Barry Comprehensive School

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Barry Comprehensive School recently played host to a group of Italian visitors; from April 21st to the 2nd of May, pupils and staff from ISIS Cicognini Rodari, a school near Prato (which is 22km from Florence) found a Welsh ‘home’ at Barry Comprehensive.

Nineteen 17 year old students, two members of staff (one the Headteacher) and Matilde, the 10 year old daughter of one of the teachers, all joined us for lessons and cultural events in what we hope to see as the beginning of a long lasting friendship with our Italian School.

The aim of the visit was a bilateral project entitled ‘Comparing Traditions’. Our visitors were keen to see how we taught a wide range of subjects and also to find out what is special about Welsh Culture and tradition. Highlights of the visit included a visit to St. Fagans which covers Welsh life from Celtic times to present day. Our visitors were really interested in the school house and the infamous ‘Welsh NOT’. The group also enjoyed a lesson, in English, on Dylan Thomas actually at the Boathouse in Laugharne! This was a very special occasion for all involved.

The Italian students are studying ‘Pride and Prejudice’ so we felt we couldn’t miss out on a trip to the Jane Austen Centre at Bath. The Centre is excellent and we booked in a literary walk around Bath, paying homage to Jane Austen settings and episodes from a range of novels.

A good investigation into local customs should not omit food, and we tried hard to ensure that our visitors sampled both Welsh and British delicacies: a large and very traditional Sunday Roast was enjoyed by all at the King Arthur Hotel, set in the beautiful landscape of the Gower Peninsula, whilst, nearer to home, our year 10 college students laid on a superb Welsh style buffet of hot and cold typical Welsh foods. The Italian visitors treated us to a wonderful homemade spaghetti Carbonara.

Our visitors felt that the project did fulfil their initial aims: they were immersed in Welsh culture and did gain a very real experience of Welsh/British education. The students particularly appreciated an afternoon visit to High Street Primary School and were impressed with the interactive nature of the lessons. Students also felt that their English had improved, many of them making extended thank you speeches in English on their final night.

We were so pleased to host this visit and it was felt to be successful. There are already plans for Welsh students to return the visit in March 2010 - our year 8 students are currently brushing up their Italian! This visit should be an excellent springboard for Italian growing and flourishing in our school.

Finally, as a school we would like to thank the host of staff (including ex-colleagues) and students who gave readily of their time to ensure the visit was successful. Thanks to the many drivers, cooks – cawl cooked at midnight! – and individuals who were so generous in giving up time to create this special European friendship.

The group travel into the past at St Fagans

The group at the Mimosa Welsh Restaurant in Cardiff

Making friends at the Jane Austen Centre at Bath

An evening at the Glamorgan Suite Restaurant at Barry College

A glorious day at the Gower

Our Italian visitors treated us to a 'home-cooked' meal

The farewell party in the School's Learning Resource Centre

AC 2009-05-28