International Visits England

Our first International Week was held in October 2005. It was a great success. We really enjoyed our special visitors from Southern Germany. We enjoyed special presentations and learnt a great deal about modern German schools, in particular the value of quality of gymnasia and outside play and sports facilities.


Our new friends arrive from Newcastle International Airport.	A guided tour of the school.	We plan together upstairs in the Gallery Room.

Open plan layout in the Red Team (4 year olds).	Semi-open plan layout in the Blue Team (8 - 9 year olds).	A busy time in the Red Team.

Table top activities.	We have lots of questions to ask our new friends.	We learn about Heidleberg.

Our second International Week took place in February 2006. Our new friends from Poland arrived at Durham Tees Airport and our other friends from Romania travelled from London to Durham Railway Station. We enjoyed a wonderful week!


We enjoyed special assemblies with our new friends.	Table top activity.	For two days we held a Healthy Food Carousel in the hall.

We completed our planning upstairs in the Gallery Room.	Lunch time in the Second Hall.	Team teaching in the Green Team (6 and 7 year olds).

We enjoyed opening our special presents!	We visited the old school which has been closed for eight years.	Our final farewell outside the main entrance.

PowerPoint presentation of visit to Poland

Our teachers enjoyed a wonderful visit to Heidelberg, Germany in December 2006.


An interested audience! We answered lots of questions about Christmas in England.	A warm welcome underneath the Advent Crown from pupils at the International Gesamtschule.	German pupils demonstrated their English skills. Lots of opportunity to practise speaking and listening.	We shared circle time and talked about Christmas celebrations. This is the Advent ring.

A guided tour around the old town in Heidelberg.	We enjoyed a visit to Heidelberg's famous Christmas market.	We visited the town hall in Heidelberg and viewed the beautiful stained glass windows.	Barney Bear enjoyed the hospitality at a Christmas

A welcome assembly at International Gesamtschule. This song was about the seasons.	Headteacher Michael welcomed visitors from England, Poland and Rumania.	Classrooms are decorated for Christmas. This is an Advent calendar to count the days until Christmas.	The Advent ring welcomed us in the staff room.

Children were learning about their home town of Heidelberg.	Children sang Christmas songs underneath the Advent ring.	Pupils were very happy to talk about their favourite sports.	Barney Bear sat carefully beside these candles in the staff room.

Mrs Littlefair noticed the Gingerbread house-a special Christmas cake.It is beautifully decorated with sweets and icing.	It was breakfast breaktime. Children bring their own packed breakfast and eat this in their classroom during the first morning break.	We enjoyed German Christmas biscuits.	We explored the old town. This is the bridge over the river.

Miss Wilkinson answered lots of questions.	We spent time in classrooms finding out about Christmas traditions.	Children in Germany wear their own clothes for school.	These lovely chocolates are specially for St Nicholas day.

The classroom window was decorated with Saint Nicholas characters made from folded paper.	We enjoyed a guided tour of Heidelberg including the castle.	We made lots of new friends.	This is the PE store at the International Gesamtschule. It is labelled and very tidy.