Annual Report

Reflections

Annual Report 2013-2014

Annual Report 2013-2014

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Annual Report 2013-2014

Page 4

Letter from the Principal

Page 6

Reflections on the Year Gone By

Page 8

Highlights from the School Council

Page 10

Celebrating our Community

Page 12

Student Achievement

Page 24

School Development

Page 34

Finance

Page 42

Annual Report 2013-2014

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Reflections

Letter from the Chairman

Letter from the Chairman Mark Turner, Chairman Board of Governors

Dear Members of the St George’s International School Luxembourg community, It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you the St George’s International School Luxembourg Annual Report. For those of you receiving this document for the first time, the purpose of this Report is to give everyone connected with the School an overview of the activities, organisation and achievements that have taken place during the last year. In addition, this Report also contains the financial information for the School; how we generate our income and how we use that income.

In addition to being sent to those within the School community, this Report now has a wide circulation both within Luxembourg and internationally. We hope that whatever your connection is with our School, you enjoy reading the information contained in this edition.

You will see that the School has had another busy but successful year – with the academic achievements of our students once again being balanced with their willingness and enthusiasm to participate in extra-curricular activities that have enriched their lives and, through their charity projects, the lives of countless others around the world.

We have always had a strong belief that by providing these extra opportunities to our students, they become more aware of their position in the global community as well as having the chance to develop skills and gain experiences outside of the strictly academic arena. We would like to recognise and thank our staff who are willing to organise, support and take part in these activities.

Our Senior Management Team has gone through significant change in the past year. At the beginning of the school year we were excited to welcome our first School Principal Dr Barkei and, in addition, Mr Fleet was appointed to the permanent position of Head Teacher of the Secondary school, a position he had successfully filled on a temporary basis the previous year.

Yet perhaps the most significant change that we experienced during the year came at the end of the summer term when we had several events to mark the retirement of Mrs Duxbury. You will see some of the events that happened during the 13 years that Mrs Duxbury led the School, but that only scratches the surface.

I would like to, once again, place on record our thanks to Mrs Duxbury for the tireless work she did. I think it’s safe to say that we are only where we are today because of the enthusiastic and dedicated way that she led the development of the School from a small Primary school in rented accommodation, through our expansion into a through school occupying our own superb, purpose-built facilities with students progressing to universities across the world.

We have now recruited Ms Claire Nuttall who will be our new Head of Primary. Ms Nuttall is an experienced Head Teacher who, we are sure, will continue to ensure that our Primary school students continue to progress in the future.

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Annual Report 2013-2014

St George’s Members of the St George’s International School Luxembourg ASBL Board of Governors, left to right: S. Castelain, P. Schonenberg, L. Munari, P. Charlton, M. Turner (Chairman), R. Feiereisen (Vice Chair), J. Johnston, G. Sardelli. Not pictured: C. Cheesman (Vice Chair), F. Morvilli, S. Shtayyeh-Delano.

Throughout our history our progress has been supported by the Luxembourg Ministry of Education and the Ville de Luxembourg.

We thank them for their help and support over the years in terms of helping to formulate our development plans and providing financial support for our day-to-day activities and our many building projects.

We are in the process of finalising a new 5-year development plan for our site, with some preparation works already taking place over the summer. We look forward to sharing the details with our School community when those plans have been approved by the relevant authorities.

During the last year we said goodbye to two Governors and I would like to thank them and recognise their hard work and support for the School: Mrs Sarah Battey, who was a Board member for five years and gave great support to the School particularly during the recruitment of our Principal and Head Teachers, and Mrs Duxbury, who in addition to her role as Head Teacher was also a valued member of our Board.

We have always had a strong belief that by providing these extra opportunities to our students, they become more aware of their position in the global community.

St George’s has a wide community of people who support it in many different ways and I would like to thank all of those people who offer their assistance; parents who volunteer as class representatives, students who work on the school councils, and the various people who volunteer in classes, read aloud to children or present career opportunities for our students. All of these roles are very important and we are grateful for everyone’s time and effort.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank and recognise the contribution of my fellow Board members, who voluntarily give of their time to ensure a stable future for further development and growth – with the necessary financial stability and facilities required to continue the valuable work that goes on here.

We have welcomed two new Governors during the last year; Mr Paul Schonenberg, who is also the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg and Mr John Johnston, who is the Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg. They bring new skills and experience which will both strengthen the Board and support the School in the future.

I hope that you enjoy reading this Report and that it provides you with a valuable insight into the day-to-day activities of the School and the successes of our students.

With best wishes and on behalf of the Board of Governors,

Mark L. Turner Chairman

Annual Report 2013-2014

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Letter from the Principal Dr Christian Barkei, Principal

Dear Parents and Friends of the School, It is my pleasure to present the Annual Report of St George’s International School Luxembourg for 2013-2014. I hope that the Report will give you an insight into the life of the School during the past year and provide a suitable overview of what we do.

This past year was characterised by a number of milestones – more students than ever were enrolled; we introduced an amended school day and timetable and also a new website and newsletter; FLASH our new School mascot appeared in a puff of smoke and our community of students, staff and parents enthusiastically raised record amounts for charitable causes both in the Grand Duchy and further afield. We also saw an increase in after-school activities and clubs and our sports teams made an excellent impression at both domestic and international competitions. Academic performance and achievement across the School was impressive and our students were engaged, focussed, determined and happy.

We believe at St George’s that learning should be accessible to everyone, with every student able to achieve their full potential within an environment that is positive and supportive. This philosophy is at the heart of everything that we do and is exemplified in our motto ‘Achieving potential through challenge and care’. As you look through the Annual Report you will see that our students take centre stage and we justly celebrate their successes and achievements; whether in the Foundation Stage or at A level.

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Annual Report 2013-2014

St George’s

Academic performance and achievement across the School was impressive and our students were engaged, focussed, determined and happy. – Dr Christian Barkei, Principal

Our engagement with our students, however, goes beyond the normal school day. The extra-curricular activities and programmes we offer, whether in Drama, Music or Sport, help our students to access and to engage in a rich and fulfilling educational experience. Our residential excursions and sporting exchanges in Luxembourg, Europe and beyond challenge and stretch students and allow them to grow, develop and mature in their individuality alongside providing practical opportunities to expand on concepts and theories taught in the classroom.

The active participation of our community of students, parents, staff and friends of the School in a wide range of charitable events and projects over the past year is also reflected here as a matter of record.

the School have been outstanding, but she also personifies in an exemplary way the personal care and attention the School strives to provide to each and every student. We have reflected her time at the School in a pictorial timeline in this Report.

With my best regards,

Dr Christian Barkei Principal

This Report also marks the retirement of Mrs Duxbury after 13 years of outstanding service to the School as Primary Head Teacher. Her efforts over the past years in nurturing, developing and securing

Annual Report 2013-2014

7

Reflections on the Year Gone By Highlights from the Primary School Mrs Heather Duxbury Head Teacher (Primary) This year as always, on the first day of term, we welcomed over 50 students into Early Years for whom this moment is unique. The expectant and sometimes apprehensive look on their faces as they enter the classroom reminds us all of the privilege we have to influence their futures. What a fantastic opportunity to make sure they remember it with awe and wonder and to help them make a positive start to their life-long learning journey.

They have shared in the many things we have celebrated this year, a few of which are listed below: • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

Year 5 students are chosen to take part in a study for the University of Luxembourg on the effects of bilingualism on Maths achievement.

Six Maths medals are gained in the International Mathematics Teachers Foundation competition.

Mixed Martial Arts is introduced to the curriculum for Year 6 and is so popular that it is extended to a Saturday morning club.

Students chosen from Years 3-6 take part in the Council of English Speaking Schools in Benelux Choir Day in Brussels, joining five other schools to represent three different countries singing the Magic Song for Peace.

Nick Sharratt and Jeremy Strong visit for Book Week.

St George’s is the first international school to enter the CLEAPSS (advisory service for science) competition – the School’s entry was from a Year 2 student.

Students from Key Stage 2 compete in their academic houses in the first-ever Primary Spelling Bee. Students from Year 5 enter and make it to the final round of the Wapiti competition, writing an 8-page report in French on their favourite bird.

Year 1 win the Belle Etoile competition for the best-decorated Christmas tree.

Students submit an entry to the COBIS Science competition.

The London Academy of Music, Drama and Arts (LAMDA) club starts at St George’s and is so popular that two clubs are formed.

The after-school football clubs take part in two local football competitions – one team earned second place.

Year 6 graduation and their reflections on their time in Primary school, complete with a presentation to myself and allowing me to graduate!

I would like to express my thanks to the wonderful students and staff at St George’s who have made this year one of which we can be incredibly proud.

Yours sincerely,

Heather Duxbury Head Teacher (Primary)

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Annual Report 2013-2014

Mr Mark Fleet Head Teacher (Secondary)

Each year is special in the life of our School and it has certainly been another milestone year in the history of St George’s Secondary school. Beginning with exceptional GCSE, AS and A2 results, the School also introduced a new school day, a new curriculum structure and Heads of Faculties. Moreover, after a sensational inaugural event in 2013, St George’s hosted the 2nd Annual Comenius International Ball at the Hotel Parc Bellevue.

This was attended by over 150 students, staff, governors and parents in addition to VIPs and international guests from Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary and Turkey. This was a terrific opportunity to emphasise the importance of our international community.

Some of the year’s other highlights included: • • • • • • • • • • •

Students participate in the COBIS Young Scientist Film Awards, compiling short films to explain and illustrate a scientific concept.

Key Stage 5 English students visit the Globe Theatre and Stratford Upon Avon; whilst our younger drama and English students experience many evening theatre trips here in Luxembourg.

“Futurewise” is launched in Secondary – providing our Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 students with independent, impartial careers advice until the age of 23. In addition to this, ‘‘Careers Lunches’’ are also launched.

The School Council is revamped as St George’s Parliament and adopts Make-A-Wish Luxembourg as their chosen charity.

St George’s Secondary school is chosen to be the first Luxembourg school to coordinate a Comenius project: “GREAT to be Happy!”

Students from Years 9-11 enter the Top of The Bench Eliminator Competition – a chemistry competition in Brussels.

Vic Lee – an illustrator and designer from London – visits the School and gives students advice and guidance on their artwork.

Year 7 experience the Euro Space Centre in Belgium.

Sports Leadership – Year 9 receive certificates in Sports Leadership which they have gained from Sports Leaders UK. High Achiever Award – Congratulations to Sophia, our Head Girl, for receiving a High Achiever Award from the examination board Edexcel.

Year 10 Art and History students embark on a cultural and educational trip to Krakow.

May was certainly a time for Sport, as students entered the International Unified Football Tournament and Youth Summit in Austria, where our students returned with 12 gold medals and another trophy.

As I write this, I am also reminded of the huge success of our Secondary Music Concert in June.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Fleet Head Teacher (Secondary)

Annual Report 2013-2014

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St George’s

Highlights from the Secondary School

Highlights from the School Council

Primary School Council The School Council is a student body that is empowered to suggest initiatives throughout the Primary section of St George’s. The exciting thing about the Council is the independence that the students have to drive forward their ideas and promote change within their surroundings. This independence has an extremely positive whole school impact.

During the 2013-2014 school year the School Council have worked on recycling projects, looked at improvements to Golden Time and School reward policies, and interviewed the panel of potential new Primary Head Teachers.

Their most visible endeavour, however, was the organisation of the “Walking for Water” campaign, which was run in conjunction with the Secondary School Parliament. Over 150 students walked for 20 minutes while carrying litres of water on their backs, representing the effort that is needed for some children in the world to obtain safe drinking water.

The money raised – an astounding €9,152 – went to a clean drinking water project in Busia, Kenya.

When asked about their favourite events this year, the majority of Primary students agreed that Walking for Water was the most memorable experience from the entire school year, followed by the fundraising events for Make-A-Wish. The School Council can be proud of the hard work they have done during the 2013-2014 year to contribute to the School and to the wider community.

FLASH – The New School Mascot As part of the School’s action plan for implementing the International Primary Curriculum, a new School mascot was created and named by the students in Primary. FLASH the dragon stands for what our Primary students endeavour to do and be – Friendly, Love Learning, Adaptable, Sporty, Happy.

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Annual Report 2013-2014

St George’s

Highlights from the School Parliament

Secondary School Parliament This year the Secondary School Council have made several structural changes. The group is now known as the St George’s Parliament and consists of four different Ministries: The Ministry of Education, The Ministry of the Environment, The Ministry of Charities and The Ministry of Sports and Arts. Amongst the activities this year, the students implemented a “study buddy” programme, organised Earth Day celebrations, and introduced “Artwork of the Month” as a feature in the weekly newsletter and to be displayed in School.

St George’s Parliament is comprised of 30 enthusiastic Secondary students who have greatly contributed to the School this year.

The students chose Make-A-Wish Luxembourg as the desired organisation to receive the proceeds of their fundraising events. Activities included ‘‘World Wish Day’’ together with the Primary School Council, a cake sale, and a Summer Fête.

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Celebrating our Community

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Annual Report 2013-2014

Community Annual Report 2013-2014

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Student Diversity Despite its beginnings as a small school founded to suit the needs of British expatriate families, St George’s quickly became home to students of many different nationalities. In fact, its sense of internationalism is now paramount to the way the School chooses its curriculum content, teaches and learns. The following breakdown of students by nationality reflects the diversity of the welcoming, caring, vibrant St George’s community.

5

4

32

6

2

8

1

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Brazil

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

9

1

3

27

1

2

1

China

Cuba

Czech Republic

Denmark

Egypt

El Salvador

Estonia

6

57

19

14

6

4

27

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

India

1

13

6

65

1

2

1

Iran

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Kazakhstan

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Annual Report 2013-2014

19

19

7

1

7

6

Republic of Korea

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Norway

Paraguay

Poland

Portugal

6

10

2

1

11

20

3

Romania

Russian Federation

Singapore

Slovenia

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

7

8

1

1

4

149

Sweden

Switzerland

Thailand

Turkey

Ukraine

United Kingdom

2

Zimbabwe

51

United States

Did you know?

Did you know that roughly 28% of our students come from families comprised of at least two different nationalities? The figures above reflect the different countries of the world represented at St George’s, but the student community is actually far more diverse.

As a part of our curriculum and our school ethos, it is this internationalism that makes St George’s an exceptional place to learn.

Numbers reflect student community at the beginning of the 2013-2014 summer term.

Annual Report 2013-2014

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Community

15

Members of Staff

Staff Seniority Awards Gold

I cannot praise St George’s staff highly enough. Our son has settled in so well and enjoys every aspect of his time at school.

(10+ Years)

Mrs Griffiths (15 years) Mrs Pearce (10 years) Mrs Kearey (10 years)

Silver Mrs Donovan Mrs Fyfe Mrs Haggart Mrs Moore

(5 Years)

– Anne, a St George’s parent

Mr Moore Mrs Parker Mrs Shaft

Bronze Mrs Baumgaertel Mrs Boyes Mrs Burrows-Pym Mrs Collins Mrs Crisp

(3 Years) Mr Fleet Mr Foz Mrs Guth Mrs Homer Mrs Jennings

Mrs Jones Mrs Kramer Miss Lawther Mrs Mawhinney Mrs Ni

Mrs O’Callaghan Mrs Pereira Mr Tarmey Mrs Wagner-Hebel

7:1 20 Student : Academic Staff Ratio

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Annual Report 2013-2014

Nationalities Represented

How was your first year?

Mrs Fitzpatrick Early Years Educator What was your favourite event from this school year?

Book Week.

Community

What do you like about Luxembourg and our School?

I like the diversity of the children and teaching in Early Years. I couldn’t believe how hot the weather gets in Luxembourg!

We would like to express our thanks to all the many staff who have made our daughter’s first two years at school such happy ones.

– Natalie and Alex, St George’s parents

Mr Shaw Secondary Head of Faculty, Humanities What do you like about Luxembourg and our School?

I like the family atmosphere of both the country and the School. Raising a child here is like I imagine it was years ago in the UK when it was safer and it was possible to be more in contact with the local environment. The School also has a family feel where all the students are valued and encouraged to contribute in a safe learning environment.

What did you find difficult about adjusting to life in Luxembourg?

Dealing with the logistical aspects such as registration, car, family allowances etc.

What was your favourite event from this school year?

The Gold Mérite Jeunesse expedition to Interlaken and the Grindelwald area of the Swiss Alps.

Mr Wilson Secondary Learning Support Assistant What do you like about Luxembourg and our School?

There are a number of aspects to Luxembourg that I like – foremost would be its geographical location and range of cultural events. With regards to the School, I would have to say that the students and colleagues make coming to work each day a pleasure.

What did you find difficult about adjusting to life in Luxembourg?

It’s been eight years since I moved to Luxembourg from the UK and personally the toughest aspect has always been, and still is, the linguistic situation.

What was your favourite event from this school year?

There have been so many great events – author visits, trips, Sports Day – that it’s hard to choose one in particular. For me, it’s genuinely been one big highlight!

Annual Report 2013-2014

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A Big Year for Special Guests In addition to the enrichment opportunities that St George’s offers as part of the curriculum, a number of special guests always leave a lasting impression on students by sharing their expertise and enthusiasm throughout the school year. In addition, members of staff receive several opportunities for training from specialists who are passionate about various aspects of teaching and learning.

St George’s positively welcomes guest speakers, authors, poets and artists from across the globe and is very grateful to those who actively support the School in this regard. A special thank you goes to the Honourable Alice Walpole, the British Ambassador to Luxembourg and her staff who actively support the School in welcoming many visitors to Luxembourg.

Gillian Clarke,

Johnny Gillett, Vic Lee,

National Poet of Wales, visited St George’s in connection with Luxembourg’s poetry festival “Printemps des Poètes”. She has written 15 books of poetry and numerous other works, including plays, and her poetry is studied by GCSE and A-level students throughout Britain.

Mrs Clarke visited Year 6 and Year 7 students, reading two of her poems aloud and answering their questions.

also known as The Journey Man, has lived and worked all over the globe as a speech and drama teacher, mime artist, and storyteller. During his visit to St George’s he met with classes in Years 4, 5 and 6 and also led a meeting for Primary staff. The focus during his visit was using the outside environment of the School to develop storytelling, then story writing, linked to the classes’ respective International Primary Curriculum units.

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Annual Report 2013-2014

artist and illustrator, gave a day’s workshop to students in Year 9 and Year 10.

Following a fascinating presentation about his life, students were given a letter of the alphabet to be the foundation of a piece of work based on his style that reflected either themselves or life at St George’s.

Lee Marsh

has visited St George’s for several years as part of the Educational Group “History Off the Page”.

Topics have included Ancient Egypt, Romans, Vikings, Seaside Holidays of the Past, the History of Toys, Castles, Homefront 1944, and others. History comes alive for the children through costumes, role play, artefacts, and practical activities.

Fabien Cousteau and Mission 31 A group of approximately 60 students from Year 4 and Year 10 had the experience of a lifetime when they were able to have a live Skype session with Fabien Cousteau, grandson of the famous deep-sea explorer JacquesYves Cousteau. Cousteau led a 31-day living experiment – “Mission 31” – in an underwater marine exploratory off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Students were able to ask thought-provoking questions about all aspects of life in the exploratory and even had a glimpse at some of the fish living around the underwater lab.

Achievement

[Mission 31] was a very exciting and intriguing experience and we are very lucky and grateful to have had the once-in-alifetime opportunity.

– Annique and Sophia, Year 10 students

Jeremy Strong Nick Sharratt Guy Sutton is the author of around 100 children’s novels and gave hilarious presentations to students in Years 3-7 for four days during Book Week. In his ever comical style, he shared stories about his life and his work, read aloud from his novels, and offered a presentation to staff members about encouraging reluctant readers.

is the illustrator of nearly 250 books and the author of around 40. He worked with students in Early Years to Year 2 to compose humorous poetry and create illustrations. He also spoke to budding young illustrators in the Secondary school, read aloud from his books and answered their questions.

is Director of Medical Biology Interactive (MBI) as well as Honorary Lecturer at the University of Nottingham Medical School, where he teaches medical students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Dr Sutton spent a day giving fascinating presentations on Forensic Psychology, Criminology, and disorders of the brain to students in Years 12 and 13.

Thomas Harding, best-selling author and journalist, spoke to students in the Secondary school about his book Hanns and Rudolf – The German Jew and the Hunt for the Kommandant of Auschwitz.

Students were able to learn some of the history surrounding this captivating story, ask questions, and spend time after the presentation having a lively conversation with the author.

Annual Report 2013-2014

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Learning Through Giving Whether it was singing at the Hospice de Hamm or painting a mural in Mongolia during a World Challenge project, students had plenty of opportunities to experience learning through giving this year.

Make-A-Wish Day

Movember

Walking for Water

One of the most memorable events in School this year was “Walking for Water”, which raised over €9,000 for a project to bring safe drinking water to Busia, Kenya. Students walked in teams around the gym carrying water on their backs to simulate the effort needed by some children in the world to gain access to clean drinking water.

When asked about their most memorable experience in school this year, Primary students overwhelmingly voted for Walking for Water. This event made a difference for so many people both here and in Busia.

– Mrs Dew, School Council Coordinator Photos from ICS Creating Change – Walking for Water, clean drinking water in Busia, Kenya.

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Annual Report 2013-2014

Thank you for all you have done for both my children. I really feel the School has nurtured our daughter to a point where she feels she is capable of achieving great things. She has a fantastic attitude to learning.

Community

– Lynda, a St George’s parent

Relais pour la Vie

Visit to the Hospice de Hamm

In addition to actively contributing to charitable organisations, students are able to participate in projects that challenge them to think about solutions to global problems or give their time to others in need.

The School’s charitable contributions during the 2013-2014 school year totalled causes:

€15,996.41 for the following

“Make-A-Wish” (granting wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses) “Movember” (supporting men’s health issues) “Paper Plane Challenge” (support for child leukaemia) “Relais pour la Vie” (support for those suffering from cancer) “Walking for Water” (awareness and help for global water issues) “Save the Children” (for children in need) “Wrong Trousers Day” (Wallace and Gromit’s Children’s Charity for sick children in the UK) “Fondatioun Kriibskrank Kanner” (supporting children with cancer and terminal illnesses in Luxembourg) ‘‘Foyer St Antoine’’ (supporting asylum seekers in Luxembourg) ‘‘Philippine Red Cross’’ (for people in need)

Walking for Water

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13 Years of Expansion and Success St George’s looks back at some of the milestones from Heather Duxbury’s time as Head Teacher.

2005

St George’s continues to rapidly expand; Years 5 and 6 move to Beggen in September, closely followed by Years 7, 8 and 9 in November.

2001 Mrs Duxbury’s first year at

St George’s. The School is located in Weimershof and is comprised of 85 students and 17 staff.

The School celebrates Roman Day for the first time as part of the curriculum.

The School welcomes a visit from Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

History Man visits the School for the first time and continues to be part of the Primary curriculum today.

The British Ambassador joins students and staff for St George’s Day.

2002 The School has a second set of portacabins installed during the school year providing an upstairs at their grounds in Weimershof.

St George’s introduces Design & Technology into the curriculum.

Three campuses Weimershof with Year 3, portacabins Years 4-6 and Years

2003

2004

Due to high demand St George’s forms two Year 1 classes for the first time.

2006 The first GCSEs are taken in French and German by transporting students to The British School of Brussels.

Ground is broken for grounds in Hamm.

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2008 The first

meals are provided built canteen.

For the first time, students collect coins and donate €6,660 for ‘Aide des Enfants Atteints d’un Cancer’.

The new Hamilius in Hamm for 379 members of staff.

Mrs Duxbury plays the Queen of Hearts for Book Week.

First appearance at the Place D’ Armes Christmas concert.

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Annual Report 2013-2014

The first GCSE on the premises.

As the School enters its next phase, I look forward to hearing of the continued achievements of St George’s staff and students. Thank you all.

are established: Early Years to in Hamm with 7-11 in Beggen.

the current school

07

2009

The Lentz building opens, offering space for the 131 students now in the Secondary school.

Construction of the Barthel Building is completed.

Spacious,well-equipped laboratories and classrooms transform the learning experience for students.

2013

St George’s appoints its first Principal, Dr Christian Barkei.

The first ‘Paper Plane Challenge’ for children with Leuk aemia raises €570.

2010

2011

2014

official school in the newly Primary school students create a Rainforest Art Exhibition for the public in The Grund, Luxembourg.

Heather Duxbury retires.

2012

St George’s makes contact with the International Space Station.

Luxembourgish is taught for the first time to Years 5 and 6.

Building opens students and 58 exams are taken

Several ceremonies during the last weeks of school allow students and staff to express their gratitude.

The Primary school publishes four books of creative writing, making each child a published author.

Annual Report 2013-2014

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Community

– Heather Duxbury, Head Teacher (Primary)

Student Achievement

24

Annual Report 2013-2014

Achievement Annual Report 2013-2014

25

Student Achievement Primary Students in Primary are assessed internally in Literacy, Numeracy, Science and the International Primary Curriculum on a termly basis as well as taking Progress in English (PiE) and Progress in Maths (PiM) exams every May. The internal assessments are kept as part of each student’s Record of Achievement, which parents can view at School in the summer term. In keeping with our emphasis on challenge and care, Records of Achievement are consistently monitored throughout the year to ensure all students are making personal progress.

Although the student cohort represents a majority of non-native English speakers, students at St George’s consistently perform above the UK national average in Progress in English (PiE) and Progress in Maths (PiM) exams. In 2014, the Maths results for Year 6 show a number of students reaching a level of 5a+, which is excellent given that the UK norm is level 4b. The results below demonstrate scores for the overall cohort, however we wish to celebrate the individual achievement of all our students.

English 2013

2014

English Year 6 - % Correct Process Categories

English Year 6 - % Correct English Process Categories 80

71

68 57

54

Spelling ng

elli

Sp

70

68

64

74

75

UK National Average

Simple Complex Retrieval Authorial lex ce rial es val ple ce Techniques mpInference trie tho n Sim rInference en Re Co nfere Au hniqu I c Infe e T

ste

nsi

Co

St George’s UK National % Correct

71

Grammar Grammar

UK National Average

26

ng

elli

Sp

54

74 65

Reading Reading Narrative Narrative

64

78

75

68

53

ion

uat

nct

Pu

66

88 79

ncy

ste

nsi

Co

UK National Average

x al ple e e iev ple Sim renc Com erenc Retr e f f n n I I

rial es tho Au hniqu c Te

St George’s

2014

English Year 6 - % Correct Curriculum Content Categories 87

82 70

Reading - NonReading NonNarrative Narrative

St George’s

Annual Report 2013-2014

77 77

73

70

65

57

53

Spelling Spelling

70

70

Group % Correct

English Year 6 - % Correct Curriculum Content Categories (Curriculum ContenCategories) 68

81

77

57

2013

57

81

53

Punctuation Consistency ncy tion

tua

nc Pu

66

76

2014

(Process Categories)

70

53

Spelling Spelling

Grammar Grammar

UK National Average

Reading Reading Narrative Narrative

St George’s

Reading - NonReading NonNarrative Narrative

Maths 2014

Maths Year 6 - % Correct Process Categories

Maths Year 6 - % Correct Process Categories

Maths 2014

Maths 2013

81 72

76

83 71 63

Knowing Facts and Knowing Procedures Facts and

Procedures

Using Concepts Using

Concepts

UK National Average

Solving Routine Solving Problems Routine

77 67

Reasoning Reasoning

Problems

St George’s

72

Knowing Facts and Knowing Procedures

Facts and Procedures

UK National Average

84 76

73

Using Concepts Using

Concepts

Solving Routine Solving Problems

Routine Problems

80 67

Reasoning Reasoning

St George’s

2014

Maths Year 6 - % Correct Curriculum Content Categories

75

80

63

2013

72

Achievement

2013

Maths Year 6 - % Correct Curriculum Content Categories

Maths 2014

80

84

79 70

76

71

62

(Curriculum Content Categories) 82 78 75 70

85 71

62

Number Number

UK National Average

Shape, Space and Shape, Measures

Space and Measures

St George’s

Data Handling Data Handling

Algebra Algebra

Number Number

UK National Average

Shape, Space and Shape, Measures

Space and Measures

Data Handling Data Handling

Algebra Algebra

St George’s

Results are shown from the 2013 and 2014 cohorts as the scores from May 2013 were not yet available for printing in the 2012-2013 Annual Report.

UK National Averages have been provided by GL Assessment and are based on national averages in the UK at the time the testing was standardised.

Annual Report 2013-2014

27

Student Achievement Secondary Test results from 2013 and 2014 speak for themselves - students at St George’s perform consistently above the UK average and have achieved a pass rate of nearly 100% at A2 level for two years in a row. To establish individual learning targets and closely monitor student progress in the years leading up to the exams, St George’s conducts Alis standardised testing. This not only prepares students for the challenges posed by GCSE and A level, but also for success at university and beyond.

Figures show that the percentage of St George’s A2 students who achieved grade A* or A was 14% higher than the UK average. Furthermore, the percentage of St George’s students who achieved a grade of A*-B at the A2 level was 6.6% higher than the UK average. Averages for GCSE exams are also positive: the percentage of St George’s students who achieved grade C or above was 13% higher than the UK national average; the percentage of A* or A grades was 11% higher.

2013 IGCSE Results

AS Level Results

A2 Level Results

69 students 289 exams 261 A*-C grades

32 students 102 exams 58 A-C grades

30 students 66 exams 49 A*-C grades

as % P s Rate 87 C or abo ve % 7 5

es

Pass Rat e 0% 0 1 5+ A-C g r ad % 92 % C or abov e 0 9

% Pass Rate 98 C or abo % ve 74

51%

40%

50%

A*/A grades

A/B grades

A*-B grades

2014 IGCSE Results

AS Level Results

A2 Level Results

51 students 366 exams 300 A*-C grades

34 students 113 exams 80 A-C grades

17 students 42 exams 34 A*-C grades

s

Pass Ra 0% t 10 5+ A-C g e r a % 82 C or ab de ov % 2 8

ass Ra %P te 89 C or abov % e 71

Pass Rat 0% e 10 C or abo % ve 81

e

32% A*/A grades

28

Annual Report 2013-2014

43%

60%

A/B grades

A*-B grades

Achievement

University Destinations

Students from the class of 2013 are currently pursuing the following courses at these universities:

Did you know?

Biology at University of Portsmouth, UK BSC Autism Studies at University of Kent, UK Applied Sports Science at University of Edinburgh, UK Geography at Lancaster University, UK Journalism at London School of Journalism (online course), UK Psychology at Erasmus University, Netherlands Animation Studies at Norwich University of the Arts, UK Mechanical Engineering at University of Loughborough, UK International Business at University of Loughborough, UK Business Management at KU Leuven, Belgium Publicity at the College of Advertising & Design, Belgium BSC Law at University of Maastricht, Netherlands Photography and New Media at Accademia Italiana, Italy Politics and Global Development at University of Winchester, UK Hospitality Management at Hotelschool The Hague, Netherlands

A levels are the British equivalent of the IB (International Baccalaureate), and allow access to universities across the world.

Students begin by taking national exams at age 16, (I)GCSEs, and must achieve a minimum of 5 or more passing grades in order to progress from Year 11 into Year 12 (the Sixth Form). Many subjects require students to have achieved an A or a B in an (I)GCSE exam in order to continue with the subject at A level.

At the end of the first year of Sixth Form, students typically take four AS-level exams; an A-C grade is recommended in order to continue with three chosen subjects in Year 13. At the end of Year 13, students take A2 exams.

Students from the class of 2014 have begun courses at the following universities: Music Technology at UWE Bristol, UK Mathematics at University of Bath, UK Physics at University of Bath, UK Economics at University of Surrey, UK International Relations at Aston University, UK Music Performance at BIMM Brighton Music College, UK English & Modern History at University of Liverpool, UK International Hospitality & Tourism at the Brussels Business Institute, Luxembourg International Studies at Leiden University, Netherlands European Studies at Luxembourg University, Luxembourg Hotel & Hospitality Management at Hotelschool The Hague, Netherlands Watchmaking, Switzerland Linguistics & English at York University, UK

British A levels are welcomed internationally by employers and universities and are seen as equivalent to the French Baccalaureate and the German Abitur.

Annual Report 2013-2014

29

Opportunities for Challenge and Care

MathsQuest, Berlin

Secondary Spelling Bee

Students rehearsing for the Comenius Ball

MathsQuest Four Primary students travelled to Berlin Brandenburg International School for four days to take part in an international maths competition with schools from all over the world. The team earned an impressive 8th place from a total of 29 teams.

Spelling Bees St George’s held its first Spelling Bees this year in both Primary and Secondary. Four finalists from each academic house competed in Primary for the winning trophy. In Secondary, students from Years 7, 8 and 9 competed in a tense competition that sought to find the best spellers in each year group. The three winners from each year then competed in a final where the overall winner brought home a “Supreme Champion Spelling Bee Trophy”.

World Peace Forum Several Year 11 and Year 12 students participated in the World Peace Forum Conference with peace activists, scholars, business leaders, and researchers from all around the world at the European Parliament in Luxembourg. The students met with war veterans to discuss the subject of peace and reconciliation.

“GREAT to be Happy!”

St George’s has been selected as the first-ever school in Luxembourg to be the coordinating partner of an EU Comenius project. The two-year project, involving partners from Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Turkey, will focus on what makes young people happier students. More than 50 international visitors and 150 members of the school community took part in the second Comenius International Ballroom Dancing Festival hosted by St George’s in March 2014.

Global Issues Network The principle and ethos of the Global Issues Network, or GIN, is “for the student, by the student” where Secondary students are encouraged to take responsibility and raise awareness of global issues and play a part in effecting positive change. Eight students from Years 11 and 12 represented St George’s at the 9th Annual European Global Issues Network Conference at the Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg, hearing keynote speakers over the course of two days and offering presentations titled “Does Stereotyping Lead to Racism?” and “What on Earth is Education?”. At the end of the school year, students in Secondary also participated in a GIN Activity Day where they proposed solutions to global issues such as pollution, natural disasters and deforestation.

30

Annual Report 2013-2014

Achievement European Global Issues Network Conference, Luxembourg

Mérite Jeunesse

World Challenge Seven students in Secondary travelled to Mongolia for 21 days to complete a week of trekking and to help out at a summer camp for kids. Their work included repainting the camp’s cookhouse, renovating the flooring in one of the residential dormatories and painting a mural.

Mérite Jeunesse The Mérite Jeunesse, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, is a self-development programme offered to students in Years 9-13. The award is comprised of four sections – designed to encourage personal development and growth in young people – in the areas of Community Service, Skill Development, Physical Recreation and Adventurous Journey. Participants demonstrate their commitment and motivation in achieving the goals they set for themselves in each of the areas.

In October 2013, 11 students qualified for the Bronze level after their expedition through the hills of Clervaux in northern Luxembourg. Three students in Year 12 undertook a four-day Gold practice expedition in the Vosges in April, and one St George’s student qualified for Gold in June 2014 after an expedition in the Swiss Alps near Grindelwald and Interlaken.

In July 2014, students participated in a Silver practice expedition to Troisvierges in northern Luxembourg. 20 students in total were presented with awards at the official Mérite Jeunesse Award Ceremony at the Forum Geesseknäppchen in March 2014 in the presence of Grand Duke Jean and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg.

School Trips Even the youngest St George’s students benefit from opportunities to learn beyond the school grounds. School trips form an important part of the curriculum, bringing the subject matter to life and engaging students on a high level. Off-site learning during the 2013-2014 school year included day trips to locations in Luxembourg such as the Museum of Modern Art (MUDAM), Vianden castle, the National Mining Museum, the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, and live theatre performances at the Abbey Neumunster and in Echternach. International destinations for residential trips included Austria, Belgium, France, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Annual Report 2013-2014

31

Enrichment Activities

Even after the last school bus has departed for the day, the St George’s school grounds remain full of life and activity. This is due to the popularity of extra-curricular activities, which encompass 56* different clubs with approximately 660 registrations – 100 more than in the previous year.

Approximately 70% of all Primary students and nearly 50% of all Secondary students participated in extracurricular activities during the 2013-2014 school year, with 45% of those students taking part in more than one club.

Sport Students can choose from a wide variety of different sporting activites after school. Options include football, badminton, swimming, sports leadership, netball, martial arts, team games, and skipping depending on age and ability level.

A team of Primary athletes travelled to Abu Dhabi to take part in the 2014 COBIS Games for Primary Schools this year, taking fourth place out of fifteen participating schools. A team of Secondary students also took part in the COBIS Games for Secondary Schools in Istanbul, placing third out of twelve participating schools.

In Primary, members of the Football club competed for the first time against other Luxembourg teams, which proved to be an exciting learning experience. A group of Secondary students also took part in the 7th International Unified Football Tournament in Austria, taking home 12 gold medals and a gold winners’ trophy.

Primary Interest in clubs offering arts and crafts, languages, and music grew enormously in popularity amongst Primary students this year, with a 15% increase in participants.

“Other’’ category includes: Chess, Games, Gardening, Reading, Sewing, Young First Aider.

Sport 34%

Arts & Languages 21%

Other 45%

Sport 37%

Arts & Languages 47%

Other 16%

Secondary The popularity of Mérite Jeunesse and the Global Issues Network accounted for growth during the 2013-2014 school year.

“Other” category includes: Debating, Global Issues Network, Mérite Jeunesse, Programming.

*Approximate values due to the fluctuation in the number of students enrolled and the differing number of clubs that were offered in the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms.

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Annual Report 2013-2014

Achievement

Art Students in Primary could participate in Arts & Crafts, Ceramics and Crafty Music as extra-curricular activities.

As part of the curricular Art programme, the St George’s Art Exhibition took place in May and featured amazing pieces of artwork from students in Early Years to Year 9, as well as works from students studying Art at GCSE and A level. Over 1000 pieces of artwork were included overall. The event is one of the highlights of the school year for students, parents and members of the community.

Debating 2013-2014 was the first year in which St George’s offered an opportunity for its Secondary students to develop their debating skills in an extra-curricular activity. Six students travelled to the Netherlands to compete against sixteen schools from all over the world in the Annual COBIS World Debate Championship.

Overall, the team came in fifth out of 16 schools, a tremendous achievement in their debut year.

Music Music is an important part of school life at St George’s – not only does the School offer A-level options in both Music and Music Technology, it also provides younger students with opportunities to practise and perform. 138 students participated in private music lessons this year, not including those who took part in the trumpet, percussion and flute ensembles or in the school choirs.

Drama An after-school Speech and Drama course was offered in conjunction with the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) for the first time; Primary participants take exams of their acting and improvisation skills at the end of the course.

A positive addition to the Primary curriculum during the 2013-2014 academic year was also the addition of Drama for students in Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6). Students adapted and performed their own musical productions, which linked to their other curriculum work. In Secondary, Drama students in Year 11 researched, adapted, wrote and performed pieces for their controlled assessment based on the theme “Absolute Power Corrupts”.

Music Exams 32 students participated in the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams in June 2014, with students registering for the first time in voice and cello.

This was a record number of participants for the School and the visiting examiner was very complimentary of the overall standard of the examinees.

88% of all participants received a passing grade, 3 with distinction and 6 with merit.

Annual Report 2013-2014

33

School Development

34

Annual Report 2013-2014

Development Annual Report 2013-2014

35

Parent Feedback Parent feedback comes in all different forms. Whether it be a formal letter to the Principal, comments shared at a parent rep meeting or a quick email to the Reception Desk, St George’s takes the opinions of its families very seriously.

The School receives feedback throughout the year, most of it overwhelmingly positive. Many parents would like to thank the staff for their hard work and dedication to students and let the School know how much their child has improved whilst at St George’s.

Of course, some of the feedback received from parents also includes suggestions on how we might improve. One of the most common points the School receives comment on is the stress of Kiss and Fly in the mornings. Like many of the other schools in Luxembourg, St George’s is not immune to traffic congestion at pick-up and drop-off times and the area surrounding the School has only a limited number of parking spaces. Together with the Ville de Luxembourg, the School is attempting to address the issues around the school grounds and encourages parents to drive and park in ways that will ease the flow of traffic around the School or to register students for one of the school buses.

Another area offering potential for improvement is the ordering process for canteen lunches - this year the procedure was made more convenient by making order forms and menus available on the Parent Portal, however several other ways to streamline the entire process to improve efficiency, accuracy and flexibility are being explored.

A parent survey will be undertaken in the 2014-2015 school year in order to obtain a more comprehensive and representative overview of the issues that are important to parents. In the meantime, feedback from the 16 families who left the School after the 2013-2014 school year and completed the leaving questionnaire is presented below.

As always, we thank all parents who offer their feedback and welcome comments and constructive criticism as we continue to expand and grow.

Results 0%

10%

20%

30%

I found it easy to approach class teachers if I had a concern or question I felt I was well informed about my child/children’s progress in school

5

The School and staff enabled my child/children to achieve high academic standards in their work

5

60%

1

5

Agree

20%

40%

60%

I feel the School encourages parent participation

1

10

1

I offered to run an after-school activity/club

100%

2

2

7 13

As a family we have attended social events

3

7

9 9

Agree

Annual Report 2013-2014

Disagree

Yes

No

2

1

80%

9

1

1

12

4

1

10

Neither agree nor disagree

12

2

1

12

Strongly agree

1

1

1

3

I have helped out with school trips/cookery/art/special events

100%

1

1

11

0%

90%

1

7

5

My family gave support to the School

80%

10

1

I feel there is a high level of care given to pupils

36

70% 9

6

The school encourages and achieves a high standard of pupil behaviour

I volunteered as a class representative

50%

10

I felt the level of work to be completed at home was age appropriate School Management handled any complaints that I voiced well

40%

7

No Response

Disagree

Strongly disagree

School Services School Bus

School Canteen The school canteen remains a popular option for families, with a 14% increase in the number of school lunches ordered in 2013-2014 compared to the previous year.

67,074 111 Hot lunches served during the 2013-2014 school year

Number of students arriving by school bus on an average morning

Fun Club/Secondary Homework Club/Study Hall A measure of our success in offering affordable after-school care is the fact that it is always full to capacity - our Fun Club continues to be in extremely high demand. In Secondary, Homework Club and the Key Stage 4 and 5 Study Hall were well utilised, however the School would encourage even more students to take advantage of this service.

Participation in Primary Fun Club by Year Group Average 13%

28%

28%

27%

27%

31%

25%

9%

24%

Future Development The School is always exploring ways to improve its already well-equipped facilities in order to better accommodate the wide variety of activities that are a part of school life.

Improvements to the outdoor play areas for the Primary school were already implemented in the summer of 2014 in order to be ready for students in September 2014. The area around the red and green mound was re-fitted with a well-cushioned, durable surface to allow children to safely climb and jump; a stairway was added to the Early Years outdoor learning area to expand the available space for children to play and explore.

In addition, permission for use of the area of land behind the Barthel building was obtained in order to offer students more space for outdoor activities.

With the continued strong support of the local and national authorities in Luxembourg, the School has also finalised an expansion plan for the School on its current site. This will allow for the construction of a new building to incorporate additional classrooms and other facilities.

Annual Report 2013-2014

37

Development

The School took measures to accommodate the growing demand for school bus transport, working with the Ville de Luxembourg and local transport companies to establish a fourth bus route starting in September 2013 for students living in the Hesperange area. In addition, the already existing bus routes experienced a significant increase of 13% (Bertrange), 34% (Canach), and 72% (Kirchberg) in the number of trips compared to the previous year. The School continues to offer the buses free of charge.

Curriculum Development Members of the Extended Management Team share the ways in which learning at St George’s has been enriched over the past year.

This year the Early Years Foundation Stage children have been able to extend their learning and development in the outside areas. The children of Early Years have had a dedicated practitioner to support them in exploring the greater environment of the school grounds – this has been so successful that we have extended this to include the local community area by having weekly trips to the Hamm village bakery.

The children of Reception have benefitted from the appointment of an outdoor coordinator who has focussed on resourcing and organising an inviting and intriguing learning area.

Both year groups have worked extremely hard to implement the advice of Jan White, an internationally renowned speaker on Outdoor Learning, who visited St George’s during the summer of 2013. Her training helped staff to understand the potential of the outdoor areas and their impact on the children’s learning and personal development.

- Mrs Homer, Achievement and Progress Leader (Early Years Foundation Stage)

In Milepost 1 the children have enjoyed having Literacy taught in a more cross-curricular manner. This has meant that Topic and Science have been incorporated into the lessons, in turn this enabled reading and writing to be more purposeful which resulted in higher achievement levels and more interest on the part of the children. In ICT, the children had many fantastic opportunities: they have used the iPads to research International Primary Curriculum topics and used the Purple Mash software to extend and support their learning. One Year 2 class has been piloting various ideas made possible by the new website – writing a class blog and having paperless homework.

- Miss Lawther, Achievement and Progress Leader (Milepost 1)

This year in Modern Foreign Languages we have increased the use of IT in lessons to enrich the learning experience. Students have been able to use the iPads or the computers to either learn or practise vocabulary and grammar.

Some websites have also been used as tools for creative writing and to create animations. In Key Stage 5 students have also created and managed their own personal website throughout the year.

- Mr Foz, Secondary Head of Faculty (Modern Foreign Languages)

38

Annual Report 2013-2014

- Mrs Skinner, Achievement and Progress Leader (Milepost 2) and Miss Watson, Achievement and Progress Leader (Milepost 3)

There has been a greater uptake of Further Maths at AS level this year, which is a self-taught option. It has extremely challenging course content in addition to it being self-taught, but a Maths teacher offers support and guidance. We have also had a selected number of extremely able students take their IGCSE Maths one year early.

A number of students have been involved in international Science and Maths competitions – some based within the School and some off-site. We have employed an additional Science teacher this year, allowing for an increased number of sets (therefore smaller class sizes) in most year groups.

- Mr Stenton, Secondary Head of Faculty (Maths/Science)

We have implemented a significant overhaul of the assessment in Key Stage 3 History and Geography. Each class now takes the same assessments, which range from posters to essays. This means that the students are being assessed against the same criteria. We have also begun to introduce Humanities-based trips at Key Stage 3 level where we combine History and Geography elements on the same trip – for example the Year 7 trip to Vianden Castle looked at the historical evolution of the castle and also the geographical reasons for the location of the settlement.

To help them keep better track of the progress targets they have set for themselves, students are now also given Target Tables that they keep in the front of their books or folders.

- Mr Shaw, Secondary Head of Faculty (Humanities)

This year there have been numerous theatre trips to see productions that students have studied this year, e.g. War Horse, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and West Side Story.

We’ve also introduced student-friendly target setting and target monitoring sheets to aid students’ understanding of their learning progress.

- Mr Todd, Secondary Head of Faculty (English)

Annual Report 2013-2014

39

Development

In Key Stage 2 all children have had Speaking, Listening and Drama skills lessons which resulted in them being able to write part of the scripts for their annual Drama performances. With the increased emphasis on speaking and discussion, Year 3 piloted oral discussion follow-up homework to their reading books instead of the traditional written answers. The new Maths scheme has helped extend the learning of all the pupils in the Key Stage, raising the end of term results and giving them more opportunities for building problem solving skills.

In Year 6 pupils had Mixed Martial Arts lessons as part of the Physical Education curriculum, teaching them a range of defence skills and techniques as well as developing balance, co-ordination and self-control.

All the pupils in Key Stage 2 were introduced to computer programming as part of their ICT lessons during the summer term. This has involved the pupils in thinking logically, being able to spot errors and solve problems, and being resilient when ideas do not go to plan. Use has also been made of the new iPads to undertake research for the International Primary Curriculum.

Exciting New Possibilities Congratulations on the new format of the newsletter as well as the new website. They look absolutely great and are tremendously useful!

– Grace, a St George’s parent

A number of new improvements make communication with parents more convenient and reliable The 2013-2014 academic year was a busy one in terms of administrative development and the School’s efforts were well-received by the St George’s community. Keeping the needs of its families in mind, St George’s introduced a number of new features to improve the way it communicates. This included, most significantly, a new school website with a password-protected community portal for more secure sharing of resources. Other improvements included:

40

Annual Report 2013-2014

•

An online booking system for Primary Report Days and performances, which eliminates the need for parents to be present at school in order to book appointments or obtain tickets for shows.

•

A new, easy-to-read newsletter format with links to school news headlines and important dates.

•

An SMS notification system for the communication of emergency school closure or school trip updates.

•

A trial of paperless school reports and exam results letters.

•

Online access to important school forms and the ability to change contact information via the Parent Portal.

Well-structured, easy to browse for information, visually appealing it is a very welcome change.

Well done!

Development

– Martin, a St George’s parent regarding the new website

Investments in technology provide engaging learning opportunities and help students prepare for the future The use of technology in the classroom continues to be of importance – not only to help students develop the computer skills that they will need for further education and the workplace, but also as an effective approach for helping students engage with the learning material. A few of the ways the School has invested in new, up-to-date technology during the 2013-2014 school year:

•

20 new iPads for student use in Primary.

• 30 new iPads for student use in Secondary.

• 42 new computers for student use in Primary classrooms.

• 81 new computers in Secondary ICT and study rooms.

•

New HD-projectors in several classrooms throughout the School to improve the quality of interactive whiteboards.

•

Introduction of “App Inventor 2” to allow Secondary students to design their own apps for Android-platform mobile phones and Windows 8 computers.

• •

A-level students were given the opportunity to participate in an Extended Project in Programming, which allowed them to use Java, Javascript, C++ and C# on a student-administered network.

Annual Report 2013-2014

41

Finance

42

Annual Report 2013-2014

Finance Annual Report 2013-2014

43

Finance

January - December 2013

Other income 1.1%

Income Like all international schools, St George’s relies on tuition fees as its main source of income.

However the School also benefits from the generous support of the Luxembourg Ministry of Education. The amount of assistance received for operating costs varies each year and is proportionate to the number of students in the School.

Government Subsidies 28.7%

Tuition & Fees 70.2%

Further details on the amount of subsidy received can be found in Section 3 of this report.

Furniture, Equipment 6.0%

Other 4.8%

Buildings 10.7%

Expenditure Great staff make for a great school – that is why salaries and related personnel costs account for the main expenditures of the School, followed by maintenance and utilities fees for the school grounds.

Expenditure for furniture and equipment, which increased slightly since last year, includes expenses incurred for IT equipment and computer security.

44

Annual Report 2013-2014

Educational Expenses 6.7%

Salaries 71.8%

Summary of Income and Expenditure Accounts January - December 2013 (EUR)

INCOME

Jan-Dec 2013

Jan-Dec Var 2012 /N-1

Jan-Dec 2011

PRODUITS

Net Tuition/ Application Fees + Ancillary Activities

6,613,241

6,104,163

5,289,020

Frais de Scolarité/Admission et Activités Annexes

Subsidies from the Luxembourg Ministry of Education

2,700,649

2,307,988

1,897,813

Subventions du Ministère de l’Education Luxembourg

- 297

- 8,960

3,134

Fonds levés par les parents

Transfer from Stability Fund

94,892

-

59,792

Transfert du Fonds de Roulement

Other Income (2)

16,146

- 6,004

20,728

Autres Produits

12% 8,397,187 15% 7,270,487

TOTAL PRODUITS

Parents Fundraising - Net (1)

TOTAL INCOME

9,424,632

Var /N-1

EXPENDITURE

Jan-Dec Var 2013 /N-1

Jan-Dec 2012

Var Jan-Dec /N-1 2011

CHARGES

Salaries + Related Expenses

6,768,603

6,255,813

5,355,653

Salaires et Frais Liés

633,491

566,442

486,821

Matériel Didactique

1,012,876

763,164

670,922

Immeubles (Entretien, etc)

Furniture + Equipment (including IT)

558,605

356,223

374,063

Mobilier et Equipement (y compris Informatique)

Other Expenses

451,057

455,544

383,027

Autres Charges

8,397,187 15% 7,270,487

TOTAL CHARGES

Educational Expenses Buildings (Utilities, Maintenance, Sports Facilities, etc)

TOTAL EXPENDITURE NET RESULT

9,424,632 12% 0

0

0

RESULTAT

Notes : The School’s 2013 accounts were audited and approved by the Luxembourg Government in February 2014.

(1) The accumulated net amount raised by parents (1,388 Euro) is ring-fenced and planned to be used in 2014.

(2) The Other Income includes both the Income and the Expenses linked with the Comenius projects.

Annual Report 2013-2014

45

Finance

1.

2.

Balance Sheet as of December 31st, 2013 (EUR)

ASSETS

31/12/13

31/12/12

31/12/11

FIXED ASSETS Land

ACTIF IMMOBILISATIONS

264,999

264,999

264,999

Terrain

Buildings and Equipment (Net Cost)

2,105,398

3,287,791

3,303,493

Bâtiments et Equipement (Coût Net)

Total

2,370,397

3,552,790

3,568,492

Total

CURRENT ASSETS Accounts Receivable

ACTIF CIRCULANT 2,947,730

2,973,079

2,515,917

Comptes Clients

Subsidy Receivable

295,208

189,757

189,781

Subventions à Recevoir

Bank - Stability Fund Account

874,273

662,351

716,598

Compte “Fonds de Roulement”

Bank - Building Fund Accounts

828,876

122,895

See below

Comptes “Building Fund”

Bank - Current Accounts

499,345

414,001

595,211

Comptes courants

6,824

6,317

3,986

Caisse

Total

5,452,256

4,368,399

4,021,493

Total

TOTAL ASSETS

7,822,652

7,921,189

7,589,985

TOTAL ACTIF

Petty Cash

LIABILITIES

PASSIF

EQUITY Retained Earnings

- 151,506

- 151,506

- 151,506

Report à Nouveau

-

-

-

Résultat Exercice

Stability Fund

783,817

807,780

669,479

Fonds de Roulement

Total

632,311

656,274

517,973

Total

Current Year Profit/(Loss)

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES BCEE Loans

3,313,042

3,508,854

2,821,330

Prêts à Long-terme

See above

See above

714,621

Comptes “Building Fund”

Refundable Deposits

291,684

318,746

273,059

Cautions Remboursables

Accounts Payable

342,977

285,300

398,696

Comptes Fournisseurs

3,122,533

3,009,399

2,614,693

Prod. constatés d’avance

120,106

142,615

249,613

Autres Charges à Payer

Total

3,877,300

3,756,061

4,250,682

Total

TOTAL LIABILITIES

7,822,652

7,921,189

7,589,985

TOTAL PASSIF

CURRENT LIABILITIES Bank - Building Fund Accounts

Prepaid Tuition Fees Other Current Liabilities

46

Annual Report 2013-2014

3.

Luxembourg Government Subsidy Law

The School receives three types of subsidy that have been in force since January 1st, 2004: 1. Per capita subsidy to support annual operating expenditure for all students age 3+ on September 1st.

Amount per capita (for 2013) Primary pupils € 3,185 Secondary students € 6,078

Contributions to this Stability Fund are invoiced as a separate item to parents and the amounts received are held in a separate bank account. If the school suffers a loss, the amount of the loss can be recovered from this Stability Fund.

The Stability Fund is now capped by the law to 50% of the salaries and related charges in 2012.

2. Maintenance subsidy up to a % of the standard government cost per m³ for school buildings. For maintenance of building infrastructure only. The School started to receive this Subsidy in 2010.

Up to 2013 included, the percentage is 2% of the standard government cost per m³ for school buildings.

Starting 2014, it is 1% of the standard government cost per m³ for school buildings.

3. Building subsidy covering up to 80% of government-approved quotes for buildings.

4.

Stability Fund Bank Account

Transfers into, and out of, the account (EUR):

Year

Amounts In

(Out)

Balance

2006

130,485

2007

216,581

-65,164

281,902

2008

294,557

-384,595

191,864

2009

366,495

0

558,359

2010

121,480

0

679,839

2011

114,078

-77,319

716,598

2012

5,545

-59,792

662,351

2013

211,922

0

874,273

130,485

Annual Report 2013-2014

47

Finance

The law does not allow for the subsidy to permit the School to make a surplus. If a loss is made, the government does not provide any further support. However, negotiations with the government have resulted in approval for a Stability Fund.

5.

Building Fund Bank Account

Building Fund contributions have been in operation since 2003. The account has two principal uses. First, it provides a short-term credit facility for the financing of any building. Once the total cost of the new building, net of government subsidy payments, has been finalised, the net cost of the building is transferred to a long-term loan. The repayments on this loan are then financed by drawings on the Building Fund.

Transfers into, and out of, the account (EUR):

EUR

Amounts In

Paid for Constructions

Loans (Net)

Balance

2003-2007

682,307

-1,915,057

1,645,530

412,780

2008

301,379

-754,470

653,397

613,086

2009

392,440

-2,188,182

-156,373

-1,339,029

2010

804,467

-609,749

637,966

-506,345

2011

689,629

-728,087

-169,819

-714,622

2012

1,000,000

-769,985

607,502

122,895

2013

750,000

183,228

-227,247

828,876

6.

Budget January - December 2014 (EUR)

INCOME

Jan-Dec 2014

PRODUITS

Net Tuition/ Appl. Fees + Ancillary Activities

7,076,359

Frais de Scolarité/Admission et Activités Annexes

Subsidies from the Luxembourg Ministry of Education

2,856,732

Subventions du Ministère de l’Education Luxembourg

-1,388

Fonds levés par les parents

Transfer from Stability Fund

-

Transfert du Fonds de Roulement

Other Income

-

Autres Produits

9,931,703

TOTAL PRODUITS

Parents Fundraising - Net

TOTAL INCOME

EXPENDITURE Salaries + Related Expenses

CHARGES 7,682,272

Salaires et Frais Liés

Educational Expenses

623,235

Matériel Didactique

Buildings (Utilities, Maintenance, Sports Facilities, etc)

856,395

Immeubles (Entretien, etc)

Furniture + Equipment (including IT)

299,950

Mobilier et Equipement (y compris Informatique)

Other Expenses

451,477

Autres Charges

9,913,329

TOTAL CHARGES

18,374

RESULTAT

TOTAL EXPENDITURE NET RESULT

48

Annual Report 2013-2014

Achieving potential through challenge and care.

St George’s International School, Luxembourg ASBL 11, rue des Peupliers L-2328 Luxembourg Phone: +352 42 32 24 Fax: +352 42 32 34 E-mail: reception@st-georges.lu www.st-georges.lu

52

Annual Report 2013-2014