pupils from Shaw House School have recently returned from a very
successful trip to Belgium and Northern France.
The trip was a new venture organised jointly by the History and Modern
Languages departments to lend authenticity to the pupils' study of the French
language and of the First World War in Year 9. Their accommodation during
the four days was in a hotel in Belgium close to the border with France.
They were therefore able to visit places of interest in both countries and
became used to working out their finances in both currencies.
The pupils had a range of tasks to attempt in French including buying a
magazine about their favourite hobby, making a telephone call, asking the
way, changing their money and interviewing people about visits to England.
They gathered information for their booklet from the new TGV station in
Lille, from a picturesque market in Aire sur la Lys, and from the shops
and Tourist Office in Calais. They also experienced travelling on the fully
automated underground trains in Lille - a rather unnerving experience for
some.
The history of the First World War was brought vividly to life by visits
to the tunnels of Vimy Ridge and to the Salient Museum in Ypres. They returned
to Ypres one evening to listen to the Last Post being sounded at the Menin
Gate, as it has been every evening since 1918. A very enjoyable morning
was spent in the medieval town of Bruges, once the richest city in the world.
From a canal boat pupils were able to appreciate the Flemish architecture
and the original layout of a medieval town; this was followed by a stroll
round the cobbled streets and a chance to climb the 366 steps of the bell
tower. The weather was beautiful throughout the four days adding a 'holiday'
feel to a very worthwhile educational trip.
