French Penpal Visit
On Thursday 23rd May, 50 students and members of staff visited The Henry Beaufort School from the Pierre Mendes Collège in Soyaux near Poitiers, FRANCE. Students learning French at The Henry Beaufort School have been writing letters and cards to students from this school over the past four years since Lockdown, and it was finally a chance to meet each other!
The French students from ‘quatrième’ (Year 9) ‘troisième’ (Year 10) students of English were offered an opportunity to stay with host families in Newbury. During their visit to England they visited London, Windsor and Winchester. Students were immersed in the English culture and language and were given a guided tour around The Henry Beaufort school by their penpals.
Students and staff from the Pierre Mendes Collège wish to thank all students and staff for being so accommodating and allowing students to see lessons and, in some cases, experience lessons in English. A special thanks go to Leilo H (Year 9) who excelled at his job of being the official translator and Mr Donaldson and Mr Donnelly who facilitated a game of rounders/French cricket in true Olympian style.
When I asked some of the French students how their school compares with Henry Beaufort, they were truly impressed and complimentary about our school. They thought Henry Beaufort was huge compared with their school, with many more subjects on offer, such as Drama, Photography, Food Technology, Hair and Beauty and Mandarin Chinese. They thought both students and staff were friendly and loved the smell of delicious food coming from the Bistro! What an amazing cultural experience for both the French and our students. It was a day filled with such pride, such happiness and such ambition!
Madame HALLETT