The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
WQ.128/2020
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION BY DEPUTY M. TADIER OF ST. BRELADE
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 9th MARCH 2020
Question
Will the Minister detail the exchange programmes that exist between Jersey schools and schools abroad (indicating the Jersey schools to which they relate); and will she state how long these links have each existed, what the nature of each one is, and what assessment is undertaken of how successful they all are?
Answer
Victoria College (VC)
To date, VC have only offered this facility where the parents of an existing Victoria College pupil have initiated the exchange and only where those parents have been able to provide the appropriate host care and responsibility for the exchange student in question during their stay. Previously, we have also offered short trips for groups of our Modern Foreign Language students to schools in France, and have hosted groups on site at Victoria College, but this is very much on an ad hoc basis and not part of a formalised exchange programme. The school will soon be meeting with representatives of Caen University to explore the possibility of a future exchange programme with the university for A level French students.
Grouville
No formal exchange programme although a link has been formed with L'Ecole Portbail, which is our Parish twinned town in France. L'Ecole Portbail usually bring students over to visit for a day which is either based at school or the zoo or a heritage site. The children take part in various activities to practice their French skills and usually write letters to each other in advance.
St Martin's
No formal exchange programme although a link with a French School has arisen through the St Martin's Jumelage committee as they are from the town St Martin's twin with. This has been in place for around 9 years. The Year 6 class write and receive letters to their pen pals'. Once a year, the French School come over to Jersey for two nights and they stay at The Jersey Activity Centre. As well as activities they plan themselves, they spend a day at school with the children from Year 6, where they practise their French/English, share a breakfast and see what a Jersey school is like and play games (e.g. cricket, football, boules etc). The St Martin's Jumelage committee organise and resource a lunch for both schools on the last day along with members of the Parish dignitaries. There is no formal review of the link, but from informal evidence, it is an important part of our French curriculum which allows children a real' context for their French and links in with our Parish community. St Martin's pupils have not yet visited the school in France, but it is hoped this can happen in the future.
Jersey College for Girls
Approximately a 7 year arrangement of reciprocal visits with a school in Granville. Last year a group of Year 9 students went to Granville with the aim of developing their spoken French and raising motivation. The exchange has proved successful, with students communicating prior to, and interacting well, during the visits. Feedback from our students and from teachers in the French school has been very positive. During the two-day visits, students spend a day experiencing life in the host school and a day exploring the local area.
Communication between students has not continued long-term. The future of this exchange is uncertain, due to budget cuts for the French school. It will not be possible for the visits to take place in 2020 due to financial constraints and the challenge of finding dates which are suitable for both schools, but we hope to be able to organise further visits in 2021.
Two exchanges have taken place with Shanghai No.3 Girls Middle School, Shanghai, China in 2017 and 2019. We were planning the next for 2021 but have postponed due to the Coronavirus. The exchanges combine homestay with cultural and in school activities. ~15 - 20 students each time. We have also had 4 students from this school attend both LEAP summer programmes in 2018 and 2019, and 1 full time student attends JCG. Taipei Municipal Zhong Shan Girls High School, Taipei, Taiwan
We have had 3 students attend LEAP in 2019 and we are planning to visit them during the next China trip (postponed for now)
Victoria College Preparatory (VCP)
No defined exchange programme, in the sense that our students are hosted, however there is a link with Bedford school in England. VCP footballers travel there for a weekend of sport and then this is reciprocated when Bedford visit VCP. The exchange stems from the Occupation of Jersey where boys from VC were evacuated to continue their studies in Bedford school.
Hautlieu
Bayi School, Beijing, China – joint learning/cultural exchanges, assessment of impact through levels of student engagement, student voice, sign up to study Mandarin. Exchange started 2011. Monteverde School, Costa Rica – partnership with this eco-school in Costa Rican' rainforest who like Hautlieu are an IB World School. Hautlieu has run trips to Costa Rica, including to this school, since 2016. These trips have had a volunteering focus, supporting Monteverde School with their conservation work and helping to build the school's own resources. Assessment of impact through International Baccalaureate (IB) students successful completion of the CAS strand of the IB, development of cultural awareness etc. Salvadore Allende Lycee in Caen, France – 6th form mathematics students and staff visit Hautlieu once per year. Students work with IB Maths classes on joint learning projects with teachers also meeting to share practical teaching strategies. Assessment of impact through student engagement in maths, cultural awareness and teacher professional development. This exchange has been occurring for 4 years. Lycee Providence in St Malo, France – annual exchange visits each October (to and from) for our students studying French and their students studying English. This exchange has been running for over 10 years. Impact is through the student's oral and written development in French and cultural awareness.
Plat Douet
Pen pal exchanges with a school in France.
St Lawrence
Building on establishing a link with a French School.
Le Rocquier
Exchange with College Pierre Perrin in Tremblay, Brittany which has been established for about 13 years. Reciprocal visits but no home stay. Students will be surveyed on their return, but generally success is measured from student voice. There is a cultural and linguistic impact for our learners - especially Jersey Premium students. Year 10 students will be visiting a link school, College Andre Malraux, in Granville, and will exchange posters with them. There is a also a planned visit to Caen University. Annually in October a small group from Cancale school visit for a day, however this is only 5 or 6 students.
Future plans include maintaining links and keeping the French experience going for students.