Masnieres ties extended to local States schools
A French student exchange programme is expanding to a local States school, as work to build ties continue.
The exchange between local and French students, built on the twinning between Masnieres and St Peter Port which emerged from the battles fought by the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry in France in the First World War, has been established for the past four years but has only taken place for the past two, due to Covid disruption.
Locally its focus has been Blanchelande College but this summer students from St Sampson’s High School will also be involved. It is hoped to bring more schools into the exchange over time.
‘The States is really keen to have much stronger relationships with our French cousins than we have done for many years,’ said Education, Sport & Culture president Andrea Dudley-Owen.
‘The student exchange really helps to enhance the language acquisition in our schools. But, more importantly, it’s about giving Guernsey children that opportunity to connect with their past, whether they had family members who fought or come more recently to the island, to understand the history of it.’
In 2021 Chris Oliver, one of the founders of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Trust, initiated the student exchange programme as a way to build on the trust’s twinning work.
Two teachers from French schools have visited the island to firm up the arrangements for this summer.
Christelle Guedin of Jacques Prevert Secondary School and Agnes Lecas of Hostetter Primary School said the first exchange was with a group of 15-year-olds and last year a primary group of pupils as young as eight were also involved.
‘This year we’re hoping to come with a group of 15 students from my school and nine students from Agnes’ school, and include St Sampson’s as well,’ said Mrs Guedin.
‘We think it’s very important to expand to States schools.’
Mrs Lecas said students across the Channel had already been in touch.
‘My students wrote Christmas cards to pupils at Blanchelande. We try to have a link before coming,’ she said.
She said her primary school also has ‘long-term goals’ for the exchange. It is working on a project that hopes to enable previous exchange students to return and do work experience in the island when they are older, potentially as museum tour guides.
The teachers said they had visited the local schools, enjoying the swimming pool and climbing wall at St Sampson’s High and watching a performance of Oliver Twist at Blanchelande.
They also met with friends made from previous exchanges, visited museums and met with the Bailiff, Sir Richard McMahon, while watching a States meeting in session.
‘We’re going back to the governor’s house as well,’ said Mrs Guedin. ‘We were invited on both visits and he came to our schools in December. He made a morning assembly speech. It was a great honour.’
But it is what has become an annual treat of fish and chips on Cobo beach that the teachers said they ‘especially love’ and they aim to be back there again in May, when the visit is timed for the 80th Liberation Day anniversary.
