German
Christmas Markets Trip
This popular trip, which was first organised ten years ago, is open to all girls and boys except the Third Form. It is not restricted to those studying German. It takes place every two years, the last trip being in December 2007, when 47 pupils took part. We travel overnight and then spend three nights in a hotel, usually just outside Aachen. Visits included in the trip are to Aachen itself, Cologne and Coblenz, taking in not only the markets but also city tours, visits to Marksburg Castle, Cologne Cathedral, the Olympics Museum and the Chocolate Museum.
The German Exchange
The current German exchange has been highly successful and we have been involved for some ten years. We combine with St. Martin’s School to exchange with the highly regarded Elisabethenschule in Hofheim am Taunus, not far from Frankfurt. The town is picturesque and it offers a safe environment for our pupils. The exchange takes place every two years and we expect the German party to visit us in autumn 2008, with the return visit to Hofheim just before Easter 2009. This trip is open to pupils in IVths and LVths. Participants come back from Germany with much more confidence in speaking German and they also learn to appreciate a different culture. Through the exchange links have been made with German families which will sometimes last long after the pupils have left school. As a sequel to the exchange, our helpful German colleagues have organised work experience for our 6th Form students of German. A further development has been that of a teacher exchange. Staff have visited one another to find out how their subject is taught in another country. Finally, we hope to welcome our first 6th form pupil from the Elisabethenschule into the 6th form in September 2008. Such international cooperation provides an excellent learning experience.
The Berlin Trip
In November 2004 and again in November 2006 a long weekend in Berlin was organised for 6th Form students of German. It is an informative and memorable trip, which gives pupils a much better understanding of recent history. It is hoped to run the trip again in November 2008, but nothing has been decided at the time of writing, as the numbers and names of those wishing to study German in the Lower Sixth from September are not yet known.
Mr J McGowan