A group of Chinese students have joined Avonbourne College on a cultural exchange, they are pictured during an art lesson.
For one month 17 students from China will get to experience life in a British school, thanks to the hospitality of Bournemouth’s Avonbourne College.
The school is welcoming the group of 13 and 14 year-olds who are coming all the way from a boarding high school in the Hubei province.
During their stay the students will be following the timetable of a typical Year 9 student.
In addition, they will spend an extra two hours of cultural learning workshops after school to get more insight into British life.
CEO of Avonbourne Trust, Debbie Godfrey-Phaure, “This is more than just an exchange trip – this is a month-long stay in which we’ll be fully immersing the Chinese students in not only life at Avonbourne but in Britain itself.
“We’re really excited about their visit and we not only hope that they learn as much as possible during their stay but that our students learn from them too.”
A group of Chinese students have joined Avonbourne College on a cultural exchange, they are pictured during an art lesson.
Avonbourne College, as part of an international business and enterprise academy trust, places a lot of emphasis on learning from the global community.
Every year it attracts students from across the globe to study here – this year there are overseas students from countries such as Austria, Italy and Germany.
The overseas students can spend a few weeks at the college on special programmes or up to a year if studying GCSEs and A-levels here.
Avonbourne teachers and students also regularly take part in cultural exchanges and visits.
A number of foreign languages are also available to study at Avonbourne College – including Mandarin.
And last year Avonbourne Trust opened the Sarah Manners Centre to help students whose first language is not English to integrate more quickly into the main college life.
Debbie Godfrey-Phaure added: “We are immensely proud to be part of a global community and that our schools represent all corners of the world.
“Thanks to advances in technology and transport the world has become a much smaller place and it’s so easy now to work with other countries.
“By introducing globalisation at an early age we’re setting our students up for a world in which we are all one and to show them there are no barriers they cannot overcome in achieving their dreams.”
The Chinese students’ visit will culminate in a celebration event on October 20 when they will share everything they have learned in their cultural workshops, including displaying their art and performing poetry and music.
Note to editors: For more information please contact Rachel Read, account director at Deep South Media, on 01202 534487.
