Beyond the classroom
Making every part of school life an opportunity to grow
An education at Surval extends far beyond academic study. Alongside the American High School Programme, girls have opportunities to explore their interests, develop new skills, contribute to their community and discover more about themselves.
Our enrichment programme brings together creative, cultural, practical and leadership experiences that complement each girl’s academic pathway. In a small school, we can encourage individual interests while also giving girls the confidence to try something completely new.
The result is a richer school experience, where learning happens in the classroom, across campus and through the many experiences girls share together.
Discovering new interests
Enrichment creates space within school life for curiosity and creativity.
Through Visual Arts, girls can experiment with drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography and other forms of expression. The emphasis is on exploring ideas, developing creativity and gaining the confidence to produce work that feels individual.
Opportunities in Performing Arts can include singing, dance, guitar, piano and other instruments. Surval’s size also gives us the flexibility to respond to the interests and talents of individual students.
Girls do not need to arrive as accomplished artists, musicians or performers. Enrichment is about having the opportunity to participate, experiment and discover something they enjoy.
Learning practical skills for life
Some of the most valuable learning at Surval is highly practical.
Culinary Arts gives girls experience in the kitchen, developing skills in areas such as food preparation, baking, pastry and presentation. Alongside practical techniques, girls can explore international food cultures, nutrition and sustainability.
There are also opportunities to use these skills as part of wider school life, including cultural evenings, events, entertaining guests and charitable activities.
These experiences build independence and confidence while giving girls useful skills they can take with them into adult life.
Developing confidence through Savoir Vivre
Surval’s distinctive Savoir Vivre programme adds another dimension to an American High School education.
Drawing on Surval’s Swiss heritage, Savoir Vivre helps girls develop the social confidence and cultural awareness to feel comfortable in different situations and with people from different backgrounds.
Girls have opportunities to develop their communication, presentation and etiquette through both dedicated learning and everyday school experiences. Formal dinners, afternoon teas, international travel, cultural events and welcoming visitors to the school can all become opportunities to put these skills into practice.
Savoir Vivre has its own dedicated section on our website, where you can discover more about its heritage and the different experiences that make up the programme.
Finding her voice
Girls are encouraged not simply to participate in school life, but to help shape it.
Through Student Voice, committees and student-led activities, they can share ideas, take responsibility and contribute to the Surval community. Opportunities within the High School experience include:
- Charity and Leadership
- Debating and Model United Nations
- Eco Committee
- Clubs covering interests such as books, arts, film and sport
These experiences give girls practical opportunities to communicate, collaborate and lead. They learn to express an opinion clearly, listen to other perspectives and turn ideas into action.
Learning through an international community
Enrichment also happens simply by being at Surval.
Girls live and study alongside students from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. They encounter different languages, traditions, celebrations and points of view as a natural part of everyday life.
Living within this international community encourages curiosity and openness. Girls learn how to communicate across cultures, appreciate different perspectives and become increasingly comfortable in unfamiliar situations.
Trips, excursions, cultural events and the wider boarding experience extend this learning further, connecting what happens at school with the world beyond it.
Building confidence through participation
An important part of enrichment is encouraging girls to step beyond what they already know.
That might mean speaking in a debate for the first time, taking responsibility for a school initiative, trying a new creative activity, cooking for others or attending a formal event.
Not every girl will be drawn to the same experiences. What matters is that each has opportunities to participate, explore and gradually become more confident in what she can do.
Preparing for life beyond school
Academic achievement is an important part of a Surval education, but it is only one part.
Enrichment gives girls opportunities to develop qualities that will matter at university and beyond: confidence, creativity, independence, communication, collaboration, leadership and cultural awareness.
Together with the American High School curriculum, these experiences help girls develop not only the knowledge to take their next step, but the confidence and perspective to make the most of it.
An education shaped for the whole person
Discover how Surval combines academic study with experiences that help every girl explore her interests, develop her strengths and prepare for the world ahead.