 to 13 (US Grades 8–12). Students are prepared for GCSE and IGCSE examinations at the end of year 11 (Grade 10) and for the International Baccalaureate in the final two years. Throughout the school, the curriculum is taught in English, with the exception of languages and literature.[17]
The school is run by a volunteer board of directors, which oversees the school’s strategic direction and continued alignment with its founding principles. The school’s senior management team responsible for its day-to-day management is called the School Council and is led by the Head of School.[18]
In 2019 Nicola Sparrow became the first woman to lead the school.[19][20]
