In the fast-paced society our students are growing up in, one of the greatest keys to success is balance: balance between working hard to achieve academic goals and having time to develop socially, discover personal passions, and understand the importance of rest and relaxation.
Today’s students are more likely than previous generations to experience challenges relating to mental health and wellbeing, with an estimated one in seven (14.3%) of 10–19-year-olds living with a mental health condition. The reasons for this are difficult to capture fully in statistics, as there are many influences that may positively or negatively affect a young person’s mental health. Common experiences such as bereavement, family separation, academic pressure, and relationship difficulties can all contribute to poor mental health. There is also growing evidence to suggest that a lack of connection with the natural world may affect young people’s wellbeing. While there is often little we can do as educators to shield students from life’s challenges, we can help equip them with the tools to maintain good mental health and to learn through experience.
One of the key aims of a well-rounded education, particularly in a boarding environment where the school is responsible for students both in and out of lesson time, is to ensure that young people are healthy and happy. The World Health Organization defines health as “a complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Frankish et al. describe health more broadly as “the capacity of people to adapt to, respond to, or control life’s challenges and changes.” The ability to demonstrate both physical and mental resilience is a strength that can have a profound influence on a young person’s ability to navigate the world around them, and it is one that must be developed through experience.
The school motto, “Be Happy and Never, Never, Never Give Up,” embodies this commitment to developing the whole child beyond the classroom by bringing fun and enjoyment into all aspects of learning. Crucially, embracing this motto means recognising that there is more than one kind of fun. A useful way to think about this is in three categories:
Type 1 Fun: fun in the moment: enjoyable tasks or activities that are pleasant at the time and rewarding to remember.
Type 2 Fun: fun afterwards: activities that feel hard or unpleasant in the moment, but bring a sense of achievement or fulfilment once completed.
Type 3 Fun: not enjoyable at the time, and not especially enjoyable afterwards, but memorable enough to make a great story.
Through carefully planned opportunities, students can experience all three types of fun, allowing them to challenge themselves, succeed and fail, learn from their experiences, and apply those lessons later in life. They learn that challenge is essential for personal growth, and that supporting one another and making safe choices are valuable life skills.
Living in Villars-sur-Ollon offers exactly this kind of real-world learning just beyond the school gates. Students are encouraged to walk, ski, and play sports regularly. The school calendar begins on the first weekend of the September term with a walk for all students and staff from the top of the mountain back down to school, giving students the opportunity to appreciate the views while talking with peers and teachers. It is also an excellent way to demonstrate the benefits of regular physical activity, which has been shown to support brain development, mood regulation, and cognitive function.
This balance between classroom learning and physical wellbeing continues throughout the year, with initiatives such as the Winter Challenge, house events, and sports academy programmes reinforcing the idea that human health and wellbeing are strengthened through meaningful connections between people and place. By encouraging pupils to find purpose in the time they spend both in and out of lessons, we help them recognise a positive impact on their own mental health, as progress towards meaningful goals is central to many theories of wellbeing.
This commitment to personal growth and development is fully embraced by the staff body. From medal-winning white-water rafters and casual paragliders to ultra-marathon runners and lifelong learners engaged in educational research, our staff model the value of purpose and the pursuit of fun throughout each student’s time at La Garenne. They show that life is a journey to be enjoyed, that saying yes to new experiences can lead to genuine personal growth, and that you are never too old to “Be Happy and Never, Never, Never Give Up.”
