Guten Tag! Abbot’s Lea School unites with its German partner school for enriching visit to Liverpool

Woolton-based Abbot’s Lea School warmly welcomed international visitors this term as part of a longstanding partnership with German school, Fasia-Jansen-Gesamtschule.

The three-day trip was jampacked with activities, enabling German students and staff to see the incredible sights of Liverpool and the Wirral.

The visit began with a tour of Abbot’s Lea School, allowing the guests to look around the picturesque grounds within which the school is situated and to gain an insight into the life of a special school setting. Visiting students took part in climbing wall activities and were shown around by their Key Stage 4 British peers.

Later that day, the group visited Strawberry Fields and Calderstones Park, enjoying wider cultural education and a delicious picnic.

The following day, the visitors went to the British Music Experience and took a tour of Liverpool city centre. That evening, tenpin bowling awaited, followed by a delicious meal at the local Nando’s.

On the final day, the visitors took a famous trip – a ferry across the Mersey – and went to New Brighton to spend time on the beach, where they took part in a range of outdoor games. The German guests were also treated to some traditional fish and chips and ice cream cones, before an emotional farewell concluded the visit.

Speaking about the visit, one Abbot’s Lea student said: “It has been great showing our German friends our wonderful city; I loved it so much!”

Another student was so inspired by the visit that they asked when they will be able to visit their German friends in their hometown.

Interest in Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), and German language tuition in particular, has since grown, demonstrating that learning is often inspired by the motivation triggered by real-life experiences.

Headteacher of Abbot’s Lea School, Mrs Ania Hildrey, commented: “Our school’s vision is to be an international centre of excellence in Autism education, research and professional development. Being an international school, with a range of partners, is central to that vision. Following on from previous years’ visits to Germany, it was our pleasure to host our partner school’s visit this term.

“The visit created a wonderful opportunity to broaden our students’ horizons and deepen their understanding of different cultures and inspire the love of foreign languages.

“For our visitors, an insight into the complexities of a specialist school was balanced with the realisation that we might all be different, but we are also all the same. In this day and age, this unifying aspect of global citizenship education is a must and I am so proud of the role that we play in shaping our future generations as open-minded, tolerant, outward-looking citizens of the world.

“This exchange enhances our educational experiences and builds strong, lasting relationships that reflect the true spirit of global communities.”

This visit marks a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between the two schools, which began in 2017. Abbot’s Lea School has visited the German school on a number of occasions and the partnership continues to flourish each year.

A leader from Fasia-Jansen-Gesamtschule, Evelyn Meyer, said: “Thank you so much for all the trouble you took for making us feel so welcome and for ordering the best weather.”