This page was updated on: 24th May 2012
Download forms & updates for the 2012-13 French Exchange here.
Young MFL Leaders programme for 2011-12
Launched – 7th November 2011. To find out more click here. Contact Mr Taylor or Mrs Figgis for details.
Olympic Festival of Languages to take place on 13th July 2012 with 150 KS2 pupils from Abel Smith, Morgans, Mill Mead and Bengeo primary school.
A day of fun packed sporting language fun led by the Year 10 Young MFL Leaders.
Un Grand Merci! The 2011-12 exchange with Le Collège Aliénor d’Aquitaine in Brantôme was, once again, a great success. UK students were in France in October and the French students were with us from 9-16 May 2012. Thanks are due to the staff involved and particularly the host families in the UK and in France whose welcome and hospitality during the respective visits helped strengthen our links with the partner school.
Next year we will be giving the exchange a geographical focus in France as it is an excellent opportunity to extend our study of rivers, mountains and the coast. It will benefit all students who have an interest in improving their French or who want to know more about this part of the world. The week will also include recreational trips.
- Cost: £250 (may be less depending on air fare)
- Includes: All travel, insurance, all visits and entrance fees in France
and all meals will be provided by the French family
- Duration: 7 days mid-October 2012
- Return visit: (French partners to UK) May 2013
- Accommodation is on a reciprocal basis with the French family
Application forms can be obtained from Mme Figgis, e-mail figgisc@simonballe.herts.sch.uk or visit our site at www.sbslangs.org.uk/interinits.htm .
The closing date is 31st May.
Brantôme from the air
French students’ feedback on their stay, MAY 2012
I loved shopping and the London Eye and enjoyed the warm weather. J’ai aussi aimé les soirées à 4 où on a joué au trampoline et à ‘just dance 3’ et où on a eu beaucoup de fous rires ! I also loved Madame Tussaud’s andLondonis a great place to go to. J’ai adoré passer le week-end avec la grand-mère de ma corres qui m’a appris plein de trucs sur Londres. Anaïs BOUTHIER
I liked Madame Tussaud’s very much, the London Eye and shopping. On Friday, I went rollerskating with Mollie and my friends, on Saturday Joana and I had great fun at the bowling and at Erin’s home and on Sunday in the shops inCamdenwith Lea and Laurine. Maëlle LEFEBVRE
I loved the wax museum of Madame Tussaud’s – it was my best day ! – and I enjoyed shopping. J’ai aussi aimé les soirées avec les corres et quelques amies françaises. Vive ‘Just dance 3’ et le London Eye, c’était super ! Tout était génial, Londres, la famille, … Bref, une incroyable expérience à refaire de toute urgence !!! Eva CHATEAU
In England, I loved having a week-end with my partner’s family, going sightseeing in the cities, English landscapes and even English food !!! Floran THUILLIER
I liked the London Eye. In cities, I was impressed by the number of people and English people walk more than we do ! I’m keen on the sports centre where I skated.BuckinghamPalaceis very big and beautiful. I love England !!! Eloïse GUILLAUME
Les filles anglaises sont très belles ! J’ai aimé le London Eye, le shopping et voir Big Ben pour de vrai ! Il y a de très belles voitures. Et j’ai aimé Madame Tussaud’s. Eduardo BANICA
J’ai aimé mon séjour et en particulier le London Eye et Madame Tussaud’s. Je me suis bien amusée avec ma correspondante. Les cours sont différents mais j’aime bien ! Anaïs PAGEZIE
I liked spending the week-end with my family and visiting London with my friends. Il y avait beaucoup d’ambiance and my family was very friendly. I enjoyed the lessons at Simon Balle. Thibault BARSAC
I liked going to the beach with my partner. Alaric PEYROUNY
I really enjoyed the PE lesson with the English students and Madame Tussaud’s museum. Ellie was very nice to me. Mathilde ROBERT
I liked all the places we went to. It was good too to discover school in England. I had a great week with my partner and I could discover many things. Clarisse HERREYRE
It was really a great week ! My partner and her family are very nice and kind. I’ll miss them a lot ! I really liked visitingLondon(the London Eye, Big Ben, shopping and everything) but not walking ! Hertford is a very nice little town.SimonBalleSchool, the teachers and students were very welcoming. I’ll have very good memories of my stay. Audrey JEAN
Thank you for welcoming us. See you another time. Bye ! Morgane NAVARRO
We had a really great week. Natalia and her family were very nice.Londonis wonderful, above all for shopping. I enjoyed the beautiful view from the London Eye in spite of the weather ! I also enjoyed rollerskating on Friday night. Thank you for the whole week ! Léa CHABOT
Hi ! Marine – Izzy MOREALE’s partner – writing. Je tiens à vous dire que j’ai passé une super semaine avec vous. Your school is so good ! Hertford is a very nice little town. I loved Madame Tussaud’s but I didn’t like the day to St Alban’s much. Bisous aux professeurs et aux Anglais and thanks again for that incredible week ! Marine CHAUVINEAU
J’ai passé une super bonne semaine chez Yasmin. Sa famille est vraiment gentille. J’en garde un très bon souvenir. Bisous. Camille LOUP
I had a good week-end and I loved Friton. My family was very nice, my partner very friendly. I’d like to go back to Hertford as soon as I can ! Quentin LACOURARIE
In England, I enjoyed discovering and living the English way of life and meeting new people. All the outgoings with the partners were great and so wasLondon. En gros, vive l’Angleterre et les Anglais ! Colline LARRUE
Merci pour l’accueil, c’était un accueil chaleureux. J’ai passé un agréable week-end avec ma corres en sortant au roller square. Encore merci pour tout. Chloé RESSE
J’ai passé une très bonne semaine. J’ai adoré la visite du musée de Madame Tussaud’s et j’ai passé un très bon week-end avec Clarisse, Romane et les corres. Thanks a lot. Clarice PANAZOLE
We had a very good time with you and we loved that trip… Joana RODRIGUEZ
Visiting London was good ! At the week-end, we went to the park with my host pal and to Cambridge. Samuel COURAUDON
England was very good. Girls are nice ! But the weather’s so bad … Félix VINCENT
I liked Madame Tussaud’s museum – it was so funny ! – and the London Eye too.Londonis very beautiful with its red buses and nice shops. Romane BOUSSARIE
We had a good week with you. The visits were very interesting and the activities were very good and funny. My partner’s parents were great fun ! Simon Balle school is big but great : I liked it. We lacked sun and heat but it was a good week. English people are nice. Thank you. I’m thinking of coming back !!! Laurine HUGEL
We had a very good week. Your school is very big. The activities and visits were very good. I had a good time with you. Gaëtan LASBRAUNIAS
En Angleterre, les filles sont très belles et les paysages aussi. La journée à Londres était bien car c’est une belle ville. Il y a aussi de belles voitures ! Je regrette que les correspondants n’aient pas fait de sorties avec nous… Nassim AMEQRANE
I liked going aroundLondonand visiting Madame Tussaud’s. We had a great time skating with the English girls. MagdalenaMAZIERE
French Exchange Review 2011
by Eliza Weeks and Amy Brown
On the 12th October, a group of 30 students from years 8, 9 and 10 started their journey to Brantôme, (Dordogne) on this year’s French exchange. Each one of us was allocated a French partner with whom we stayed until the 19th. The aim of this trip was to give us a chance to experience the different lifestyle, improve our French and enjoy ourselves!
During our stay in Brantôme we participated in a wide range of activities, from Laser Quest to making our own chocolate! We visited Bordeaux and learnt about the historical features of this beautiful town. We also explored Brantôme itself; although it is a very small town all the Simon Balle students enjoyed looking around the Market and completing the quiz.
French and UK partners – October 2011
Every morning we arrived at the French school at the same time as our exchange partners and then were taken to the activity that was planned for us that day. After the day’s activities were over we went home with our exchange partners and experienced life as part of their family. During this time we had a taste of typical French life, food and bonded with the exchange family.
We really enjoyed the trip and got a real taste of France. We particularly enjoyed spending the weekend with our exchange family and doing things with them as well as the wide range of activities that were planned. A big merci to Mme Figgis, Miss Clarke and Mr Kay, the host families and the French teachers who made this all possible. We can’t wait until they visit us on their leg of the exchange in March 2012.
If you would like to know more about the school’s French Exchange programme, please contact Mme Figgis on 01992 401 400 ext 206 or by e-mail figgisc@simonballe.herts.sch.uk. You can also find out more from our website www.sbslangs.org.uk and click on the Extracurricular tab.
MFL Department Renovation – 31 October 2011
A new look on entering the MFL Department
