Our school was founded on a distinctive ethos: the balanced development of mind, body and spirit. This philosophy underpins everything we do at Aiglon, both inside and outside the classroom.

Aiglon College was founded in 1949 as the living manifestation of John Corlette’s pioneering educational vision. As Founder of the school and its Head Master for 23 years, he established a set of values and educational priorities which remain at the very core of Aiglon’s identity.

We are committed to ensuring that these founding values and priorities continue to provide a strong and coherent foundation for the school. We do not see this as an obligation to resist change and evolution; rather we are dedicated to ensuring that an Aiglon education remains relevant and appropriate for the young men and women of today, preparing them for tomorrow and a world in constant motion.

Guiding Principles

These guiding principles were articulated in the first decades of the school’s existence through a variety of statements expressed by the Founder. Since his death in 1977, succeeding generations of teachers and school leaders have sought to sustain the spirit, purpose and focus of John Corlette’s vision; the school’s growth and evolution as well as its rapidly earned world-wide reputation bear witness to the timeless values of his vision and to the passion of those who have nurtured it and built upon it.

MIND

By developing our minds we focus on our intellect and capacity to think, learn and reflect powerfully and purposefully.

BODY

By developing our bodies we focus on our physical fitness and maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle.

SPIRIT

By developing our spirit we focus on the essence of ourselves and explore faith, service and purpose.

OUR Pathways

How do we achieve a balanced development of mind, body and spirit? Through:

Challenge
Respect
Responsibility
Diversity
Service

In Depth: Mind, Body, Spirit

MIND

The development of the MIND focuses on the intellect and the capacity to think, learn and reflect powerfully and purposefully.

Aiglon seeks to challenge its students intellectually and academically, encouraging them to be inquisitive and motivated learners, able to reach an ever-growing understanding of the world around them through rigorous and critical thinking and the acquisition of a strong body of knowledge.

This process encourages respect for a range of ideas and opinions, acknowledging that learning requires a need for open-mindedness, humility and an interest in multiple perspectives. A respectful mind focuses not just on the self, but on others and the priorities of the world around us.

The world of the intellect and ideas requires recognition that we all carry responsibility. A well developed mind will reﬂect on issues of morality and rightful action, and accept that we must assume the consequences of our attitudes and actions. These responsibilities are to ourselves, to others and to our environment.

A well-developed mind can engage with the world in a diversity of ways. Alongside knowledge and reasoning it shows creativity, aesthetic awareness, judgement, freedom from prejudice and true breadth of interest.

A generous mind recognises the importance of service to others as an essential part of creating a harmonious and healthy society.

BODY

The development of the BODY focuses on physical fitness and the maintaining of an active and healthy lifestyle.

Aiglon education provides physical challenge to build strength, resilience and ﬁtness as well as to build conﬁdence and a sense of achievement as the rewards for physical effort.

This process builds respect, both for oneself and for others who undertake physical challenges. Respect for one’s body includes good living habits such as healthy diet, exercise, rest, personal cleanliness and tidiness.

Respect for one’s body requires making choices that reﬂect responsibility and the avoidance of habits that diminish ﬁtness and physical aptitude.

The development of the body can take a diversity of forms. In addition to personal exercise regimes, physical development is promoted through team and individual sports, expeditions and performance. Furthermore, dexterity, co-ordination, sensitivity and awareness can be developed through a wide range of skills that include all the creative and performing arts.

A ﬁt and able body means that physical effort can be applied in the service of others.

SPIRIT

The development of the SPIRIT focuses on the essence of ourselves and the exploration of faith, service and purpose in life.

Developing the spirit represents a challenge to move beyond the intellectual and physical and to reﬂect on the deeper questions of existence. These questions may ﬁnd answers through personal faith and through the teachings of Christ and other great teachers. This challenge also invites us to be “explorers” and to take risks. The concept of spirit embraces character, the emotions and the capacity to engage fully and conﬁdently with the world in many contexts.

The developed spirit demonstrates respect for the feelings of others and a recognition that relationships are built on an understanding and acceptance of a common humanity that transcends divisions of wealth, culture, religion and ethnic identity.

By developing the spirit, a system of personal and collective values can be established which deﬁnes the individual and collective responsibility of the individual. This in turn shapes social awareness and the qualities of purpose, initiative and integrity that characterise effective leadership.

The spirit can be nurtured in a number of ways, through action or stillness, the spoken word or silent reﬂection. In addition our lives are enriched by the diversity of cultural approaches to the deeper questions about ourselves and our world.

The practical expression of the spirit – through generosity, humility, selﬂessness and compassion – is service to others, realised in many forms.

Our Ethos in Practice

We understand and live our Guiding Principles through a number of other frameworks that help us to understand and better ourselves as a school, as a community and as participants in a wider world.

Guiding Principles for Learning
Global Citizenship

Guiding Principles for Learning

Descriptors of Educational Excellence

Aspirational and inspirational development through:

CHALLENGE

Engagement

Learners are provided with an inspirational and intellectually challenging learning environment. As a result of passionate and dynamic approaches students are encouraged to be inquisitive and enthusiastic in their commitment to learning. Creatively designed learning allows students to be focused, motivated and fosters a spirit of enquiry.

Rigour

Learners are provided with academic challenge by teachers with excellent subject knowledge. Appropriate pace and stimulation allows learners to make sustained and supported progress whilst developing a strong body of knowledge. Students are provided with opportunities to apply critical thinking skills to complex problems that foster a reflection on the world around them and the deeper questions of existence.

RESPECT

Fairness

Learners are provided with a mutually respectful environment to learn and flourish. Trust is built with students through the use of sensitive and supportive language and based upon open-mindedness, equality, humility and a genuine interest in different perspectives. Teachers are role models who consistently promote Aiglon’s educational ethos.

Collaboration

Learners are provided with a cooperative and safe learning environment. Teachers and students work in partnership towards shared success and development. The atmosphere is one of enjoyment and active participation, where teachers listen astutely and skilfully guide students in a culture of respect.

RESPONSIBILITY

Independence

Learners are provided with activities that extend their learning and encourage independence and ownership of their own progress. Learning is scaffolded and modelled, and students are supplied with tools that enable them to become lifelong learners. A spirit of enquiry and responsibility is fostered, allowing students to reach balanced and critical judgments.

integrity

Learners are provided with an opportunity to develop a moral compass that ensures honesty, self respect and personal integrity. Teachers demonstrate a consistent framework of high expectations and support students in developing their own principles. Learners understand the need to take responsibility for their decisions and to make positive choices.

DIVERSITY

Creativity

Learners are provided with a range of varied, well-judged and imaginative teaching activities. Innovative strategies are impactful, focused on progress, and adapted to reflect the diverse needs of the students. Learners are encouraged not to fear taking risks and embrace their own creativity.

INCLUSIVITY

Learners are provided with differentiated and personalised support by teachers who understand their students’ specific capabilities. The teacher has high aspirations and expectations for all students, which inform effective planning that is adapted to ensure sustainable progress. Learners will understand, respect and value the diverse opinions and needs of others.

SERVICE

COMPASSION

Learners are provided with the opportunity to demonstrate kindness, selflessness and service to their environment. Teachers enjoy the challenge of inspiring students by their example, engaging in the moral education and emotional welfare of the students. Learners are supported in a compassionate culture of mentoring and coaching.

Generosity

Learners are provided with an environment characterised by generosity of time and spirit. Teachers provide constructive feedback, enabling all students to make consistent and supported progress. Learners recognise that a spirit of service is integral to the Aiglon learning experience.

Global Citizenship

As an international and intercultural school that holds challenge, respect, responsibility, diversity and service as central tenets of its guiding principles, Aiglon considers intercultural education and global citizenship to be foundational elements of its school culture, values, practices and preparation for life.

These elements apply to students, employees and the board of directors, and are intended to resonate in wider constituencies such as present and former parents and alumni around the world. Given the diverse implications of global citizenship, it is considered more helpful to frame questions central to the urgent issues of contemporary learning and living rather than providing a generic definition.

At Aiglon, students and employees are encouraged, through the multiple dimensions of the curriculum, co curriculum and broader social and professional life of the school, to consider and address the following questions:

1. Who are we and where do we come from?
2. How do we express ourselves?
3. How do we know the world?
4. How is everything interconnected?
5. How should we behave and act?
6. How can we make a positive difference?