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School Twinning Links

King Harold School and its Town Twinning Schools in Germany

We are pleased that our school is now taking a very active part in Waltham Abbey's town twinning scheme. We have now run two very successful visits to Germany and last summer two students also did their work experience there.  Town twinning can and should reach to every level of our community. A desire to meet people from different nationalities to exchange ideas, to establish friendship and, perhaps, cooperate in solving common problems is the marks of a vibrant twinning link.

Ten students and two teachers from our school spent four days with students and representatives from the town of Horstel. We had an interesting visit to the Hauptschule and our students took part in an English lesson there. Students from the two towns spent time together exploring a local town having met with the Mayor of Horstel Hans Huppe earlier in the day. Many benefits can flow from discussions about common interests and experience and ways of solving common problems. Every aspect of local life can be explored against the experience of others. We look forward to a return visit by German students in March 09.

We believe that unless all sections of the community have an opportunity to be involved, the arrangements will be unlikely to succeed.

Ms Clark, Assistant Headteacher, who organised of the trip said "Certainly the younger generation has as much to gain from twinning as anyone, both as regards world understanding or simply as a means of improving the understanding of a foreign language. For this reason, King Harold School wants to play a significant part in supporting and encouraging a good twinning link."

Town twinning is widely recognised as an important aid to international understanding and friendship, and has been a feature of local life in Waltham Abbey for many years. The group also had an opportunity to visit the fascinating city of Munster.  Mr Rumsey, Director of Humanities at school was the other member of staff to accompany the group. He was very keen to explore the history of this wonderful city with the students. Magnificent rows of historic buildings are interspersed with modern architecture and contemporary works of sculptured art. Münster's historic Old Town is a lovely area where past and present meet.

Münster's Prinzipalmarkt, St Lambert's Church, the Town Hall commemorating the Peace of Westphalia, the Cathedral and its surrounding square are just a few of the city's architectural gems built during the past eight centuries.

Our students were interested in the number of bicycles ridden in the city (over 100,000) and thought that this method of getting around was very eco friendly. We also visited the university area of the city which has over 40,000 students.

Our next inter school project will be to look after two students from Horstel who are carrying out their work experience at the Sunshine Pre-School which is located on our school site.

We are very grateful to our excellent guides Bernhard Varnskhueler and Dietmar Doerr who have prepared such interesting excursions for us. We will welcome them both back in Waltham Abbey when they attend the Carnival of Light Ceremony in November.

Thank you to Di Clark, Assistant Headteacher for this interesting article.

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