GCSE German Trip

GCSE German trip to Ibbenbüren
February 2008

Since 1980, Hellesdon has had links with the Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium in Ibbenbüren, North Rhine Westphalia. In February this year fourteen of our Year 10 and 11 Germanists spent five days at a Youth Hostel in nearby Tecklenburg, and visited the school on two mornings. We also took part in a quiz around their town on one of the afternoons with pupils from the school and then each of our students was invited to tea with a German family.

On 12 June 2008 our guests from the ‘Kepler' arrived to spend the day with us. The German group consisted of 30 students with their teachers and I am most grateful to all the English families who volunteered to host one, sometimes two and one family who had four Germans for tea! Since the visit I have received a copy of the article in the local German newspaper about their visit to England and quote a section from it:

… Das Highlight der Reise war für viele Schüler aber ein Besuch der Partnerschule in Norwich , wo sie nicht nur das Schulleben und die für englische Schüler obligatorische Schuluniform kennen lernten, sondern auch in der schuleigenen Kantine ihr Mittagessen einnahmen. Nach einer Stadtrallye verbrachten die Jugendlichen alleine oder zu zweit den Nachmittag und Abend in einer englischen Familie und wurden dort so freundlich aufgenommen, dass am Ende alle traurig waren, als die gemeinsame Zeit zu Ende ging. …

(… The highlight of the visit for lots of the pupils was, however, a visit to our partner school in Norwich , where they not only became acquainted with school life and encountered the obligatory school uniform, but also had lunch in the school's own canteen. After a city quiz the students spent the rest of the afternoon and evening individually or in pairs with families and were treated in such a friendly and hospitable manner that they were all sad to leave as their time together drew to a close. ...)

We would like very much to extend the short period in families to a full exchange, and hope that students studying German, with the support of parents, will take the opportunity to spend a longer period in a German family and accept a German student into theirs. The benefits for all concerned have proved in the past to be invaluable.







		GCSE German trip to Ibbenbüren February 2008 Since 1980, Hellesdon has had links with the Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium in Ibbenbüren, North Rhine Westphalia. In February this year fourteen of our Year 10 and 11 Germanists spent five days at a Youth Hostel in nearby Tecklenburg, and visited the school on two mornings. We also took part in a quiz around their town on one of the afternoons with pupils from the school and then each of our students was invited to tea with a German family. On 12 June 2008 our guests from the ‘Kepler' arrived to spend the day with us. The German group consisted of 30 students with their teachers and I am most grateful to all the English families who volunteered to host one, sometimes two and one family who had four Germans for tea! Since the visit I have received a copy of the article in the local German newspaper about their visit to England and quote a section from it: … Das Highlight der Reise war für viele Schüler aber ein Besuch der Partnerschule in Norwich , wo sie nicht nur das Schulleben und die für englische Schüler obligatorische Schuluniform kennen lernten, sondern auch in der schuleigenen Kantine ihr Mittagessen einnahmen. Nach einer Stadtrallye verbrachten die Jugendlichen alleine oder zu zweit den Nachmittag und Abend in einer englischen Familie und wurden dort so freundlich aufgenommen, dass am Ende alle traurig waren, als die gemeinsame Zeit zu Ende ging. … (… The highlight of the visit for lots of the pupils was, however, a visit to our partner school in Norwich , where they not only became acquainted with school life and encountered the obligatory school uniform, but also had lunch in the school's own canteen. After a city quiz the students spent the rest of the afternoon and evening individually or in pairs with families and were treated in such a friendly and hospitable manner that they were all sad to leave as their time together drew to a close. ...) We would like very much to extend the short period in families to a full exchange, and hope that students studying German, with the support of parents, will take the opportunity to spend a longer period in a German family and accept a German student into theirs. The benefits for all concerned have proved in the past to be invaluable.