STUDENTS at Upper Wharfedale School in Threshfield have been putting their French language skills to practical use with a partnership with fellow peers across the pond at Le Collège Albert Camus in Outreau, a rural village on the French coast west of Lille.

The partnership was established in 2023, during Leeds Year of Culture as part of a wider initiative between the British Council and the Institut Français to link 23 schools in Leeds with 23 schools in Lille, to work together on international projects. The cities of Leeds and Lille have been officially twinned for more than 50 years.

So far, students at Upper Wharfedale School and Le Collège Albert Camus have exchanged Christmas cards, letters, and even small gifts as part of the partnership. They are currently engaged in online projects through a shared “digital wall.” Year 9 and 10 students even met their peers in person this month, recently returning from the trip.

Subject leader for modern foreign languages at Upper Wharfedale, Anita Bell, recounted the joy these exchanges have brought students. “It has been really motivating – receiving real post, asking questions and seeing photos of each others’ local area, culture and celebrations, and even each other’s pets!

“Upper Wharfedale students are using their French to really communicate and realise that their French partners are just like them.

“They met for the first time via video conference but to finally meet face to face was something really special and will hopefully lead to real, long-lasting friendships and give their language learning a real purpose.”

Estelle Sanchez, English teacher at Le Collège Albert Camus, echoed Ms Bell’s enthusiasm for the project. She noted that, as well as the project itself, the physical proximity to England’s coastline also boosts students’ sense of the tangibility of England as a people and culture.

“I think we have some similarities. We are in a rural area although we are close to the sea. We can see the white Cliffs of Dover when the weather is clear,” she said. “That's a way to motivate the students, you know, to say you can see England just over there. See, it's really close.”

No doubt galvanised by the international partnership, Upper Wharfedale has recorded a record number of students choosing French for GCSE this year. French teacher Vicky Cooke, who led the trip to France, hopes that reciprocal visits between the schools will become an annual tradition.

“I would like it to be something that's part of our school culture. I know that takes a few years to embed, we're looking years ahead. But that's what I would like, that we are connected to people who speak that language,” said Ms Cooke.

The Year 9 and 10 students are not the only ones getting stuck into alternative ways of learning French. Over the last two years, students across the board have been treated to interactive performances from French theatre company Onatti; careers advice from David Binns, Director of UK Operations at Sanako Digital Language Systems; French film studies, which have been built into the curriculum; and a flourishing French film club.

Praising the efforts of the older language ambassadors at the school, Ms Bell said: “Our student Language ambassadors in Year 10 and 11 have been a wonderful asset and credit to the school, giving of their time and ideas, and have not only been fabulous role models for language learning to our younger students but have helped raise much needed funds to support the exciting international opportunities we want to continue to offer in the future.”

Ms Bell also gave a nod to the senior leadership team, with a special thanks to Headteacher Ian Chapman for his efforts. “In recent years, we have had lots of enthusiasm for helping us to find projects to do with our students. That has really been brilliant. Just the will to try.”

She also invited organisations that may be interested in facilitating further language learning opportunities to get in touch with Upper Wharfedale.

“We are always looking for ways to bring French alive, either through visitors to the school or outside visits,” she said. “ “We'd be delighted to hear from anyone who thinks they have something to offer to the international ethos of our learning. We’d love to be able to bring our classroom learning alive and reward our students by “transporting” them to a local French restaurant to try out their role play skills in person enjoy some French cuisine.

“If you are able to help in any way, please get in touch.”

Interested parties can contact Ms Bell by email at abell@uws.n-yorks.sch.uk.