There was a buzz at Shoreham Academy in West Sussex this week, as students and staff welcomed a group of French students to the school as part of a cultural exchange.
After writing letters back and forth throughout the year, students in Year 10 finally put faces to names, meeting the French peers behind the pen.
The students, who are all working towards their French GCSEs, had been eagerly anticipating their pen pals’ arrival, preparing cakes and a presentation in French to deliver to them. During the day, students gave the visitors a taste of what it is like to attend secondary school in England, taking them around and to lessons.
The whole school community joined in in welcoming the guests, with the Principal and Vice Principal also delivering a speech in French to introduce the visitors to the school.
Students are now looking forward to a return trip to Paris next month, when they will visit their pen friends’ school, College Croix Maître Renault, as well as spending some days to explore local Parisian culture and practise their language skills.
Mr Tromans, a French teacher at Shoreham Academy, has been running the exchange programme for an impressive 20 years and it has proved to be a great success. Over the years, many students have maintained their friendship with their pen friends long after the exchange and take away a different perspective on culture from across the Channel.
Dylan Lower a Year 10 student who is participating in the programme, said:
“I had a great time meeting my pen pal for the first time. I would encourage other schools to think of this idea and run a similar experience.”
Another student, Max Thompson said:
“Having the penfriends was a great experience and I really enjoyed meeting them. I am looking forward to seeing them again in their school in Paris next month for our second day together.”
Jim Coupe, Principal at Shoreham Academy, said:
“Every year, this is a fantastic programme for our students to be a part of, not only to apply what they have learned in their French classes to real-life conversations and situations, but also providing the opportunity to experience another culture first-hand.
“I know our Year 10s have enjoyed writing letters to their pen friends over the course of this year, and it was a pleasure for us all to welcome them to Shoreham Academy.”