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Modern foreign languages and exchanges flourish at GSAL

Wednesday 28 March 2012

The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) has celebrated 20 years of its popular French exchange programme, evidence that it is bucking the national trend for a decline in modern foreign language study in secondary schools.

March 2012 marked the 20th year of the French exchange with the Institution St Michel in Solesmes, when pupils travelled from their homes in northern France to spend a week with families of GSAL pupils who had been to France last October.

During the week, the visitors enjoyed the best of Yorkshire with trips to the National Media Museum, Skipton Castle, Saltaire, the Yorkshire Air Museum and Yorvik Viking Centre, practising their language skills and experiencing the British way of life.

Barbara Gilbert, the former Head of French at Leeds Girls High School who retired in 2006, helped set up the exchange 20 years ago as a joint enterprise with Leeds Grammar School. She said, “The hard work involved in setting up the partnership soon paid off – we saw immediate benefits to pupils’ language learning.”

“The children adapted well to the way of life with their host families, many of whom have maintained the relationship in subsequent years. The staff likewise developed excellent working relationships and lasting personal friendships.”

Bruno Hecquet has taught English and Spanish at Institution St Michel for 17 years. He said, “Although different people have been involved over the years the spirit of the exchange has not changed. It is fabulous for the children who benefit from the language, the contact with an English family and experiencing a different way of life. Some pupils return on the exchange for four or five years.”

Head of French at GSAL, Esther Saurel, said, “French exchanges are dwindling nationally, which is a real shame. Exchange programmes not only greatly increase language skills, they also contribute to a pupil’s personal development, helping them to grow in confidence, develop their independence and form new friendship groups.”

291 GSAL pupils took French, German and Spanish at GCSE last year, while a number are also opting for more unusual subject areas such as Latin and Greek, which is now available at GCSE, AS and A2 level.

Bruno Hecquet and Barbara Gibson are pictured with a glass plaque presented to the Institution St Michel by GSAL to commemorate the success of the 20 year programme.

 

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