30 June 2025
Year 9 students took part in immersive two-week exchange programmes with counterparts in France and Germany, which not only improved their language skills but also gave them a deeper understanding of their exchange partner’s culture.
The French exchange began with students from La Salle School in Annecy coming to Woldingham, where they attended lessons, explored London and Brighton, and got swept up in the excitement of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory rehearsals.
A week later, Woldingham students headed to France to stay with their partners' families – arriving just in time for the closing ceremony of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. As well as attending lessons at La Salle, students also visited Chamonix, took a cable car to the Aiguille du Midi, and enjoyed stunning views of Mont Blanc.
Time in Annecy included exploring the old town and lake by pedalo and tasting French pastries during a bakery tour. Students also spent a fantastic day in Geneva, complete with chocolate tasting, sightseeing, a boat ride, and the fun of a Ferris wheel.
Woldingham students taking part in the German exchange headed to Hamburg to meet their partners from the Sophie Barat Schule. As well as experiencing daily life in Hamburg with their host families, including several days of lessons at our sister Sacred Heart school, the students tried their hand at rowing on the River Alster and spent a day sightseeing in Berlin. Among the sights visited by the Sophie Barat Schule students on the return leg of the exchange were Brighton Pavilion and Greenwich Observatory. The girls also joined the whole Woldingham community at Speech Day.
Language exchanges are a very rewarding experience for students. As Mlle Sassier commented, “By the end of the week, students had not only improved their language skills but had also grown in confidence, independence, and cultural understanding.”