Hounslow Cluster - Where We're At !

During the past academic year pupils in Hounslow have been lucky enough to receive visits from a German children's song writer/performer, and from a French childrens' illustrator. These visits were thanks to the Goethe Institut and the French Embassy.

Grove Park Primary and Cavendish Junior Schools welcomed these visitors and were enthralled by the concert given in German and the stories which were first written in English, then translated into French, and then illustrated before their very eyes!

In another part of the borough, pupils from Victoria Junior School worked avidly throughout the summer term in preparation for their visit to British Airways Learning Centre at Heathrow Airport. Thanks to the BA staff, they checked in, ordered drinks, checked flight details and boarded a flight to France - all in French!

We were all immensely proud of the year 6 pupils who were able to ask "L'avion pour Paris part à quelle heure s'il vous plaît?" Once "on board", half of them became cabin crew who dealt with their peers, the passengers. Announcements were made, sick bags were issued, vegetarian meals were served, duty free goods were sold - all in French!

This term, pupils in 4 Hounslow primaries are working with Lingua C French speaking assistants. They are all very excited and are enjoying working with "the real thing" in their classrooms. The focus cluster in the Cranford area will reflect on the practice elsewhere in the borough, and they too will be benefitting from visiting outside speakers, including the Ivory Coast authoress Véronique Tadjo who will be working with Year 5 pupils from Cranford Junior School.

Training is being offered to support the teachers, and to empower them to maintain the provision in the months to come. Hounslow is very excited about its involvement in the Good Practice Project and we look forward to developing our teaching within the network.

What's Happening | Spring 2000 Update