A CELEBRATION OF LANGUAGES

We marked European Day of Languages with a vibrant celebration of the linguistic diversity within our community.

At lunchtime, the Hall transformed into a lively hub of cultural exchange. Pupils moved enthusiastically from table to table, collecting phrases in a wide variety of languages, generously shared by staff and fellow students.

This year’s line-up was particularly impressive, featuring Finnish, Dutch, Mandarin Chinese, Cymraeg (Welsh), German, Yoruba, Korean, British Sign Language, Italian, and many more! Each new phrase learnt not only broadened horizons, but also earned valuable points for House teams.

In total 258 students attended, with an incredible 2,145 language interactions taking place.

Results of the House Competition:

1^st place, Hawking (686 points)
2^nd place, Renfrew (556 points)
3^rd place, Hampson (500 points)
4^th place, Marsh (443 points)

Although there was no change in placings from last year, there was an incredible increase in attendance and interactions this year. Thank you to everyone for your support.

GERMAN EXCHANGE

27 September – 3 October saw the 11^th German Exchange visit from our partner school, the Christian-Wirth-Schule in Usingen, near Frankfurt. 11 boys and girls joined St Albans School and the lives of their host families for a week. Feedback from pupils and parents suggests that they enjoyed their experience of learning, discovering, and building friendships which will hopefully outlast the mutual visits. We are now looking forward to our trip to Germany in February next year.

As part of their week, the German pupils visited Windsor where they were able to admire the splendours of the castle and parts of the historical town. In the capital they explored on foot some of the major tourist attractions as well as the shops at Covent Garden. Another day was spent in London, with a trip on the Cloud Cable Car across the River Thames and river bus to Greenwich, where pupils discovered places previously only encountered in textbooks, such as the foot tunnel and Cutty Sark. They also stood astride two hemispheres at the home of Greenwich Mean Time and a wonderful view could be enjoyed from the top of the hill in stunning autumn sunshine. In St Albans, the German visitors explored some of the town’s sights and treasures together with our boys in a treasure hunt.

It was an incredibly busy week, packed with new impressions and stimulating experiences, and one that will stay with the participants for a long time.

SPANISH EXCHANGE

In September, we were delighted to welcome 74 students from SAS Buenos Aires as part of an exciting cross-curricular exchange between Spanish and Sport.

Our A Level Spanish students led the visiting pupils on school tours conducted entirely in Spanish, providing a valuable opportunity to practise their language skills in a real-world context.

In the afternoon, the visiting students from Argentina took part in rugby and hockey matches at Woollams, further strengthening the cultural and sporting ties between our schools.