DURING October half-term this year, I went on a work experience trip to Rouen in France, with three other JMHS Sixth Form students: Nicole Sterry, Mary Carr and Rebecca McPherson. The trip was suggested by Mrs Knight, my French teacher.

The trip was organised outside school by a group called Acorn Educational Exchanges and, after writing application letters and filling in some forms, the four of us found ourselves travelling on a coach with 30 people from other schools from around the country to the city in Normandy.

After an ice-skating trip on our first full day as an icebreaker, everyone was chatting to each other like we had known each other for years! Then it was time for work.

We were each allocated work placements, of which mine was in a crèche on the outskirts of the city and I spent the week working with children between two and three years old. Part of my work was reading the children stories, playing with them, helping them eat and supervising while they had their afternoon nap. I was lucky because they were all very sweet and reasonably well-behaved!

On the Friday of the trip it was Halloween, so I helped to put up decorations and dressed the children up, which was great fun!

Nicole spent the week in the clothes shop called Benetton, Rebecca worked in a children’s clothes shop and Mary worked in a hotel. We had a fantastic week trying out our French, sampling French food and making new friends. We stayed in a hotel and every evening we went out to a different restaurant to eat with the group leaders and chat about our days.

The city was very beautiful and I had lots of opportunities to wander around the narrow streets, admire the cathedral, try to navigate the public transport and do a bit of shopping, particularly in the famous chocolate shop!

The best thing about the trip was meeting new friends and sharing both your experiences and your passion for languages. I was able to have independence and still feel very safe in the hands of the group leaders who were there whenever we needed them. I had a fantastic time working with the children and I was able to practice my French constantly as neither the children or the adults at the crèche could speak English! I had a fantastic time and was so glad to have the opportunity to take part in such an enjoyable trip.

I feel slightly more confident speaking French and it has shown me that in the future I would really like to work in France as a teacher.

Kate Gardiner.