Château de la Baudonnière

At the beginning of the Autumn Term, the whole of Year 7 spend a week at the Château de la Baudonnière in Normandy.  The children are immersed in the French language, and by the end of their stay, their oral work has improved considerably.

At meals, the names of all the dishes are taught to the pupils and they have to repeat them correctly.  An optional starter of snails is provided one evening and it is amazing the number of children who are willing to try them!  During the week, the pupils take part in a big variety of activities under the guidance of trained instructors, such as assault course, canoeing, fencing, archery, initiative exercises and bread-making in the large grounds of the château. All the instructions to these activities are in French and the vocabulary needed is practised carefully beforehand.  Even the sessions in the classroom are great fun!  The whole week provides an unforgettable experience for children of this age.