Head's Newsletter -7 July 2023

GERMAN TRIP

At the start of June, a Year 9 German group embarked on a trip to the Black Forest to practise their linguistic skills on an unsuspecting German public. Their midnight energy soon dissipated once the sixteen - hour coach journey had begun, with many sleeping, some deciding to do freestyle rap and others guessing the endings to Christopher Nolan movies to get through the journey.

On the first night, the boys enjoyed a combination of volleyball, basketball and football upon arrival at the hostel, with James

brilliantly helping a German child wanting to play get involved in the game. The next day (35 degrees!) they were given a chance to explore the Mercedes - Benz Museum in Stuttgart, admiring everything from the most expensive Mercedes in existence to modern - day Formula 1 cars. A relaxed evening was then spent in Baden - Baden, exploring the old spa town while scavenging for food (naturally, most opted for a kebab!). So expert was their German speaking that some of the group even managed to make some new local friends.

Despite the wonderful coach drivers' efforts, no one could have anticipated the absence of air conditioning on the bus, or a brief breakdown on the way up the winding hills to the hostel that night. At no point were the students unreasonable or misbehaving out of turn. Their stoicism was fantastic, they dealt with the heat superbly, and were always cooperative, allowing us to face any issues as they came and get back on the road again as quickly as possible.

Wednesday morning involved a cruise around Lake Titisee; although the boys enjoyed and the weather was beautiful, it was clear that the afternoon's trip to Europa - Park, one of the world's best theme parks, was at the forefront in their mind. Whilst the teachers dared to take on a few of the rides and hesitated at the sight of Blue Fire's twisted inversions, all of the student groups leapt at the opportunity to drop 67 metres from the top of Silver Star (their unanimous favourite) and get soaked on the multiple flumes and rapids on offer. Though the trip back to the hostel may have been slightly delayed by a group who managed to board the park's monorail in the wrong direction, a delight awaited when the students returned to the bus to find that the coach drivers had driven to France to fix the air conditioning. While the students exchanged stories from the day, we ordered a stack of pizza boxes so high that they could barely fit across four seats and headed back to the hostel. Another bonus awaited when we were able to board an earlier ferry back home from Calais, and as the White Cliffs of Dover came into view, we could all reflect on a trip well spent. The teachers were enormously impressed with the students' attitude throughout, and I think we all wish we could be back in the middle of the mountains again...