140th Celebration - Brochure

Afamilyschoolthrough thedecades

Brillantmont is a private international school, founded in 1882 by Paul and Berthe Heubi in the Château de Lutry Nowadays, Brillantmont is proud to be the oldest private school in Switzerland which is still owned by the founding family This is exceptional!

Brillantmont’s founder, Paul Heubi, was a professor at the University of Berne He had a progressive vision of how girls’ education for should be. He felt that it should not be just about how to run a household, as was the case back then, but that they should learn history, geography, languages and develop their general culture

From 1896 onwards, the first buildings of the current campus were built on land close to the city centre, on Bellevue hill From the outset, the buildings were built to be a school Their construction led to the creation and wider development of Avenue Charles-Secrétan

In 1902, the rather pompously named “Institute of Practical Studies” was created Its role was to educate young women in how to successfully manage a busy household Many other schools in Switzerland offered similar programmes at that time – the famous Swiss finishing schools. During the Great War of 1914-1918, the school remained open since around fifteen students were unable to get home due to the conflict gripping much of Europe

After the war, Europe witnessed more suffering as Spanish Flu ravaged countries In 1918, Château Brillantmont was rented out to the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) They set up their first “hostel” in Europe within the walls of Château; it was for young people without many means In the 1920s, Paul Heubi, one of founder’s sons, settled in Madrid, where he taught football rules. This teaching was instrumental in the foundation of Real Madrid football club and his contribution to the game is clearly documented in football related archives

The founders, Paul and Berthe Heubi had ten children When they died, Lily, William and Emile – took over the running of Brillantmont, working together as a team. Lily was the Head of Brillantmont for 40 years She never married or had children and always lived on campus (in Monribeau) She embodied the soul of the school, leading staff and students with humanity, gaining the respect and admiration of her family, her staff and her students alike Her values spread far and beyond Brillantmont’s walls. In 1930, a secondary school, with teaching in French, was opened, followed by official academic programmes, and later, in 1948, the current British (IGCSE / A Level) and American (High School Diploma) programme of studies were added.

During the Second World War, the school was closed to students. However, its reception rooms were used by the Poetry Society, which developed precious links in artistic circles

Emile Heubi, the son of the founders was an artist and his friendships with Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, Igor Stravinsky, Ernest Ansermet ou René Auberjonois, helped Brillantmont become known more widely, as they spent time here In 1922, the artist Charles Clément took up residence at Brillantmont and gave painting lessons to the boarding students Brillantmont became something of a cultural centre, where students could benefit from the teaching and knowledge of famous artists and musicians, like Clara Haskil, the famous pianist

Emile and Lily Heubi worked together to lead the school for many years, but had no children Therefore, on their death, their shares in the school were passed on to their siblings. Thus, Molly, the younger sister, married to Gabriel Huguenin, became co-Head in the 1960s, along with two of her nieces, who were of a similar age. Molly Hugeunin was the grandmother of the current owners (Corinne, Anne and Eric Frei)

After 80 years of harmonious cohabitation, tension grew between the different branches of the family and the school campus was split in half, with a hedge literally separating the two campuses! On one side, there was Villa Brillantmont, which was a language and business school, directed by Molly Huguenin and on her death, succeed by Gabriel Huguenin and his daughter Françoise; on the other side, there was Château Brillantmont, with the British and American programmes, directed by Lise Freymond, her cousin Clearly defined school programmes meant that the two different schools were not in direct competition!

Brillantmont, which until now, was known only as a boarding school, began to welcome day students in the 1960s

In the mid 1970s, the Freymond cousins decided to sell Château Brillantmont Philippe Frei, the husband of Françoise Frei-Huguenin and Professor of Medicine at the University of Lausanne, firmly believed that in order to survive, Villa Brillantmont should be reunited with Château Brillantmont. He negotiated with the cousins to buy it back but in order to raise funds, had to sell off tennis courts and part of the garden, which until then spread down much of the hill

This meant that in the 1976-77 school year, thanks to the far sightedness of Philippe, the Brillantmont campus was once again reunited and in the hands of just one person –Françoise Frei-Huguenin, daughter of Molly Heubi and grand-daughter of the founders This saved Brillantmont from the fate of many private schools which could no longer survive in an increasingly competitive market

In 1983, Brillantmont became the first international boarding school in Switzerland to be accredited by the European Council of International Schools and by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The school has always been reaccredited up to the current day

Towards the end of the 1980s, Françoise Frei’s children – Corinne, Anne and Eric – joined the School Board, alongside their mother and the Director, defining and shaping the future of the school

Boys joined the day school from the 1970s but were only admitted into boarding from 1991

Mr Philippe Pasche, who had joined Brillantmont as an accountant in 1979 took over as Director and directed the school until his retirement in 2019.

In 2002, Brillantmont was recognised as a “Fellowship Centre Status by Cambridge International Examinations” in honour of its participation in and commitment to “Cambridge International Examinations”

In the same year, the school launched an intranet communication system between parents and the school, leading the way in its

In 2007, Brillantmont became a founding member of the organisation “Swiss Learning”, which serves to promote leading Swiss boarding schools.

The school has constantly strived to meet the academic and sporting needs of the students. With this in mind, a new building was opened in 2012 It was named the “Françoise FreiHuguenin Sports and Culture Hall”, to honour a woman who was the school’s owner and Head for more than 40 years and whose death saw an outpouring of grief and affection from alumni across the world.

FollowingthedeathofFrançoise Freiin2007,thebuildingsandthe runningoftheschoolwere separatedintotwodistinctlegal entities-“BrillantmontF.FreiSA” and“BrillantmontInternational School”,bothgovernedbycharters andfamilyrules.

“Robotics and Coding (STEAM)” classes were introduced in 2018 and continue to be compulsory in 8th and 9th Grade.

Unlike most other schools, during the COVID pandemic in Spring 2019, Brillantmont remained open for students unable or not wanting to travel home

Sadly, for the first time since 1977, the Summer Course had to be cancelled, but the Summer Course 2021 bounced back vigorously

What a remarkable achievement to be able to celebrate 140 years of family ownership and vision, in a rapidly changing world!

In2019,AnneFreibecameHeadof Schoolandcontinuestositonthe BoardwithCorinneandEricFrei, President. Thisrepresentsthe5thgeneration ofthefoundingfamily.

In many ways, the Brillantmont of today is like that of 1882 The school very much emphasises family values, a sense of belonging and a feeling of being in a “home from home”, just as it always has The deliberate choice to remain a small school reinforces this strong sense of community and being part of a family

The school has also strived to open the students’ eyes to the world around them, becoming Global Citizens, ready to play a role in tomorrow’s world Learning languages, sharing intercultural experiences to learn from each other has always been part of the Brillantmont experience and this has never been as important as nowadays, given the challenges the world faces The Brillantmont boarding experience has always been so much more than simply the academics: the varied extra-curricular programme has always encouraged students to explore new interests and talents, to discover the rich cultural diversity of Switzerland and to enjoy trying new experiences

Here are some key facts about Brillantmont today:

A warm, caring community of around 80 boarding students and 10-20 day students

Students from around 30 different nationalities with quotas in place to ensure a cultural mix

A challenging academic programme from 8th – 12th Grade, with a 13th Grade option A British IGCSE and A Level programme and a US High School Diploma Students enter universities all over the world, including prestigious Russell Group universities

Leadership opportunities through activities like Model United Nations conferences

Service Learning projects in Lausanne and a building project for a family in need

Fantastic opportunities for extracurricular discovery in Switzerland and neighbouring countries Skiing – lots of it!

Incredible Summer Course for 10-17 year olds in July and August – to get a taste for Brillantmont

Brillantmont'sGuidingStatements

Our Vision

To be recognised as an inclusive, international learning community which empowers and inspires our students to reach their full potential

Our mission

To provide a supportive family environment which enables our students to discover and develop their passions and talents, building the confidence needed to lead happy, meaningful lives.

Our core values Learning

We deliver stimulating curricula and unique learning experiences which equip students with the attributes to thrive in a rapidly changing world

We nurture collaboration and leadership skills through challenge, building courageous, confident critical thinkers

Our teaching promotes reflection which encourages students to develop an awareness of their own learning journey

Well-being

We cultivate a physically and emotionally healthy lifestyle in a safe, inclusive environment.

Our focus on the individual raises selfesteem, helping our students become effective learners and balanced young people

We promote the healthy use of technology and digital awareness, placing value on human connections and respect.

We actively ensure an international student body which celebrates intercultural understanding and diversity

We recognise the value of our privileged location to promote the learning of French, an international outlook and the benefits afforded by the natural sporting and cultural wealth of Switzerland.

We foster a caring, culturally aware community, based on mutual respect, in which our students can be themselves

We provide opportunities to impact the lives of others through service and leadership within and beyond the school community

Internationalism

Community

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BrillantmontInternationalSchool AvenueCharles-Secrétan16 CH-1005Lausanne Switzerland

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