The Lady with the Chainsaw

05.11.2026
Are you a parent? Do you have a parent? Either way, this laugh-out-loud short story is a great read at this time of year!

Frankenstein and His Monster

29.10.2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y13)
A haunting reflection on Mary Shelley’s iconic ‘monster’, perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit!

Erratum

16/10/2026 | Lucia Yepes-Puerto and Emma Papangelopolou (Y11)
Concerning an article published on the 25th of September

Y10 School life so far (how busy is it truly?)

06/10/2016 | Eugene Byun (Y10)
We’ve all been in school for about a month now, but how are we all finding it? Some of us are struggling, others soaring through, but what is the general opinion? Join the first article in this new series all based on your opinion on school student life to find out!

An Interview with Domhnall O’Sullivan

29/09/2026 | Domhnall O’Sullivan Interview with Sienna Vanderbroek (Y12) and Sianna Zewdie (Y13) |
We all live in Switzerland, and have frequently heard the concept of Swiss Neutrality. But what is it? What does it mean? Tune into this interview with Swiss Info’s Domhnall O’Sullivan to find out!

The Death of the Movie?

28/09/2026 | Ines Garcia (Y12)
Required reading for anyone who cannot watch a film without picking up their phone during the boring bits

Patience

24/09/2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y13)
A trait the Y7s who cut in front of me in the caf could do with developing

Peace For Ecolint

22/09/2026 | Mwinda Boulierac, Theodore Bennett, and Felix Feltrin (Y10)
It’s Peace Day at Ecolint – that means no one cuts in line at the snack bar today!

Adulthood, Apparently.

21/09/2026 | Sianna Zewdie (Y13)
Sianna has a bit of a meltdown over the fact that she can no longer relate to ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’ 🙁

Mass Surveillance for the Girls!

07/09/2026 | Ines Garcia (Y12)
Ines kicks our year off with a critique of modern capitalism and the digital panopticon. Bring popcorn.

Looking for Alaska: A Review

24/06/2026 | Isabelle King (Y12)
The doctor checks for physical growth each year but where are our mental growth checks?

Into the Mind of Mr. Doyle

16/06/2026 | By Emma Papangelopolou & Lucia Yepes Puerto (Y10)
We all know him: the best maths teacher. The legend. The one scared of sheeps (don’t worry Mr Doyle, you definetly won’t be seeing any on next year’s Y13 prank day 🙂 Come tune in to The Update’s interview with him!

A guide to coping with the summer heat

15/06/2026 | By Annabelle Ward (Y8)
My goodness its getting hot! Wasn’t it like 5 degrees not that long ago… yes, of course it was, the weather’s just weird. Oh well. Here’s a guide to surviving the heat – you’re gonna need it.

F I S H

05/06/2026 | Lucia Yepes-Puerto and Emma Papangelopoulo (Y10)

What do you call a fish with no i’s? No eye deer!!!

Interview of Patrice Lawrence 

12/06/2026 | Sanaa Sivuyile Mumba-Mang’ula (Y8)
Im a lovely person, but sometimes i make bad decisions aswell. We move.

5 things Year 10s can do in Strasbourg!

09/06/2026 | By Emma Papangelopolou & Lucia Yepes Puerto (Y10)
Well aren’t you lucky Y10’s! You’ve got your Strasbourg trip coming right up! Bye bye Switzerland, hello early holiday. But what can you do there? Well, dive into this article to find out!

Are Gooners Ruining Media?!

27/05/2026 | Emma Papangelopolou (Y10)
Partially clickbait title so that an excuse is created to yap about the Gameoverse pilot

Cancer Support Switzerland

19/05/2026 | Claire Blakely (Y10)
Have you or someone you know been affected by cancer? Have you heard of Cancer Support Switzerland? It is an organization dedicated to support cancer patients throughout their journey. Read more about them in this article.

Child swinging on wooden swing set with sunset over river valley

What is Grief?

Lucia Chavez | Y7 | 14.05.26
A beautiful poem describing how grief can present itself in different ways

The Movies

06/05/2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
Performative Male Pro-Tip: Don’t just watch movies—read poems about them.

The Met Gala vs. My Opinion

06/05/2026 | Sianna Zewdie (Y12)
Disclaimer: My fashion credentials are limited to TikTok reviews and three (3) viewings of The Devil Wears Prada. Thus, take my commentary with a grain of salt. Actually, better make it a whole shaker.

The King’s Mission: Mending Burning Bridges

04/05/2026 | Isabel Gleave (Y12)
Much like Ross and Rachel, the UK and US seem to be ‘on a break’. Read on about how King Charles is sent as a special envoy to repair their ‘special relationship’.

The Fake Listen

01/06/2026 l Sophie Wood (Y8)
A deep dive into the psyche of a La Chat student.

Raindrops on car window with blurred city traffic and lights outside

Racing raindrops

30/04/26 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
A poem about the famous raindrop race we all did as kids.

Are You Being Manipulated?

27/04/2026 | Ines Garcia (Y11)
Anyone who says they’re not vulnerable to propaganda is the most vulnerable to propaganda

Just Keep Swimming

23/04/2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
Aarika is hit with a burst of inspiration after her yearly Finding Nemo rewatch

What are MACROS?

23/04/2026 | CAS Project
Ever wanted to be a gym bro? Read this for a crash course on macros!

30 Questions With Mr. Winter

21/04/2026 | Romy Haverman (Y12)
Mr. Winter reveals the deepest, darkest elements of his personality in this soul-searching exclusive interview.

A Hallway Survival Guide

21/04/2026 | Annabelle Ward and Alessia Italici-Ricbour (Y8)
The parkour craze of the mid-2000s has returned- and the newest arena? La Chât’s hallways.

Blood Red Night

02/04/2026 | Olive Chavez (Y7)
Whatever is going on in the poetry unit of middle school English is producing a series of ominous poetry from Year 7s and it’s scaring me.

Rear Window

02/04/26 | Amara Nwachuku (Y8)
Short story on a mystery woman’s life choices.

Ekphrastik Poem

26/03/2026 | Lucia Chavez (Y7)
QUICK, CLOSE YOUR EYES AND SEE IF YOU CAN SPELL THE TITLE OF THIS POEM CORRECTLY WITHOUT LOOKING!!!

A Look Back on the Climb

31/03/2026 | Miles Johnson (Y13)
Growing up with Autism Spectrum Disorder is not easy. To do so in a world designed for neurotypical people is even harder. In this piece, Miles illuminates the nuances of a life with ASD from a first person perspective.

Chaos in the Middle East

30/03/2026 | Ines Garcia (Y11)
For anyone thirty or over, this American invasion of the Middle East must feel like some SERIOUS déja vu

Beyond Green

26/03/2026 | Amara Nwachuku (Y8)
I’m not sure what is propogating the rise in La Chât middle schoolers writing absurdist fiction for the Update but I’m even more scared of them than I was before.

I Hate Winter

26/02/2026 | Sufi Irwan (Y7)
The Trump reference becomes infinitely funnier when you think about his fake tans and the fact that this poem is called ‘I Hate Winter’

Not Long Ago

26/03/2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
If spring isn’t your thing and you’re just missing the cold clammy feeling of existential dread that winter provides, then maybe this is the poem for you

Frames of Impact Week 3 – Hidden Figures

25/03/2026 | CAS Project
The Frames of Impact lot venture into the world of intersectionality. Read on to see the miracle of La Châtaignerians facing the realities of their privilege…

“Freedom” of Religion in China

23/02/2026 | Florian Barnett-Trier (Y12)
In China, freedom of religion is allowed but dont assume you’ll have freedom of movement after…

TOP 10 SNACKS AT THE SNACKBAR

20/03/2026 | Alessia Italici-Ricbour (Y8)
In this investigative piece, real data is used to give us answers to the questions that matter most to us.

First Day of School

19/03/2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
Why can’t life be like this again first day of school bringing in mini packed lunches but NOOO we HAD to get OLDER and do the IB. ugh.

Le Vapotage et les Adolescents

17/03/2026 | Lucia Yepes Puerto & Emma Papangelopoulou
Nous avons tous entendu parler du vapotage et connaissons l’impact drastique qu’il a sur la santé physique et mentale d’un adolescent. Mais pourquoi les adolescents vapotent-ils? Comment peut-on se sortir d’une addiction?

Should There Be School Uniforms?

17/03/2026 | Annabelle Ward (Y8)
Me personally, I think there SHOULD be school uniforms but only for the teachers because some of them have very ‘interesting’ fashion choices….

Indemnify This

15/03/2026 | Dalal Abu Diab (Y13)
Dalal writes yet another polemic article on Mr. Giddings’ new special interest.

Do Fish Sleep?

12/03/2026 | Brasen Tham (Y12)
Ever had a creeping question tickling a part of your brain, that you just cant reach? Is it about fish?
I hope so.

Greetings from Norway

12/03/2026 | Sufi Irwan (Y7)
Sufi writes a post card from Norway featuring casual terminology such as ‘fiskesuppe’ and ‘raspeballer’

Dead Shadows

12/03/2026 | Mayra Beck (Y7)
Y7 writes a horror story that would scare the bejeesus out of anyone

Chasing the Unconscious 

12/03/2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
The Update team had a fun time trying to figure out what this poem was meant to represent…

Milano Cortina 2026: A Winter Games Recap

09/03/2026 | Jasmine Serena (Y8)
A recap of the Winter Olympics for those of you who were too lazy to watch it but still want to seem annoyingly knowledgable in conversation

Updates to the Update!

20/02/2026 | The Update Team
Oh my god Karo and Sianna are literally the best editors in chief like are we seeing the kind of stuff they’re doing to revamp the Update they’re totally so amazing amirite

Crossword Crew

20/02/2026 | Elora Shipman (Y12)
An invitation to use those little peas that we call brains for something other than scrolling on TikTok!

Love Me

14/02/2026 | Sufi Irwan (Y7)
LOVE ME LOVE ME SAY THAT YOU LOVE ME FOOL ME FOOL ME GO ON AND FOOL ME
Happy Valentine’s Day!

My Valentine’s

13/02/2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
To be fair, happy Valentine’s Day poems ARE overdone clichés

Where Time Folds In On Itself

13/02/2026 | Lily Whitworth (Y11)
Genuinely, have you ever heard a name more literary than Lily Whitworth?? Straight out of a novel

December

13/02/2026 | Alex Gilbert (Y12)
Alex yearns to be back in summer where she shares her nostalgic memories. #toorelatable #imsocold #sendmetothebahamasrightnow #christmasisovernowwinterisdepressing

Words as Weapons

13/02/26 | Isabel Gleave (Y12)
Sleazy politicians and their even sleazier use of language

Under the Night Sky 13/02-19/02

13/02/2026 | Melanie McQuigg (Y12)
A once in a century event is happening this week and I bet you’ll all be on your phones and miss it!

The Cliché  

06/02/2026 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
Aarika express her (strong) emotions regarding love.

The Third Tournament

06/02/26 | Sanaa Mumba (Y9)
Sanaa writes about her experience of her third basketball tournament through a short story

World Cancer Day

04/02/2026 | Lucia Yepes-Puerto (Y10)
Lucia writes an account of how the Wellbeing committee raised awareness for World Cancer Day. Yippee Willem!

An interview with Meagan Fallone

30/01 | Our Brilliant Interview & Editing Team
Do you think all this AI-taking-over-the-world stuff is nonsense? Or aere you worried reality will turn into an exact replica of Terminator (1987)? Either way, listen in to an interview with a recent guest speaker, Meagan Fallone!

The 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup 

30/01/26 | Emma Rassi (Y8)
Anyone who thinks football is uncontroversial has probably never watched an El Clasico showdown. Tune in to the 2026 Men’s World Cup (with a side dish of human rights violations)!

Under the Night Sky, 30/01-5/02

30/01 | Melanie McQuigg (Y12)
February starts soon (finally…)! Look into the celestial events of the first few days of the month.

Under the Night Sky, 16/01-22/01

16/01/26 | Melanie McQuigg (Y12)
Melanie tells you what to look out for in the skies this week. Don’t ask me how she has the patience to do this every week…!

to paint with a ghost

16/01/26 | Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
Aarika expresses her thoughts on grief and loss through the art of poetry

The Update Live Episode 9

16/01/26 | Noah Grossenbacher (Y12) & Aarika Das Panda (Y12)
Noah and Aarika take on the challegenge of debating a Trump supporter without losing braincells…

The Update Live – Episode 7

This week’s episode covers major political leaks, global tensions, climate disasters, and shifting power struggles from Washington to Seoul.

The Update Live – Episode 6

This episode spans political upheavals, major security incidents, climate disasters, and cultural battles from New York to Nigeria to the Philippines. Tune in!

The Update Live – Episode 5

In this episode, we cover some of the most urgent and geopolitically significant stories unfolding around the world—from Sudan’s collapsing humanitarian situation to major shifts in global power.

The Update Live – Episode 4

This episode brings a mix of global political drama, high-profile trials, and one of the most audacious museum robberies in modern history.

The Update Live – Episode 3

On the 3rd episode of The Update Live, we welcome our first guest, Kamaal Jhumra. This episode dives into a fast-moving set of global developments — from high-stakes diplomacy to rising geopolitical tensions and major natural disasters.

The Update Live – Episode 2

Introducing the second episode of The Update Live, focusing on the US government shutdown, recent Gaza hostage negotiations and more. Tune in to find out more!

Eight Arms, Endless Wonders

By Brasen Tham (Y12) A Body Like No Other Amongst all the fascinating creatures that inhabit our oceans, few inspire…

Under the Night Sky 21/11-27/11

Look up this week for the brightest and best views of the week, featuring the Ice Giant’s peak and a magnificent planetary pairing.

Under The Night Sky, 14/11-20/11

This week offers great celestial viewings ! Prepare for a major meteor shower, a giant golden planet and a perfect night that will guarantee amazing sights

Campus Hub

Read about Ecolint’s latest project, the Campus Hub, which will include a new cafeteria, science labs, an exhibition hall and plenty more.

The Update Live – Episode 1

With the launch of our student-run podcast, we are pleased to announce The Update Live. Listen in to find out more on some fresh perspectives on the world of geopolitics.

Landmines

Landmines pose severe dangers long after conflicts, injuring civilians daily, especially children. Removal efforts face significant challenges, demanding extensive funding and impacting mental health. Help donate a 9innovate project supporting landmine clearance efforts!

The Mosquito in the Middle East

A tongue-in-cheek article on the constant interference of the CIA in the Middle East since 1950 and the plot holes in US foreign policy. The CIA is like an uninvited acquaintance to the lunch table: awkward, destructive, and somehow always leaving with more than they brought.