The group spent three days touring the city as part of their GCSE history course.
Les Voies is for young people who experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties, meaning it tailors the curriculum to engage its students in learning.
Form teacher Rebecca Leong said that while the trip was a big step for the group, everything went perfectly and the Year 11s not only coped well, but excelled in an unknown setting.
‘It was great to be able to give the students experience in a foreign country,’ she said.
‘We took them outside of their comfort zone and they responded extremely well, especially in regards to communicating under pressure.’
During the week the days were split in two, with curriculum-based activities occurring in the first half and leisure activities towards the end.
Trips to the Holocaust Memorial, Reichstag building and Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp were among some of the sites visited to link in with the Nazi Germany and Cold War sections of the students’ GCSE history lessons.
Afternoon and evening activities included escape rooms, bowling and testing out the cuisine at various German eateries.
Alexander Ceillam, 16, said the trip had proved useful with his studies.
‘It was very insightful to get a real life view on what happened,’ he said.
‘The Sachsenhausen concentration camp was particularly interesting.’
While learning about the history of Germany was important, developing key social and emotional skills was the main aim, with the focus being on stepping outside the comfort zone.
Each day the group would see their steps soar well above the 10,000 mark as they navigated the city, working on organisational and coordination skills.
Berto Fernandes, 15, said he had been given a different outlook on the world – something he would like to develop as he goes through life.
‘It’s done more for my confidence and I now want to travel more,’ he said. ‘It was good to work out trains and public transport and also good to experience some cultural difference.’
The trip was supported by main sponsors Specsavers and Help a Guernsey Child, as well as Butterfield Bank, Smile for Georgie and Les Voies PTFA, enabling the trip to take place and allowing the students to go for free.
Teacher Tracey Trenchard said the week could not have gone better.
‘For some of our students routine is incredibly important, so it can be quite hard for them to be taken out of it,’ she said.
‘But everything went so well, we didn’t even have to wake them up in the morning. We took the right staff so we already had good relationships in the group.
‘At the end they were so proud of themselves and were beaming with happiness.’
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