Chalet Le Roc

Senior School Students Years 10-13 (MYP4-DP2)

Our largest and newest boarding house is called Le Roc. It was designed with input from students and staff and encompasses student accommodation, classrooms, a gym, comfortable student lounges and a large open plan refectory and reception area. Some four years in the planning, Le Roc opened in January 2021 and welcomes up to 80 boarders each year.

 

Le Roc accommodation is mostly in two-bed suites, each with their own bathroom, study space and incredible views over the Alps to the towering peak of Mont Blanc. Within the boarding house, students are encouraged to organise activities themselves, with a focus on building valid peer relationships alongside relaxation and socialising. Wellbeing and holistic therapies feature strongly, as stress needs to be acknowledged and remedied.

 

With age comes responsibility. Students at Le Roc have weekly duties which help the boarding house run smoothly. Duties also prepare students for life beyond school, where they will need to be equipped with strategies for managing their own money, for taking care of themselves and for studying completely independently at university. While these four years are increasingly devoted to academics, we do not expect Le Roc students to spend all their time on their studies. All students continue to play a full part in the sporting and cultural life of the school. Expeditions and compulsory school trips are designed to take them outside their comfort zones and challenge their own expectations of self.

 

Le Roc students also have privileges, such as being able to have takeaways on a Friday and the freedom to go into the village on their own. They have regular access to mobile phones and electronic devices. However, this is very closely monitored and phones are not allowed during class or during sporting activities.

 

Charting a path through these later teenage years is not always straightforward. For this reason, Le Roc’s houseparents are required to complete specific training courses for working with teenagers. In the same way that parents sometimes need to deploy tough love, our houseparents know exactly when to step in, and when to leave alone. We celebrate success and we applaud those who go the extra mile in the boarding house. We all have the same aim - to see our students become confident, sociable, responsible, empathetic and happy adults.

 

Students who live and work at Le Roc are expected to behave as the young adults they are. As in a family, discussions about expectations, worries and relationships are a feature of life at Le Roc. However, when things go wrong, it’s important that students understand that there are consequences. This is not to say that we advocate punishment over reward. Far from it. Boundaries are in place to help, not to hinder.

 

Le Roc follows La Garenne’s philosophy of providing a holistic and supportive structure, giving each student the opportunity to flourish in exceptional surroundings and to become curious, creative, and independent critical thinkers.