Bridgewater School French Trip 2018
The 2018 Bridgewater School French trip brought Year 8 students together on a 3-day residential where they took in the sights of Boulogne-sur-Mer and Saint-Omer, before visiting the World War I memorial cemeteries and trenches of Ypres in Belgium.
A guided tour of Poperinge, gateway to the northern Ypres Salient battlefields and Essex Farm Cemetery (believed to be where Major John McCrae composed his famous poem ‘In Flanders Field’) enabled students to gain valuable insight into the impact of The Great War. Indeed, Hill 62 at Sanctuary Wood is now one of the few places on the battlefields where an original trench layout can still be seen in some semblance of what it might once have looked like.
In addition to History, students had the opportunity to practice their French language skills through real life role play (as tested on the new Modern Foreign Languages GCSE course), using their skills to translate ingredients, number and directions in a variety of settings.
The annual bonding trip also provided pupils with a lasting cultural experience. From croissant and crepe making, to the artisan workshops of Saint Josef’s Village and the exploration of the marine environment at Nausicaa Sea World, the experience was a shared on which will last a lifetime.