YEAR 9/10 FRENCH EXCHANGE

Year 9 / 10

FRENCH EXCHANGE

22 students

• To appreciate the similarities and differences between their own daily experience and that of their French counterparts.
• To appreciate aspects of French history and culture.
• To improve listening and speaking skills in French.

In September we hosted twenty two students and three teachers from Collège Paul Eluard, a multicultural secondary school in Otley’s twin town of Montereau, as part of a new French Exchange. During their seven-day trip the French group attended a series of lessons with their host partners, as well as visits to Haworth, York and the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, Bradford.

The seven-day outgoing exchange trip then took place in February, with the twenty two Prince Henry’s students and three teachers staying with their partners in Montereau. As well as experiencing life in a French school, the programme included visits to Fontainebleau, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Provins, Versailles and Paris. A cross-cultural highlight was the karaoke evening!

The exchange, which was organised by Miss Hobbs, was an important learning experience, and our students were clearly surprised by the differences between the two schools, such as dress, school lunches, and the different role of the form tutor. Likewise, within the family, the significance of meal times was something which many were surprised by. Equally, though, the similarities between French and British teenagers were obvious, such as enthusiasm for sport, rap music, the internet, television and books. Firm friendships were forged, and many students have consistently maintained contact throughout the year.