St Mary's School Calne

St Mary’s en France!

It is often said that the best way to enhance a language-learning programme is to jump in at the deep end.  It helps, though, if you know that those cool, self-confident French partners you find yourself paired with will have to endure a similar experience when they find themselves confronting their own week on the other side of the Channel.

We did it with a school in Paris, in the 17th Arrondissement.  Well, if you really are going in at the deep end, there’s a lot to be said for doing it in some style!  We found ourselves being taught, entertained and cared for very well by the school, its staff and some of its families at Fénelon Sainte-Marie during mid-January. 

The amount of organisation behind the scenes was impressive both here and in France, with parents’ involvement and with work on a joint basis in classrooms and on outings to be planned.

At Fénelon our pupils were involved in lessons that were carried out in a manner slightly different from ours.  Yet they handled the working day in the deep end fairly well and felt gratified that they had not been found entirely incapable.  Our girls also found themselves well received into the homes of our French partners and everyone worked hard at those tricky bits of translation that were difficult and yet essential if they were to make a real “entente cordiale” out of this excellent opportunity.

Each one of our girls, from both sides of the Channel is grateful to everyone who looked after them and made it work so well.  We hope that we have shown the way for future generations at our schools to get in at the deep end, with possibly more confidence than we might have previously imagined!