First French exchange day brings students together

Barnsley Sixth Form College recently welcomed 18 students and two teachers from Lycée Docteur Mérieux for our first French exchange day, giving our A level French students a valuable opportunity to practise their language skills and share cultures.

The day was organised and hosted by A Level tutor, David Frost, who planned a schedule that allowed both groups to get to know each other while experiencing College life. The French students joined lessons with our A level French students, followed by lunch together and a series of informal games to help everyone practise speaking and build confidence.

Students were also given a tour of the campus before the visit concluded with a traditional afternoon tea. The programme was designed to encourage conversation, collaboration and cultural exchange.

For many of our students, the highlight of the day was the opportunity to speak French with people their own age.

Layla Audin, an English Language and Literature, Geography and French A Level student, said: “It was a really good experience to see what the French students thought of our culture and to contrast our different lives.”

Sophia Georgiou, a French, Law and History A Level student, added: “It was nice to be around people our age speaking French. I felt I could understand and relate to them more because they are our age.”

The exchange day provided a valuable real-world context for language learning and gave students from both countries the chance to build confidence, make connections and learn more about each other’s cultures.