We are attemping to forge exciting new links with a school in France.

Martine Flamant, who teaches at the College Jean Racine at Chateau-Thierry, near Paris, recently visited Bishop Barrington School, to discuss the development of an exchange project with Modern Foreign Languages teacher, Samira Bouchti, who visited France last year.

They are hoping to start the project in September and are exploring ways to involve other departments in the school as well as the Modern Foreign Languages, Maths and the Sports Departments.

“We want it to be a fully cultural exchange. Next Year 9 students will start to work on different projects in different areas and exchange information with their French counterparts,” said Miss Bouchti.

Students will be able to exchange information, via the Internet and create a blog, to enable the Bishop Barrington students and their French counterparts to get to know one other, before they get to meet in person.

“Hopefully our students will then spend a week in France and the following year the French students will come over here,” said Miss Bouchti.

“It is exciting at the moment because things are beginning to take shape,” said Madame Flamant.

Other schools in County Durham are also forming their own partnerships.

Martine Flamant from France and Samira Bouchti of Bishop Barrington School, drawing up details for exchange project between their two schools.