Wednesday, August 17, 2022
  • Login
Independent School Management Plus
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Leaders
    • School Owners & Operators
    • Heads & Governors
    • Alumni Relations
    • Bursars & Finance
    • Admissions & Marketing
    • Development & Fundraising
    • Communications & PR
    • Campus Design & Experience
    • Estate Management
    • Human Resources
    • School data management
    • CPD
  • Educators
    • Safeguarding
    • College Counselling
    • Curriculum Design
    • Online Learning & Innovation
    • Early Years
    • Exams & Qualifications
    • Assessment
    • Inclusion
    • Sports and Outdoors
    • Wellbeing
    • eSports
  • Your School
    • Spotlight on a School
    • 30 minutes with…
    • The View From Here
    • School news and announcements
  • Jobs
    • Vacancies
    • Recruitment
    • Movers & Shakers
  • Video & Podcast
    • Inspiring Leadership
    • School Leaders
    • Membership Bodies
    • The ABC of Safeguarding
    • The Friday Club
  • Resources
    • From Our Partners
    • Supplier Directory
  • About
    • Editorial Board
    • Associations & Distribution
    • Our Publications
      • International School Magazine
      • School Management Plus Magazine
      • Wellbeing in International Schools Magazine
      • WISEducation newsletter
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Leaders
    • School Owners & Operators
    • Heads & Governors
    • Alumni Relations
    • Bursars & Finance
    • Admissions & Marketing
    • Development & Fundraising
    • Communications & PR
    • Campus Design & Experience
    • Estate Management
    • Human Resources
    • School data management
    • CPD
  • Educators
    • Safeguarding
    • College Counselling
    • Curriculum Design
    • Online Learning & Innovation
    • Early Years
    • Exams & Qualifications
    • Assessment
    • Inclusion
    • Sports and Outdoors
    • Wellbeing
    • eSports
  • Your School
    • Spotlight on a School
    • 30 minutes with…
    • The View From Here
    • School news and announcements
  • Jobs
    • Vacancies
    • Recruitment
    • Movers & Shakers
  • Video & Podcast
    • Inspiring Leadership
    • School Leaders
    • Membership Bodies
    • The ABC of Safeguarding
    • The Friday Club
  • Resources
    • From Our Partners
    • Supplier Directory
  • About
    • Editorial Board
    • Associations & Distribution
    • Our Publications
      • International School Magazine
      • School Management Plus Magazine
      • Wellbeing in International Schools Magazine
      • WISEducation newsletter
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Independent School Management Plus
No Result
View All Result
Home Spotlight on a School

Spotlight on a School: Copperfield International School, Verbier

Advertised as the world's only 'ski-in, ski-out' international school, Copperfield offers a particularly unique education at 1500m

ISMP by ISMP
August 3, 2022
in Spotlight on a School
Reading Time: 4 mins read
10 0
A A
0
Copperfield International School in Verbier
Copperfield International School in Verbier
Copperfield International School in Verbier
Copperfield International School in Verbier
Copperfield International School in Verbier
Linked InShare on FacebookShare on TwitterPin This

‘If you could build a school for the students, what would that school look like?’ – This was the question that the headteacher of Copperfield International School, Dr Hugh McCormick, started with.

During his years as a teacher in the UK, he constantly wondered what the ideal school might look like, and whether he might be able to build it himself. Hugh studied at the University of Oxford and worked at Harrow and Sevenoaks before founding Copperfield International School Verbier.

The school opened its doors during the height of the pandemic in January 2021 with a vision and mission; to create an educational experience that was informed by a modern philosophy and the latest educational research, and that was very much for the students, as the most important stakeholder.

“Being situated in a thrilling natural landscape makes the possibilities outside the classroom very unique.”

We strive to educate students who are globally minded, compassionate, confident and kind. Copperfield students will be academically rounded, skilled and able to both lead and follow. Above all, it is our aim that Copperfield students will be designers of their own lives and of a better world for others.

Our location is a huge asset. Set at the foot of the Swiss Alps in Verbier, the school is the world’s only ski-in, ski-out international school. Being situated in a town which is at the same time extremely safe and set in a thrilling natural landscape makes the possibilities outside the classroom very unique.

For example, we have recently incorporated “mountain days” into our curriculum. These involve each year group spending time doing hands-on learning in nature one day a week, up on the mountain. This is indicative of our modern approach to learning as not something done when students sit down, shut up, and listen, but rather as a process of discovery, often occurring collaboratively.

“We have our own little café, run by one of the parents, where students, teachers and parents can grab a snack at any time.”

We are based in a small complex called Le Hameau, just outside of the centre of town, so there is no main road for the children to be wary of. Many of our students make their own way to school by using the free bus service that runs in the town all year round.

Within the school itself, all classrooms have whiteboard walls, which are often used by the students for collaborative learning projects, as well as smart TVs, which presentations can be beamed onto. Our expanding library is equipped with a wide selection of books, appropriate for all ages and abilities.

Our sporting facilities make good use of our mountainous surroundings (in summer we offer sports ranging from horse riding to downhill mountain biking). We have tennis courts, and our playground features a multipurpose sport area, with basketball hoops, where students are able to play football, basketball and a number of other sports. We also have a weights room, which students on our intensive ski programme use. We also have our own little café, run by one of the parents, where students, teachers and parents can grab a snack at any time of the day.

“We are a young institution and have achieved a lot in a short period of time.”

Despite only having existed for a relatively short period of time, Copperfield International School managed to attain a number of accreditations. These are a result of the persistent effort of our community to create a world-class institution. Earlier this year, we became a centre able to offer qualifications with Cambridge Assessment International Education, enabling us to offer IGCSEs and A levels.

We are an International Baccalaureate candidate school for the Diploma Programme and the Primary Years Programme, and expect to receive these accreditations in the coming academic year. On top of this, we are able to offer ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal School of Music) music examinations, and are the only centre within quite some distance able to do this. Finally, we take great pride in being the only international school to have been asked to be featured in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee commemorative book, which will showcase our institution.

We are a young institution and have achieved a lot in a short period of time, but there is much more to do. This coming academic year, we will be accepting up to four students from around the world on fully funded scholarships as part of our “Global Scholars” scheme. We are very excited to become an IB World School after the accreditation process is finished. We also plan on becoming a Pearson Edexcel centre, to increase the diversity of qualifications on offer.

“We have embraced the trend for digitisation from the outset.”

Covid has accelerated many pre-existing trends in education, particularly the digitisation of learning through use of online resources to distribute and share school work. We have embraced this trend from the outset, and use the Google Classroom platform, particularly with students in our secondary school.

As well as this, we use ManageBac, the leading online platform for IB World schools. In an increasingly interconnected and globalised world, we aim to bear in mind our school mission to develop young people who do not think of their subjects in isolation, but rather as constituent parts of an interconnected whole.

By doing so we prepare our students to be lifelong learners ready for a future full of challenges, many of which do not yet exist. This is reflected in our choice of international curriculums, and the regular collaboration between subject teachers to produce unique and inspiring lessons with interconnected and relevant themes.

Don't miss out!
Subscribe To Newsletter
Receive top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more!
Invalid email address
Give it a try. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
Tags: independent schoolspremium schools
Share2Share13Tweet8Pin3
ISMP

ISMP

Video

  • All
  • Video
In Conversation: Will Goldsmith, headteacher, Bedales School
Alumni Relations

In Conversation: Louise Bennett, chief executive, IDPE

July 8, 2022
102
The Friday Club: Ranald Lloyd-Williams, Feel Good Films
Admissions & Marketing

The Friday Club: Ranald Lloyd-Williams, Feel Good Films

July 5, 2022
86
Back pain Clare Rawlings from Raw Movement
Heads & Governors

In Conversation: Clare Rawlings, movement expert

July 3, 2022
100
The Friday Club: Rachell Fox, Channing School
Admissions & Marketing

The Friday Club: Rachell Fox, Channing School

June 20, 2022
86

Latest News

Don't ban the Confucius Institutes, says Thomas Camilleri
Heads & Governors

‘Banning Confucius Institutes would only hold Britain back’

July 25, 2022
310
Ashbrooke House School announces closure
Bursars & Finance

Independent Ashbrooke House School announces closure

July 18, 2022
297
mindfulness might not improve teenagers' mental health
Latest News

Mindfulness training has ‘no impact’ on secondary pupil wellbeing

July 13, 2022
225
Julie Robinson from the Independent Schools Council reflects on the year
Admissions & Marketing

Labour’s independent schools plans ‘a tax on aspiration’

July 12, 2022
182
Andrea Jenkyns, minister DFE
Heads & Governors

Chartered College complains over minister’s middle finger gesture

July 11, 2022
97
James Cleverley Education secretary
Latest News

Michelle Donelan resigns, replaced by James Cleverly

July 7, 2022
170
Independent School Management Plus

© 2020 Independent School Management Plus.

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • Latest
  • Leaders
  • Educators
  • Your School
  • Jobs
  • Video & Podcast
  • Resources
  • About

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Leaders
    • School Owners & Operators
    • Heads & Governors
    • Alumni Relations
    • Bursars & Finance
    • Admissions & Marketing
    • Development & Fundraising
    • Communications & PR
    • Campus Design & Experience
    • Estate Management
    • Human Resources
    • School data management
    • CPD
  • Educators
    • Safeguarding
    • College Counselling
    • Curriculum Design
    • Online Learning & Innovation
    • Early Years
    • Exams & Qualifications
    • Assessment
    • Inclusion
    • Sports and Outdoors
    • Wellbeing
    • eSports
  • Your School
    • Spotlight on a School
    • 30 minutes with…
    • The View From Here
    • School news and announcements
  • Jobs
    • Vacancies
    • Recruitment
    • Movers & Shakers
  • Video & Podcast
    • Inspiring Leadership
    • School Leaders
    • Membership Bodies
    • The ABC of Safeguarding
    • The Friday Club
  • Resources
    • From Our Partners
    • Supplier Directory
  • About
    • Editorial Board
    • Associations & Distribution
    • Our Publications
      • International School Magazine
      • School Management Plus Magazine
      • Wellbeing in International Schools Magazine
      • WISEducation newsletter
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us

© 2020 Independent School Management Plus.

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
Sign In with Linked In
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.