Dear Parents and Friends,
We’re into the new academic year, and would like to share with you some of the latest updates at the British School of Monaco. It’s been quite a month!
Changing of the Guard
Alan Stevens was passed the baton by our retiring Founding Principal, Dr Stuart Bradley, to lead the Primary, Secondary and Individual Programme sections of the British School of Monaco.
Alan has had a busy start, as you will see below.
To remind you, Alan has come to us from Marlborough College Malaysia, which has just won the coveted global TES International School of the Year award, and which grew from 500 to 1000 students under his expert stewardship.
To have such an experienced and celebrated educational leader join our school at such a pivotal moment in our journey is a great validation of the work of Dr Stuart, and further heightens our sense of purpose and excitement about the future.
In under two years the British School of Monaco has gained COBIS accreditation. This is not only unusually swift progress, but made all the more remarkable by the positivity and warmth of their comments, including these excerpts from the summary:
“The narrative of the school is unfolding daily. Its strengths are palpable and impressive. The power and clarity of the school’s principles which underpin its policies and procedures and infuse daily interaction; the positive and supportive relationships which abound; the tremendous potential BSM enjoys in many areas; the uncompromising insistence in high quality appointments; and the happiness and joy around learning will all carry the school to ever new heights of success.”
“The school’s policies, attendant procedures and principles are extremely impressive. Values inform practice and influence daily interaction and decisions. They are commended in the report, but they have the potential to be considered for Beacon School* status.”
*A Beacon School is a school that COBIS has identified as having demonstrated excellence against a particular part of our standards. Beacon Schools are highlighted to other COBIS Members so that other schools can reach out and learn from them. Beacon Schools are encouraged to share their insights and experiences so that COBIS Members can benefit from the shared best practice.
“For a school which is under two years old, the award of eleven commendations across all Standards is remarkable and impressive. They reflect the substance and effectiveness of what the school has achieved and established so quickly and, significantly, so carefully and thoughtfully.”
“At the British School of Monaco children have not only found their place, but their home from home.”
Secondary opening
The British School of Monaco is proud to have opened the British School of Monaco Secondary School at L’Escorial, 31 avenue Hector Otto in Monaco. The new premises includes five classrooms, a dedicated science lab, and an art and music room, along with a refectory and on-site playground.
The Secondary school is now open for Years 7 (age 11-12) and 8 (age 12-13), and will open up one year at a time every year moving forwards.
In 2028 the British School of Monaco will open its 6th form for the final two years of school, where our students will study their A-Levels before going to university.
We plan to open Early Years (ages 3 and 4) in 2025 or 2026 depending on finding the right space. We’re currently looking for suitable locations.
PhoneWall initiative with Monaco Telecom
The British School of Monaco has launched, with the birth of its Secondary school, the PhoneWall initiative with Monaco Telecom.
Not only is the British School of Monaco a phone-free school, but we want to create a culture where the expectation is that parents will not give their child a smartphone or let them access social media until the age of 16.
To aid this, we have arranged with Monaco Telecom a special deal for a rebooted Nokia 3210, which still allows our students to call, text and, most importantly, play Snake.
The PhoneWall initiative is open to families around Monaco, not just those who are a part of the British School of Monaco community.
Our goal is to raise awareness about the dangers of smartphones and social media for young minds and bodies, and help reduce pressure on parents by making it the norm to withhold smartphones from children until their brains have matured.
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt is a highly informative book on this subject, if you would like to know more.
HRH Duke of Edinburgh visit and Stelios Foundation Evening
The British School of Monaco was honoured to be visited by HRH Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, to commemorate our registration as a Duke of Edinburgh International Award Centre for our Secondary and Individual Programme students.
HRH spent time speaking with our students, parents and teachers, sharing encouraging words, warm humour and personal anecdotes from his own time undertaking the award.
Having the timing of the Duke’s visit coincide precisely with our registration as an International Award centre, and the launching of our Secondary school, was extremely serendipitous.
The previous evening the British School of Monaco was delighted to participate in a fundraising event with the Stelios Foundation for The Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
We are enormously grateful to our parents who, together, raised €20,000 of the €51,000 total, which was then generously matched by the Stelios Foundation to raise €102,000 overall.
Thank you to all of our families for their participation and generosity.
JCI Event on the role of Education in the Principality
Lena spoke alongside Jean-Philippe Vinci, Director of National Education, Youth, and Sports, at a JCI breakfast event on Thursday, October 3rd.
The talk focused on the following topics:
- New infrastructures in Monaco
- Digital transitions in schools
- How the quality of education contributes to Monaco’s attractiveness and its international visibility
Masterclasses
The British School of Monaco Individual Programme will be releasing details about holiday Masterclasses in the very near future, to prepare students for their IGCSE and IB exams. In addition, the British School of Monaco is planning to run a summer activity camp in Valberg at the start of July 2025. More details will follow in the near future.
Our four graduates from the Individual Programme last year gained places at King’s College London (Computer Science), University College London (Philosophy and French), Queen Mary University, London (Mechanical Engineering) and McGill University, Canada (Arts).
Congratulations to our first ‘cohort’ of graduates from the British School of Monaco for gaining places at these prestigious institutions.
There isn’t any sign of things slowing down after all that. The British School of Monaco is just getting up to speed as it enters its third academic year.
If you have any questions or would like to visit the school, contact us.
