Clothes pegs were once again filled with bags and coats at St George's International School yesterday as students returned for the first day of the new academic year.
For 146 students, Thursday 3 September 2015 represented their first day as a new pupil at St George's, a school which has grown exponentially since it first opened 25 years ago with just 12 students and 3 staff members. With a student body that has grown since 1990 to the current figure of 712, St George's knows how daunting the first day of school can be for new pupils.
"One of the things we do is try to have as many staff around as possible, so it's always welcoming, it's always friendly," explained Dr. Christian Barkei, who has been Principal at St George's International School Luxembourg since 2013 and who spoke with The Chronicle on the first day of term. "We have senior staff welcoming people at the gates and we make sure everyone knows where they are going."
New students will be joining a school that has grown significantly not just in numbers but in diversity. Whilst UK students consitute the largest minority, at around 30%, more then 50 different nationalities are represented at St George's.
"We pride ourselves on a combination of British ethos and school programme and at the same time a sense of internationalism," continued Dr. Barkei.
This sense of international community is carried through the school up until Year 13, when students are often encouraged to apply to universities not just in the UK but worldwide, with Dr. Barkei citing the choice made by students to attend the University of Luxembourg or universities in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands or Italy as an outcome the school has been very happy with.
The A Level curriculum offered by St George's places pupils in good stead for university applications, allowing students to study four subjects in-depth, providing them with a comprehensive knowledge of their future field of interest.
"I think the important thing that it is a flexible qualification, so whether you want to go back to the UK or look further afield it's a very suitable qualification and universities like it," commented Dr. Barkei. The Principal went on to explain how the St George's Year 12 and 13 curriculum, which is split bi-fold into the AS and A2 levels, allows prospective universities to "make a good judgement on academic ability" and encourages students to work hard in both years.
The small class sizes present in St George's also represent an important component in the school's philosophy, which seeks to balance the ability to focus on the individual needs of the student whilst maintaining the capacity to offer a wide-ranging academic curriculum.
Dr. Barkei described the current amount of 712 students at the school as an "optimal size", stating that "if you go beyond a certain number you lose focus on the individual child."
It is for this reason that the construction of a new building, currently underway and due for completion in June 2016, will aim to benefit the existing student body rather than attempt to incorporate more pupils. This new building will provide a new theatre with a capacity for 340 seats, library, music and drama centre, as well as ten new classrooms.
2015-16 also represents an exciting academic year for St George's as it marks the 25th anniversary of the school. This will be duly celebrated with a series of events throughout the school terms, culminating in a themed gala to mark the opening of the building towards the end of the year.
Reflecting on these anticipated changes and developments, Dr. Barkei concluded: "One of the things I'm particularly happy about is to see how much enjoyment there is on the first day of school, with students happily coming back to St George’s. We are fully prepared for the next academic year. I think it's going to be a great success."
Photos by Sarah Graham. Bottom photo by St George's International School, Luxembourg (School Principal Dr. Christian Barkei)
