Academy welcomes French visitors in bid to build links

A group from Nogent-Le-Rotrou crossed The Channel recently to meet with the modern foreign languages (MFL) staff at Midhurst Rother College.

The intention was to plan ways in which the schools in both towns could develop closer links in the future.

Visitors included the head teacher and staff members of the Nogent lycée and a council official who has specific responsibility for town twinning.

Secondary education in France sees students study at college between the ages of 11 and 15, then at the lycée from 15 to 18. Students at both schools study a range of subjects, including two foreign languages.

The intention is for students from the lycée and college in Nogent to correspond with students at Midhurst Rother College, working towards running student exchange visits in the future.

Mrs Fiona Lunskey, head of MFL at Midhurst, said: “This is an exciting development for both communities and brings opportunities for our students, especially those studying French.

“It goes a long way to further build on the community links we already have with our twinned towns in both France and Germany.

“Midhurst Rother College sees this as not only beneficial to our students’ education, but we also believe that it will increase their future employability across Europe.

“We are delighted to welcome the lycée and its neighbouring college into the established links we have with a range of other schools.”

She said this new initiative with the lycée built on the relationship developed with the secondary schools in Nogent over many years and will give sixth form students studying foreign languages at Midhurst Rother College a fantastic opportunity that had previously been unexplored.

The lead teacher for English in Nogent is also keen to include younger learners in correspondence and visits, which will ensure that all year groups at Midhurst Rother College can become involved.

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