19 September 2018
Jersey’s Assistant Minister for Education, Deputy Jeremy Maçon, will visit Caen on Friday to sign an agreement to strengthen Jersey’s educational links with France.
The agreement aims to allow France and the Channel Islands to work more closely with each other to develop an educational partnership.
The visit has been arranged as part of a major project that started in three schools this week, called the French Experience, where more than 200 Year 5 students will spend six weeks learning French intensively. Alongside their normal English, maths and science lessons, the pupils will have an hour of French every day.
On Thursday, Deputy Maçon will visit Grouville School to speak to some of the students who are taking part in the French Experience.
The class teachers are being supported by French specialist Rachael Surcouf, an experienced Jersey teacher and Rachel Baxter, a senior adviser at Standards and Achievements, who organised the French Experience.
Ms Baxter said: “Through this intensive programme, the progress that each pupil makes in French speaking, listening, reading and writing is remarkable. We expect that pupils will realise their potential as language learners and also gain confidence and skills that they can use in French and other language learning as they get older. The pupils are already so enthusiastic and positive after less than a week of lessons; it will be wonderful to return at the end of programme and hear about all that they have achieved.’
On Friday, Deputy Maçon will visit schools in Caen to meet students and teachers and to learn more about new teaching and learning techniques that could also be applied in Jersey.
The agreement will show Jersey’s commitment to work with France to develop a number of key educational areas, including;
- promoting partnership between Channel Island and French schools
- developing teacher exchanges for language training
- encouraging use of digital communication between students
- working more closely with twinning associations
- establishing links for apprenticeships and vocational programmes
The agreement also aims to encourage more cultural and sports exchanges between France and the Channel Islands.
Deputy Maçon, said: “Our relationship with France is extremely valuable and I am excited about the opportunities that this new agreement will make possible. Through the agreement, we will be able to extend our educational partnership with France beyond the learning of French and English; it will allow us to work together in new ways to offer more options to Jersey’s children and young people.”
Guernsey Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq will join Deputy Maçon on the visit to show Guernsey’s commitment to the agreement.
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