insites
February
2012
No 104
The British Section Magazine
Lycée International
St Germain-en-Laye
& Partner Schools
Learning “live” the value of educational trips
Editorial team: James Cathcart, Annie Divaret, Madeleine Hepworth, Yasmin Hollis,
Debbie Macklin, Justin Steed, Catherine Vironda
Student editors: Benjy Hollis, Ingrid Jauffret, Lily Polak
NEXT ISSUE MAY 2012
Visit the
British Section website
www.britishsection.fr
Headlines
Headlines
Cover photograph: Bringing history to life - David Jackson with
students on the Castles trip
Computer�Services.�
In this issue
Headlines
Anniversaries provide opportunities
3
Primary
4-7
Secondary
8 -13
On play, pantomimes and poetry;
visiting authors, and leading learners
Why trips are so beneficial; Julia Golding stirs
imaginations; Chinese New Year; Enrichment’s
3rd year; baroque art and facing the future
PTG
Regular round-up of community events,
extra-curricular action and top tips;
and the spotlight is turned on PMC
Staff News
Who’s going back to school
On Stage
All Hail Macbeth
Student Shout
On finding jobs; the look of love; prices at
Le Patio; Dutch fever
Alumnae
Ginette v LSE: the pros and cons of life
after the Bac - both sides of the channel
14-17
18
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�� Presentations,�programmes,�publicity�etc.�
�� Home�movies�to�DVD���vinyl�discs�to�CD��
“celebrate an exceptional
educational project”
Philip�Mead�
19
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22
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24
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2
nniversaries offer an opportunity to
look back and reflect, to celebrate what
has passed, assess what has changed
and establish new objectives for
the future. The 60th anniversary of the Lycée
International this year is just such an occasion.
However, the anniversary should not be restricted
to a single school; rather it provides an opportunity
to celebrate an exceptional educational project
– namely, the existence of international sections,
such as our own British Section, at the heart of
French schools – that has evolved over the past
six decades.
S ince the first cultural agreement signed
between Britain and France in Paris in 1948,
a number of educational projects have been
developed to promote international understanding
and cooperation. Most of these have, quite
understandably, focused on language learning
through, for example, the exchange of language
assistants and the promotion of school exchanges,
often linked to town twinning activities.
for Education of England, Michael Gove, and
the Ministre de l’Education Nationale, Luc Chatel,
affirming the French and British governments’
vision for deepening collaboration. It proposes
to establish mechanisms for exchanging views
on key areas of education policy, facilitating the
mobility of pupils and teachers between the two
countries, sharing best practice in teaching /
pedagogy, and promoting inter-cultural dialogue.
The memorandum marks a significant step for
the British Section since it is the first time that the
two governments have made a joint commitment
to collaborate on bilingual education programmes
and it makes specific mention to the ‘sections
internationales britanniques’ implemented in the
French education system at primary and secondary
levels. Collaboration on educational projects such
as our own reflects a recognition that we are facing
global challenges that require global responses,
and comes at an important point when, in an era
of financial crisis, narrow nationalist rhetoric has a
tendency to proliferate and find support.
W e should not become
complacent in what we have
other’s language does not always
achieved in the international
“pupils are
translate into understanding each
sections. Indeed, as the project
other. How often have we heard
encouraged to
evolves we face new challenges.
that the British and Americans are
become
freeFor example, as a result of global
divided by a common language?
thinking analysts” economic trends, the pupil body
Something beyond language is
continues to evolve so that a higher
required to communicate and
proportion of pupils are learning
understand.
their ‘section language’ as a second (or sometimes
I nternational sections offer much more third) language. The national ‘language heritage’
than simple language learning, and it is their sections have therefore become more truly
role in the promotion of intercultural dialogue international and our teaching methods must
and understanding that deserves specific adapt in response. Similarly, the existence of
attention. This is a theme shared by the French international sections is only a first step towards
administration and found expression at a recent fulfilling the aim of promoting inter-cultural
seminar organised by our friends at the Direction dialogue; although we consciously promote bides Relations Européennes et Internationales et de culturalism through the teaching of history and
la Coopération (DREIC), with the support of geography, we need to undertake more research on
the Direction Générale de l’Enseignement Scolaire what constitutes inter-cultural dialogue and how
(DGESCO). By teaching the canon of literature we can ensure we promote this in class.
out of which a modern language inevitably grows,
As part of the 60th anniversary celebrations,
students are able to acquire not only a native
the British Section is leading a cross-site project to
fluency in the language, but also cultural references
become affiliated with the ‘UNESCO associated
that enable them to become fully immersed in
schools’ network which will provide an opportunity
society and not just linguistic tourists. Similarly,
for all sections and our French colleagues in partner
by offering alternative perspectives of historical
schools to collaborate on common projects that
events and current affairs through the teaching
promote internationalism and global sustainable
of History-Geography in both French and the
development. I look forward to reporting our
section’s language, pupils are encouraged to assess
progress in the next edition of Insites.
the relative value of received narratives to become
free-thinking analysts.
James Cathcart
Fortunately, the international sections are also
Director,
British Section
receiving more attention from the other side of the
channel. Only last November a ‘memorandum of jcathcart@britishsection.fr
understanding’ was signed by the Secretary of State
However, understanding each
23
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Training,�how�to:��
Other�services.�
Over to YOU
One reader reviews ‘Les Âmes Grises’;
many readers review Insites
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24-01-2008 15:14:26
3
Primary
All on stage for Snow White and the seven dwarfs
Child’s play!
Why children behave
the way they do
Report from the Primary Forum
W
e have all seen our
children lining up toys
or hiding in cubbyholes
or spending days dressed up as
fairy tale characters or playing on
air guitars. The Primary forum
on 25th January gave an insight
into why our children behave
in such ways and reassurance
that it is indeed a totally natural
part of the learning process!
The presentation was based on a talk given
by Sally Featherstone - a successful head teacher,
county adviser, inspector, author and consultant
- at last year’s ELSA teachers’ conference in Paris.
It focused on how the brain learns and the way in
which we, as teachers, accommodate this in the
classroom.
T he type of play mentioned above, when
children repeatedly do something, happens when
they are building up basic concepts or ‘schemas’
(trajectory, transforming, orientation…), so is
particularly seen with our youngest pupils in the
Maternelle 1 classroom. Dressing up and pretending
to be someone else, be it a witch, astronuaut or
pop star, is referred to as “counterfactual” play.
This can be seen throughout the primary years and
beyond as children try out ‘what if?’ situations.
S cientific research shows that the brain is
constantly making links between the cells, so
fully exploring our environment expands our
understanding of the world around us. If we do
activities repeatedly “myelination” takes place,
wrapping these links in a protective sheath of
the fatty substance myelin. As this ‘myelin sheath’
builds up over time, specific skills can become
‘hard wired’ or automatic, such as driving a car,
reading or writing.
We now know that children’s brains are more
active and flexible than those of adults and that to
flourish, children need a rich, sensory environment,
freedom to explore it with positive adult support,
and a healthy dose of physical activity. When these
criteria are fulfilled it is believed that children will
automatically seek out activities which their brain
needs to develop.
It was suggested in the original lecture that at
least 40% of a child’s day in school should be selfdirected. Despite having only six hours a week at
our disposal, free time, or “choosing”, is built into
all Maternelle class sessions. As the accompanying
pictures show (see banner), core activities directly
related to reading, writing, speaking and listening,
4
The good fairies from Sleeping Beauty
Teachers are learners too!
J
ill Johnstone reports on her successful
completion of the NPQH (National
Professional Qualification for Headship), a
UK-recognised qualification which provides
evidence, experience and confidence to teachers
who aspire to headship roles in their careers.
Looking for a new professional challenge, I
applied for the National Professional Qualification
for Headteachers, designed to provide the
evidence, experience and confidence aspirant
headteachers need to secure their first headship. It
was developed with leading British headteachers,
and so there is a strong focus on leading teaching
and learning, behaviour and performance
management.
Selection was a two part process involving a
written review of my career followed by a two day
Assessment and Development Event with 6 other
candidates. By this time, I had a clear picture of
how the programme would allow me to achieve
the national criteria.
W ith a personal coach, I planned my
own learning programme - a blend of on-line
seminars and courses ranging from performance
management to coaching and management of
school finances. This was supplemented by more
individualised coaching and on-the-job training.
A placement in another school was particularly
fruitful especially as we were advised to choose a
school ‘out of our comfort zone’. My Easter break
included a course about the
legal responsibilities and role of
school governors. The last term
of the school year was devoted
to completing all the paperwork
followed by a final interview in
London.
Parents who want to be
teachers
D
ebbie Rattier reports on what it
takes to become a fully qualified teacher,
including working as a volunteer in our Primary
classrooms to gain teaching experience.
I’m studying for my PGCE (Post Graduate
Certification of Education) with the University of
Sunderland as a distance learning student. As part
of my teaching practice I need to teach several
hours a week; I only teach for four hours in my
present job in the Anglophone section of another
school and so Mr Cathcart and Mrs Divaret have
kindly agreed to let me work as a volunteer in
Primary Lycée classes.
I must say that this is a wonderful experience
that I can recommend to anyone considering
studying for a PGCE. The Lycée staff have
welcomed me in, being very supportive and
helpful throughout my time here. Mrs Divaret
in particular has given me much of her time,
observing my lessons and advising me as my
mentor here.
T he work load on the PGCE side is very
heavy: I am continually researching and writing
for essays and case studies, and designing lessons,
lesson plans and schemes of work. However the
wealth of information that I absorb is so useful
for my work and can be immediately applied in
classes at the Lycée under the guidance of Lycée
teachers. In fact, I couldn’t be in a better place to
hone my skills!
T
he recent pantomime season
was a great success, with
favourite fairy tales and stories
coming to life on stage. With a
healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek
melodrama, these comedy theatrical
productions are a traditional
part of the festive season; fun to
be part of and fun to watch!
“Theatre with Mrs Divaret
has been super !”
“I had so much fun acting
and I think it also improved
my spelling and language.”
!
ll up! R
p
o
u
oll
R
“If you like acting please
join us, it has been a great
experience and you would enjoy
watching the show because we
have been working so hard.”
It’s Pantomime time!
“The Sleeping Beauty was really
original. We were mega cool fairy
rappers and wore baggy T-shirts,
tattoos and lots of gold chains.”
“It was easy learning our
lines but we were extremely
nervous on stage. A few people
even forgot their lines and
had to improvise. In the end
we all had a great time!”
“Before the show Mrs D took
us to the self for lunch, it
was great. We’ll eat there
when we’re in 6ème!”
I ’m really proud that in
A mega-cool Fairy
Rapper from
Sleeping Beauty
From Cindarella those Ugly Sisters
up to their tricks
Left and below from
The Wizard of Oz
gaining my NPQH I can show
that my professional skills and
experience gained here are
equivalent and transferable to a
school in England.
The Wicked
Witch of the East
Debbie Rattier in the 7ème classroom
and counterfactual play, are always available in some
form during these times. There will also be choices
related to our current books or topic, as well as
occasionally those related to unexpected events,
such as snowfall!
The mind is always looking for hooks, links and
repetition, practising to make perfect. The forum
finished with an important reminder for all of us to
facilitate this process by slowing down when we
interact with our children, listening more than we
talk, watching more and intervening less and giving
each child time (10 seconds at least) to process
responses to our questions.
The slides from this forum can be found on the
VLE in Section 9 of the Primary Information part of
the Parent’s Centre (alongside the information and
reading meetings).
Barbara Bentley and Suzy Le Gousse
The 8ème cast of Dick Whittington
Dorothy sets off along the Yellow Brick Road in good company
5
Primary
Felix Eboue choir singing “Frosty the Snowman”
Poetry
Getting ready for collège
T
his school year, the
7ème/CM2 pupils
are being visited
by secondary colleagues as
part of their introduction
to collège. This programme
will take place on both sites,
for the lycée classes and the
pupils in the Ecole Félix
Eboué. Our first lesson was
with Mrs Slaiding who gave
an inspiring poetry lesson
around the theme of animals
and how poets create the
images of their movements.
The pupils then wrote
their own animal poems
focusing on movement.
ANAGRAMS BY ANTOINE
(an anagram enthusiast)
An anagram is the
rearrangement of a
word, name, phrase or
sentence. There is a basic
rule in anagrams, all the
letters of the anagram
can only be used once.
The best anagrams are
meaningful. Anagrams are
often used in fiction for
characters, such as Tom
Marvolo Riddle = I am
Lord Voldemort. Other
examples are, peanlote
= antelope and we steel
dib = wildebeest.
6
Dog
Wagging affectionately she
bounces up on my shoulders
Delivering a huge slobbery lick.
When out for a walk she charges
like a barbarian after a cat.
Brown, warm cuddly fur creeps
on to my bed and rests her
floppy lips on the duvet
After she rolls over and
shows her velvety paws.
The Scorpion
With claws clicking and venom seeping
Jittering legs – creeping, creeping,
It darts explosively,
crushing the mouse.
The Snow Leopard
It creeps silently around the
unfortunate prey close to its death
Leaps quickly before anyone can
detect its white camouflaged fur
Then pounces proudly into
the air with its prey.
It hisses menacingly at the terrified
animal who poses before it
And growls powerfully as if
savouring the fright of its prey
Then the snow leopard
makes its final choice.
White Headed Eagle
With deadly binocular
eyesight it marks its prey
With one elegant swoop
it plunges downwards
In a few seconds has its prey
clasped between its vicious
talons ripping it to shreds
The Jackal
It stalks silently like a
pickpocket stealing money
It brutally murders its prey
like Jack the Ripper
It savagely bites into its
prey’s stomach like a kid
eating chocolate cake
Then scurries off quickly like
a mouse chased by a cat
Its black fur and pointed
ears make it unique.
Goldfish
Stealthily rises as if to advise you,
Twitch, it plunges suddenly
into the shallow water,
Swiftly dives like an eagle in the air.
Its gold scales glistening
in the sunlight,
It strolls in its underwater palace,
In its mysterious language
it tells its stories.
Crocodile
Plop! Plop! Plop! Plop!
Stuffed or not?
Camouflage.
Eee! Eee! Eee! Eee!
Swift. Precise.
Ahhhhhhhhhh!
Burp!
Kangaroo
They thump around on
the deserted ground.
Bouncing majestically
like a trampoline,
Moving in staccato beat.
Boing, boing.
Racing against the wind.
On the red sand.
Elephant
Trumpeting like Louis Armstrong
Stumping like a tantruming toddler
Swinging aggressively its massive
trunk, knocking out any obstacle.
Charging violently towards
any threatening animal.
A goldmine of ideas
Flashback to the Carol Service
P
by 7ème pupils
opular childrens’ author, Julia Golding,
worked with 7ème pupils as well as collège
classes (see page 10) during her visit to the
school in December, which was enjoyed by all:
“Julia Golding gave us plenty of ideas
which helped us describe a character”.
“She said the picture we described could be
a vampire, zombie or werewolf. I wouldn’t
have thought of that. I have since read the
‘Cat Royal’ books and think they are very
good because they are interesting, there is
suspense and lots of new vocabulary”.
“I had not read her books before but now
really enjoy them”.
“ Julia Golding inspired us to have more
confidence writing. She helped us plan
on paper much more than I thought she
would”.
“It was quite fun dressing the pirate and a
good idea to help us learn how to write”.
Inspired by Julia Golding’s workshop on
creating characters for stories, 7ème pupils
were asked to choose a portrait from a variety
of sources and write a profile of the character
as they imagined them, considering colour,
texture, sound and smell.
“The lady carries a white ferret which
is fated to decorate the royal garments.
The name which suits is Miranda. Pearl
would be her middle name because she
is delicate and as light as a pearl which
can be precious and rare. Her vicious red
hair makes her look spicy tempered. She
has a light smile which gives her a tint of
happiness. The contrast of white and black
in the portrait is sharp, so if I chose a smell
for her it would be a spice. Looking at the
portrait I imagine a harp playing in the
distance because it is calm and peaceful.”
“Part singer, part actress, she enjoys
singing pop music for its rhythm and beat.
People thought her ideas weird. Children
who watched her on TV could almost
smell a sweet orange smell. Although her
clothing was weird, it was always the same
the colours – orange, red and yellow.”
Reading improves lives!
Primary and maternelle pupils raised
1550 euros for Readathon, which supports
projects organized by the CLIC Sargent and
Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity
helping sick children and their families.
“Every Monday after school we practised
singing the carols. I liked ‘Silent Night’
best of all. Some of the medieval carols
were very complicated. On the night we
all sang out and I really enjoyed it.”
“We sang with Mr Harding. He warmed
our voices and then we all started
singing, the air full of wonderful
melodies.”
“When we were in church we sang the
carols, The Twelve Days of Christmas,
The Sans Day Carol and the Somerset
Wassail, (my favourite).”
“Afterwards there was a little party with
snacks and drinks that finished about
half past nine.”
Thanks to all who provided plenty of mince
pies and warming mulled wine to prolong the
seasonal cheer following the Carol Service at
Holy Trinity Church, Maisons Lafitte.
(From left to right, bottom photo):
Jackie Gale, Angela Labaisse-Brodie, Philip
Mead, Rev. Trevor Whitfield and Nicola
Bullough.
Thanks to the Primary Choir, directed by Jules
Harding.
Thanks to all our pupils who participated.
Thanks to all parents and teachers who
attended.
Our Values
A
s part of the 7ème programme ‘Our Values’ we looked at the work of the
American Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King. The third Monday in January
is MLK Day in the USA.
Here, 7ème pupils remind us about this great figure:
On the third Monday in January we talked about Martin Luther King who guided the
black people to oppose discrimination. He used his charismatic speeches to convince white
people that everyone should be treated the same way.
Martin was a church minister born in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a very honest man who
wanted to liberate the black population in the USA. from poverty and discrimination. He
tried to explain that black men and white men were equal and tried to promote real equality
in a peaceful way. Like Gandhi he believed in non-violence. By leading demonstrations and
delivering powerful speeches, he persuaded very important white men that discrimination
was unjust. He was shot in 1986. The night before he died, he said, ‘I may not get to the
promised land with you, but we as a people will’.
7
Educational trips
Achieving what no text book can
tired of London,
“When a man is
e”
he is tired of Lif
A round up of recent trips and what they bring
London 3ème pupils - November 2011
Who:
61 pupils from all four BS 3ème classes
on all 3 sites
The Aim:
• to discover some of the history
and culture of this vibrant city.
The Highlights:
• a drama workshop at Shakespeare’s
Globe Theatre
• attending a performance of “War
Horse” at a West End theatre
• exploring the highly popular Camden
Market
Thanks:
• to all the accompanying staff who
gave up their time for this trip
For the first time, the English Department was
able to offer an educational trip to London to all
pupils in 3ème.
P roviding a unique cultural and artistic
experience, this trip also brought together students
from all three collège sites, allowing new friendships
to be forged before students are reunited in 2nde
on the Lycée International site.
This year, a link to the History curriculum was
included with a visit to the National Portrait Gallery
for an interactive presentation on the portraiture of
the Stuarts in preparation for the ‘Brevet International’
in History and the Brevet ‘Histoire des Arts’ oral
exam, both taken at the end of 3ème.
Teachers prepared optional activities linked to
IGCSE English coursework:
• Sally Naylor and Claire Lewis prepared a creative
piece on Jack the Ripper
• Michael Eccles designed an oral task based on
portraits
• Margaret Slaiding wrote a travel writing task
based on Camden Market
Samuel Johnson
Pupils work - inspired by the trip
At night, with a guide, students went on
the atmospheric and chilling ‘Jack the Ripper
Walk’ in the Whitechapel and Spitalfields
area. Here are two short extracts from the
course work that followed.
Darkness was as common in Sophie’s daily
routine as were filth and stench. Ever since her
husband John had abandoned her, she spent the
day-time begging and, unless by some odd twist of
fate she had money enough for a gin, the nighttime offering her company to questionable men.
She was not foolish enough to wonder whether
this pattern would end with anything other than
her death, and she kept her wishes in check. She
knew that despite how much she wanted wealth
and comfort, she could never reach either. Life had
dealt her an unfortunate hand; but she would not
complain.
That night was as all the others were. She had
returned to her one-room flat in Fashion Street,
attempted to clean herself up a little and stepped
out onto the cobblestones, waiting for service. It
was rarely lacking. Despite her grimy appearance,
there were always men wandering these streets in
want of affection. However, this time, there was
less clientele than per usual – Sophie watched
another woman across the street be approached,
and walk off with her customer. Still, no one. The
air was cooler than it had been for the past few
nights, and Sophie tugged her faded shawl around
her shoulders to ward off the cold.
Rebecca Boyd
Where to go? After the previous occasion, I
was going to have to be extra careful. The night
air was so terribly freezing that I felt sure fewer
drunkards would be out. Yet as I approached
the crowded ale house, I could discern the usual
horde of people spilling over onto the pavement.
Exhaling deeply so as to hide my face with a cloud
of mist before passing the onlookers, I hastily
moved on. After I had been walking for some time,
something caught my eye at the end of the dimly
lit street. I glanced down a murky passageway.
Yes this felt right. ‘Butcher’s Street’ read the
scarlet coloured inscription on one of the bricks; I
laughed inwardly.
The fog obscured my vision, hanging weightlessly
around me like a net waiting for a catch. The
alleyway was dark and shadowy, full of mystery.
The sky was clouded over, no hope of a bright moon
tonight. The walls looming above me on either
side left just enough room for two people to stand
so that they were touching. I felt the rough, icy
bricks beneath my finger tips: cold as death. These
walls would keep my secret. Tonight they would
be my partner in crime. The only sound was the
crushing of the freshly fallen layer of snow like
bones beneath my feet, as I paced my way to
the other end of the alley. The sickening stench
of urine, waste and vomit filled my nostrils like
poison. One of these buildings was probably a doss
house. I knew I was in for a catch tonight.
Georgina Connors
Castles
5ème pupils. January 2012
With the Castles Trip now at an end, those
of us who took part can reflect upon what was a
fascinating and highly successful tour of Rochester,
London and Dover. We were delighted by the way
in which the 67 students from the Lycée, Hauts
Grillets and PMC worked together as a group; the
maturity and goodwill they showed throughout
the visit was deeply impressive and I would like to
congratulate them here. We hope that they will now
be suitably inspired to embark upon the challenge of
the Castles Project.
at Rochester, students are called upon to bring a
derelict ruin to life in their imaginations; the view
of Rochester Cathedral from the top of the castle
achieves what no text book ever can – that of
providing students with stunning visual proof of the
inextricable ties which bound Church and Monarchy
throughout the medieval and early modern period.
And so on to London. Here the architectural
juxtaposition of medieval and modern is unmissable.
In many ways, the Tower of London encapsulates
this. The two hour tour of a castle - whose functional
lifespan straddles nine centuries - provided our
students with a wonderfully rich narrative of English
and British History. With time
The Castles Project is a key
running out, we hurried past the
opportunity for our History
“providing students corner of Tower Green where
students to develop their skills
Anne Boleyn was executed
as independent learners and
with stunning visual by the swordsman whom she
researchers. Over the course
requested to travel from France
proof ”
of five lessons they will be using
to perform the duty; within the
library and internet resources
White Tower however, we
to craft a document which
learned of numerous other victims of the English
examines why castles were first built; how and why Reformation and beyond – indeed the last prisoner
they evolved over the centuries and what political, to be executed was a German spy in World War
military and psychological functions they fulfilled.
Two. For a brief period, he was questioned in the
So where does the Castles Trip fit in? Is it merely room once occupied by Guy Fawkes. What better
an exercise in wholesale purchase of Cadbury’s example of historical change and continuity could
chocolate at the Euro Tunnel service station? Or do we possibly provide our students?
we have a more ambitious set of aims? I trust it is
Matthew Tomlinson
the latter. As keen historians, we all recognize that
in encountering, deconstructing and understanding
the past, there is no substitute for field work. Thus,
Seconde Accueil on Tour
D
uring an action-packed three days, the
Seconde Accueil group visited a variety of
places and events linked to their English and
History coursework. On the programme:
Museum of London, East End Walk, a theatre
workshop at The Globe, a performance of
the West-End’s longest running show “The
Mousetrap”, a workshop on phonics at the
British Library, and the Tate Modern... phew!
“..three amazing days” - Hélène Gaston
“It was a really amazing and enriching experience
and I look forward going to London again.”
Clothilde Venereau
Sincere thanks from all who went to Xana
Jones for organising the trip and to James
Cathcart and Sarah Gregoire for accompanying
the group.
8
9
Secondary
Shaking up our imaginations!
Chinese New Year
Visiting Authors
Welcoming the Dragon
A
s part of our Visiting
Author programme,
Julia Golding recently
visited British Section 6ème
and primary classes, and
proved a great inspiration,
as the following feedback
from pupils shows:
In December, the 6ème LI class met
the author Julia Golding. With an impressive
list of titles under her belt (‘The Diamond of
Drury Lane’, ‘Secret of Sirens’, ‘Ringmaster’,
‘Dragonfly Pool’ and more), she has won many
awards for her writing - the Nestlé Children’s
Book prize, formerly the Smarties Book Prize and more recently was longlisted for the Carnegie
award 2009. Before her visit, the 6ème bookcub
had read ‘Wolfcry’.
At the beginning of the session, she shared
with us her experience as an author and
gave us a taste of what it would be like if we,
ourselves, became authors. Then we did a variety
of activities to shake-up our imaginations: we
had to introduce ourselves in a creative and
imaginative way. Then, she brought back the
chills from the scariest moment of our lives by
making us write about our most terrifying events.
We were the first to hear extracts from her latest,
unfinished book (I won’t spoil it for you). And, at
the end of our lesson, she very kindly autographed
our books!
I think I speak for the whole class when
I say that Julia Golding is very inspiring. It
was great fun meeting her and we hope that she
keeps writing her adventures.
Greta Lowe
Calling all budding bards!
The English Department will
be running a British Section
Poetry Competition, to be
launched after the Winter
holidays. Winning entries will be
published in the May edition of
Insites. Look out for further details
on the VLE.
10
...and here are some more appreciative comments by students
from Collège des Hauts Grillets and Collège Pierre et Marie Curie
“It has a funny effect when you meet the
person who wrote the words you love so much. I
like having her signature because authors feel
somewhat like a myth. A signature is proof that
the person really exists and is like you, proof that
you could write a story as well”
Dakota Bennett
Julia Golding’s visit was fun and entertaining.
She showed us lots of different ways to plan a
book. She explained that she planned her stories
in chronological order, but that other authors didn’t.
She loves travelling to foreign places, and often
gets inspiration for her stories from the things she
sees on her travels. Her visit made me quite want
to write a book someday.
“It helped me with my short story since she
taught us how to imagine a character’s personality, Antoine Rimbert
what they smell of, their favourite colour and music,
She also led us into an activity: she gave us an
what they are like, brave, timid…”
image of a person (usually painting) and we had to
use our imagination to describe his or her character,
Henry Smith
matching colour, the animal that person would be
“I adored the pirate game and discovering the if he or she was one, and which music would fit the
steps to get a fully published book”.
person (classical music, jazz, drums.. ).
Allison Droulers
Julia Golding showed us books she had written
“She gave us tips to improve our short stories, on the smartboard and told us the story of a few
I enjoyed when you had to add strong adjectives of them.
to your imagined character. I loved the part of
What surprised me was to learn that authors
her visit when she read a section of her new book
could
not share their opinion on which bookcover
out to us”.
to
chose,
and Julia Golding said herself that she
Eléonore Engel
disliked one or two of some of her bookcovers.
“We learnt to always carry a little notebook to Charlotte Knight
jot down ideas for writing stories”.
Oliver Shing
The Chinese Section held a special evening at
Hauts Grillets on Friday 27th January to celebrate
their New Year. The Section invited the British
Section families of the children who are in the same
class as the 10 Chinese 6èmes (pictured below in
class). According to comments from British Section
6ème pupils, it was a great success:
“The Chinese New Year was exceptional.It
was a fun time for the whole family! It took
place in the cantine at des Hauts Grillets.The
people who attended were the Chinese section and
their guests. The decoration was superb, Chinese
ornaments hung from the walls. The buffet was
extraordinary with many Chinese things to try.
The Chinese Section left us speechless when
they performed! To finish they organized games
where we could win prizes. I hope we get invited
next year! ”
Julien Grandmougin (3ème)
“I loved the Chinese New Year! It was fun to
hear people speak Chinese. There was even a “who
can speak the best Chinese” competition where
even someone from the British Section took part!
The homemade food was delectable.”
Henry Smith (3ème)
Good Taste
J
ust missing the deadline for our November
issue, the annual French celebration of taste
and nutrition - otherwise known as La Semaine
du Goût - caused quite a stir at the Collège des
Hauts Grillets. The school was invited to host the
launch of an initiative by the Conseil Général des
Yvelines to encourage local collèges to explore
the theme of cooking and science.
Star guest was Hervé This*, nationally renowned
expert in molecular cuisine, accompanied by
local dignitaries and elected officials. They joined
pupils in food science demonstrations organised
by the science teachers, followed by a special
lunch menu - based on recipes devised by M.
This and Pierre Gagniare.
The following report by La Directrice, Mme
Ansart, was published by the Conseil Général des
Yvelines:
Témoignage de la principale de SaintGermain où a eu lieu le déjeuner de
lancement de la semaine du goût
Sollicitée pour accueillir l’inauguration de
la semaine du goût, c‘est avec plaisir que
l’équipe du Collège des Hauts Grillets a répondu
présente à l’offre du Conseil Général.
Occasion unique de valoriser le savoir faire et le
travail commun des personnels de cuisine avec les
enseignants, cette semaine du goût était préparée
de longue date.
Des projets pédagogiques interdisciplinaires
(sciences, histoire, latin, enseignement des sections
internationales) permettent de donner à cette
semaine particulière le relief éducatif qui fait son
intérêt.
En présence des élus, de leurs conseillers
techniques, de M. L’Inspecteur d’Académie adjoint
et de M. l’Inspecteur disciplinaire de sciences ainsi
que de représentants des parents d’élèves, le repas
inaugural de la semaine du goût a été commenté
et expliqué par M. Hervé This.
Cette opération a permis aux invités d’assister
aux ateliers scientifiques organisés pour les élèves:
observation du blanc d’œuf au microscope et
challenge de battage de blancs d’oeufs en neige.
Ces deux ateliers ainsi que le menu spécialement
élaboré selon les conseils de M.This pour cette
première journée ont rencontré un vif succès auprès
de nos collégiens.
Mme Ansart
La Principale du Collège des Hauts Grillets
*Hervé This is Consultant Professor AgroParisTech,
Scientific Director of the Foundation for Food
Science and Culture, and President of the Education
Committee for the Semaine du Goût.
11
Secondary
Enrichment programme
Third year, and going strong
T
o help upper school
students prepare
for their university
applications, the Enrichment
programme is a series of
after-school talks or seminars
led by an outside speaker or
member of staff. Now into
its third year, the programme
gives pupils from Seconde to
Terminale an opportunity to
meet and listen to experts in a
variety of areas and to discuss
topics which they might not
otherwise encounter at school.
Thanks to our volunteer speakers we have again
been able to offer a range of thought-provoking
topics covering science, media, communications,
business, economics, finance and history. We
would like to thank John Follain, Bob Lewis, Denis
Le Bihan, Lord Eatwell, Philippe Delière, Sarah
Hartley, Mark Lewis, Simon Gillham, Kushal
Dastenavar and our two ‘internal’ speakers David
Jackson and Matthew Tomlinson. Thanks also to
Julie Marks for taking a group of 1ère students to
the ‘Your Future in Europe’ conference in Paris as
part of the programme.
Over to three regular attendees for more...
Hilary Moser
“I would highly recommend going”
I have become very keen on the Enrichment
Programme since my entrance into Seconde. I
originally just planned to go to the first session out
of curiosity. After that I would only go to those that
would be interesting with a regard to what I wanted
to do later. However, I found out that each talk could
be fascinating. Discovering what each job consists of
is one of many reasons I enjoy going.
John Follain, Italy correspondent for the Sunday
Times, spoke about how journalism had evolved since
he had studied at university and about investigative
journalism, which intrigued many in the room. Bob
Lewis’ session about pursuing a career in international
business revolved around the evolution of international
business as well as, interestingly, the importance of
career choices. Mr. Lewis explained that early choices
12
do not necessarily inhibit career paths; he started off
as a teacher and then ended up vice president of BT
Global Indirect Channels Europe.
“Is economics useful?” by Lord Eatwell, Professor
of Financial Policy at Cambridge University, was
one of the talks I was most eager to attend, and I
was not disappointed. Despite being quite technical,
it was very interesting, explaining underlying causes
and problems of the eurozone debt crisis and possible
solutions. Finally, Philippe Delière from Team
Microsoft Global Network presented marketing and
advertising in the new digital age. Mr Delière offered
an insight into modern methods of advertising. I
think most people were taken aback by the revelation
that big companies scan through emails in order to
target their advertising.
Ben Bullough
Sessions on science
Dr. Le Bihan, Director of NeuroSpin at CEA
Saclay spoke on ‘A look into our brain: brain imaging
research’. His talk about how the brain works was a
real brain changing event, as he explained that the
brain is constantly changing with every new thing
you learn. He showed us how scientists look at the
brain and how the brain reacts to the world. He even
told us what he didn’t know! One of these was the
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): scientists
still don’t know how it works exactly. So if you want
an interesting career, with the chance of lots of new
discoveries, look into brains. Dr. Hartley’s talk on
death was equally interesting, as she showed just
how useful statistics are and how to avoid death (eat
healthily, exercise and be rich…).
The sessions have enabled me to discover areas
of science I wouldn’t have learnt about unless I
worked in those fields, so it has certainly helped me
discover the huge variety of jobs which are out there.
The Enrichment has been hugely interesting and is
worth attending (if you can force yourself to stay for
extra time at school!).
Paul Hurst
“If you can, it’s worth going along”
Whatever subject is up for discussion Enrichment
sessions are invariably interesting. I originally went
to the first session because I was interested in the
subject, journalism, but from there I attended a wide
variety of talks. I even surprised myself by going to
Dr Sarah Hartley’s talk on death and how to avoid
it, and, despite having no plans to become a doctor,
thoroughly enjoying it.
As well as allowing me to discover new things, the
Enrichment Programme has helped me immensely
in choosing my Baccalaureate stream. On entering
Seconde, economics was a new subject and I found
the two talks on economic issues - by Lord Eatwell
asking “Is economics useful?”, and Mark Lewis on how
energy is at the heart of the banking crisis - perhaps
the most interesting of all. I am now reassured that
the ES Bac is the right option for me.
In fact I can think of no better way to discover
a subject than by listening to someone who is clearly
passionate about it. For this is what all the diverse
speakers have had in common: enthusiasm and
excitement about what they do. What comes through
from all of them is that the most important thing is
to do what interests you. As Simon Gillham said
during his talk on ‘Communications, music, media,
sport: taking the gloss off the glamour’, if you don’t
follow your passion life is very dull. So whenever you
can, it is worth going along to an Enrichment session,
whether you want to learn more about a subject you
are already interested in or whether you simply want
to discover something new.
Baroque art – there is more going on than meets the eye
Wiser about the future
New 3ème History project
F
S
tudents in 3ème have a new History
project this year, designed to support
their study of the 17th century and help
prepare them for an oral exam in the History
of Art for the French brevet.
visited the National Gallery during their visit to
London last November and were given a talk
about Stuart portraits by a museum expert which
was designed to contribute to their project work.
The project involves researching
into the life and work of an artist,
sculptor, architect or composer
from the Baroque period (circa
1600 to 1700). Possible choices
include Rembrandt, Caravaggio,
Lully, Velazquez, Bernini, HardouinMansart, Van Dyke and Inigo Jones.
Using books from their school
libraries and by consulting the
internet, the work is designed to
encourage independent study skills
such as selecting relevant
information from books, using web
sites, note making, organizing and Richelieu by Champaigne 1636
synthesizing information and
presenting it appropriately. The
project also requires students to
chose and find out about a portrait
from the Stuart age in Britain (1603
to 1714), and deliver a 5 minute
oral presentation of the piece,
discussing the style and form of the
portrait, interpreting its meaning
and commenting on its place in the
History of Art. An important aspect
is to show their personal response
to the art and explain what they
feel and think about it. The students
The history of art
component of the national
brevet exam is intended to
be delivered to students by
a wide range of teachers
and is expected to be a truly
cross curricular experience.
The British Section History
department plays its part in
this work and the Baroque
project is but one part of this.
Other aspects of art history
are introduced when it is
appropriate to the work we
are doing, for example when
studying Louis XIV students will
learn about the art, architecture
and the role of the palace of
Versailles. Students are also
given lots of opportunities
for oral work and formal
oral presentation tasks which
support their preparation for
the oral exam on the History
of Art.
David Jackson
Charles I by Van Dyke 1635
Eleanor Brown
or the past year, the British Section has
been offering Futurewise - a psychometric
profiling assessment - to all 3ème students.
The programme gives guidance on scholastic and
career choices and students can continue to use
the service until the age of 23. Insites asked Adèle
Guinaudie and her mother Angela (pictured above)
for their initial reactions to this new orientation
support tool.
Adèle, what did you think about the FW
process?
During my time in collège I was very open-minded
as to what studies I would like to undertake after
my Bac. There was no one particular area in which
I was confident of my abilities. When we started
doing the Futurewise questionnaire I wondered
how some of the rather unusual questions and tasks
could indicate which areas I should pursue. I was
concerned about not doing well in some of the
tests. However, when the results were given back
to us I realized that everyone would have stronger
and weaker areas. I really appreciated having a
session with the FW expert as he clarified parts
of the report and gave some guidance about both
university studies and careers generally.
So, what did your FW feedback confirm for
you and was the timing right?
I was quite impressed by the folder containing
my personal profile. The profiling results reflected
in writing my own thoughts about my preferences;
it was good to see these confirmed. The profile
contains a diagram called The World of Work
which suggests different careers based on the
preferences I indicated in the questionnaire; for
example it is clear that I have a preference for
working with people rather than with things or
information (meaning that I am less likely to be
interested in a job revolving around machines,
science or technology). I think it was useful to have
some guidance on this before starting in 2nde as
right from the beginning of 2nde we start thinking
about which Bac we are best suited to.
Angela, what do you think of the FW
process and profile as a parent?
It is useful for students to see at an early stage
the wide range of possible career paths open to
them. As much of the output is based on the
preferences the student indicates at age 14/15 (and
those preferences could change as they develop
of course), this could mean that they exclude a
possible career path early on. It will be interesting
to see how Adèle’s initial thoughts change as she
continues through her studies. In this sense the
continued access to the FW site will be invaluable.
Simon Gillham, EVP of Communications and Sustainable Development at Vivendi giving his talk.
3ème students studying for Baroque art
13
PTG
Parent Teacher Group
Swan song
A
s I am soon to take up
other responsibilities
in the British Section,
this is the last time I introduce
the PTG pages and I would
therefore like to say a heartfelt
‘thank you’ to the whole Parent
Teacher Group team and the
Contact Parents for their
support, hard work and their
undaunted enthusiasm and
commitment. I have thoroughly
enjoyed my time as a volunteer
in the Section and personally
gained much. So as I leave the
team, what has my experience
taught me? Quite simply that
the British Section would be
a very different place without
the activities and events
supported by the PTG and,
that as parents, we should not
see volunteering as yet another
demand on our time, but as a
real opportunity to enhance
our children’s school life and a
rewarding personal experience.
So, the next time you are asked
to help, give it a go, you never
know where it might take you!
Nicola Bullough
First Aid for football coaches
G
iven the responsibility of coaching over 30
CE2 to CM2 children twice every weekend,
a number of BS Petits football coaches felt we
should all have a minimum of first aid training.
With kind funding by the PTG, we undertook a
basic First Aid course with Sarah Pope, a British
Red Cross trained independent trainer (and Lycée
mum). We started with a short basic course
followed by a more detailed session for those of
us being certified...! Sarah covered a wide range
of situations that we hope never to come across,
including choking, head injury, bleeding, broken
bones, winding, heart attack, recovery position,
CPR etc. This clearly does not mean that we
are now ready to do open-heart surgery on the
touchline but it should mean that, in the event of
a serious injury or accident, we have a better idea
what to do and what not to do while awaiting the
emergency services.
All the fun of the fete!
The British Section Club International
Representatives would like to thank
the following Companies and Parents
for their kind contributions to the
Fête de Noël
A la Petite Marquise
Agence Royale
Amorino
Au Nom de la Rose
Café Arcade St Germain
Castle Market
Chez Alice
Centre Parcs
Jump Fun Park
Le Rameau d’Olivier
Les Pyramides
Ludimax
Lycée Horticole
Oh so British!
Phoenix Cards
Sylvie Thiriez
The Bitter End
Tiempo
Parents:
Linsay Matson
Louise Morley
Tracy Noble
Gosia Parker
Emanuelle Passes
La Famille Summerbelle
Netball Victory!
O
n a Saturday morning, at the British
School of Paris, the Lycée International
teams arrived, ready for the big match: Lycée
International v/s British School of Paris. No
matches were won last year, the best we had
done was a draw. Quite upsetting indeed! But
this time it was different……
We were expecting a great loss, but
our netball teams turned history around!
The audience was cheering us on, what a
14
Sarah is proposing a practical “Save a Life”
course for children of 10-14 years old on Saturday
5th and 12th May. The 3 hour course costs 30
euros each for aminimum of 4 and a maximum of
8 children at a time.
Contact: Sarah Pope at - les.popes@wanadoo.fr
supportive lot! We would not have won
without you! All our 8 matches were won.
We then rearranged our teams which led to 2
losses against their hardest team, but the day
was ours. Thank-you very much to Allie and
Dani, our coaches, for leading us to victory!
A round of applause for our netball players
for making this dream come true!
Nina Young and Shivani Abensour (5ème)
15
Parent Teacher Group
Our partner schools
Focus on PMC
L
ast year, we asked
Contact Parents to
turn the spotlight on
the Ecole Félix Eboué and
Collège des Hauts Grillets;
this time we focus on another
of our partner schools,
Collège Pierre et Marie Curie,
introduced here by Contact
Parent, Monique Sabouret.
German school, trips to Spain and the Auvergne.
Numerous workshops are proposed to help
students develop their interest in science, first
aid, backstage theatre technology, production of
the school newspaper and a demanding Cross du
Collège for 5ème and 3ème students where one
discerns the more tenacious and physically tough!
Every year, there is an enthusiastic mobilisation
of students, teachers and administrative staff alike
for the fun of Carnaval and for the Téléthon charity,
which offers a tombola, sketch-show, choir recital,
cake sale and wrestling matches between staff and
pupils! This year 6140 euros was raised for this
good cause!
Many thanks to Mme Lecomte for her time
and informative discussion.
U pon meeting Mme Lecomte, Principale of
the school, it is immediately apparent that its 600
pupils belong to a diverse and dynamic community.
Besides each year group having around 30 British
Section pupils (divided into two groups depending
on their level of English) and 20 Portuguese
Section students, the school also caters for 71
students in the Section EGPA (Enseignement Général
Professionel Adapté) for students with special needs.
Furthermore, there is a CLA (Classe d’adaptation for
non-francophones from all nationalities) of which
some of our British Section pupils have been part
and the Section Européene en Anglais for 4ème and
3ème which works together with our Group 2 on a
special performing arts project.
T here is a strong emphasis on educational
activities and workshops outside classroom hours
including theatre, choirs, a foreign exchange with a
Mme Lecomte, Principale of PMC
Michael Eccles, BS
Site Coordinator
for PMC since
September talks to
Auriane Clement
(3ème pupil) and
Monique Sabouret
(5ème Parent).
What are your impressions of PMC as the
new Coordinator?
I have always had at least one class at PMC
so it was a school I already knew well. One of
the things that I have always liked about it is its
eclecticism: besides the British and Portuguese
Sections, there are also the Section EGPA, the Classe
d’Accueil, and the Section Européene in English,
which is an interesting halfway house between
the work of the Section and the work of the LV1
teachers. It’s a school which offers a relatively
diverse cultural programme: the wonderful and
frequently changing art displays hit you every time
you come into the school; lots of our students are
in the choir; there are lots of day and residential
trips. Perhaps as a result of all that, it’s also a
school whose student and teacher body have a lot
of good will which you always see on Téléthon days
or through other charitable projects. When you
see the Maths teacher dressed as a smurf or the
art teacher draping the foyer with mood colours,
you sense the healthy eccentricity which all British
people know is the secret of a healthy mind!
What links are there between the Section
and the French side of PMC?
Very close, I must say, although the work of
the two departments remains separate. I have
weekly meetings with the Principale in which we
discuss individual students and developments
within the collège and British Section. There is also
PTGtips
the shared space in the library with Mrs Steadman
who collaborates closely with Mme Juranville.
B ritish Section teachers also try, given the
limits of working on three sites, to meet informally
with their French colleagues, which often leads to
projects.
Can you give us examples of these
projects?
Currently, one of the 4ème classes is working
on 19th Century literature and its context in French
and we have done a similar project on Charles
Dickens in English so that students can make
comparisons between the two. In 3ème we worked
with Mme Agnello to develop a scheme of work
around portraits, with the students producing their
own portraits in arts plastiques and us organising a
visit to the National Portrait gallery as part of last
November’s London trip.
Franco-German Exchange
T
he Germanophone community at PMC is in
effervescence… The German students from
the exchange will be arriving soon!
Organised every year by German teacher, Mme
Bador and Mme Cabaret (English LV), together
with their German counterpart in Hennef (one
of Le Pecq’s twin towns), the trip involves around
25 pupils visiting the collège for a week in March,
staying with families, with a return trip for our 4ème
children of German LV1 (all British Section) and LV2
(some British Section) planned in June. The pupils
from PMC have put together a short film showing
signs of British humour, presenting the collège in the
best possible light (no mention of cantine food!)
and featuring highlights, such as a trip to the CDI.
A slightly more serious film was received in return,
presenting the landmarks of Hennef.
A very promising start to what is expected to
be a fantastic experience for the pupils.
Reinforcing your child’s French/English in an enjoyable
way outside the classroom.
➲ HAVE SOME FUN!
➲ WATCH TV!
www.telligo.fr – France’s leading
provider of colonies de vacances
www.freesat.co.uk/what-youget/ – Watch British terrestrial TV
channels (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc)
along with CBBC for younger viewers
without subscription charges.
www.summer-schools.info
– Britain’s most comprehensive
directory of Summer Schools
www.stagedetennis.info – based in
Normandy and used by French families
www.beauvillearts.com – English
performing arts courses based in
France (see VLE Community page).
www.apeli.org ‘Leur Mois de Juin 2012’
– activities in France/French, organised
by the Lycée site parents association.
➲ SWAP FAMILIES!
www.anglais-en-france.com – exchanges
with English families based in France
www.clubinter.mrduck.fr – ‘Echanges
linguistics et culturel’ – a directory
of Lycée International families
interested in student exchanges.
➲ PLAY TIME!
www.apeli.org – ‘Liste de babysitters’
– Lycée International students willing
to babysit or play with children in
French/English (and other languages).
➲ ADVENTURES!
PMC lunch - Once again, our annual ‘New Year Lunch’ was a great success! Well
done to all parents who generously donated food for an amazing buffet.... As Mr
Jackson said, it is indeed an excellent “PR event” for the British Section and a
convivial opportunity to meet and chatter with staff and French teachers at PMC!
16
So British... but in France: Brownies/
Guides: Christine Salisbury at
guides@htcml.com Cubs/scouts:
www.bougivalscouts.org Duke of
Edinburgh International award:
www.intaward.org or contact
our DofE Coordinator at:
ksalkilld@club-internet.fr
... and in England or the States,
for the more robust – www.
outwardbound.org.uk
PMC 6ème Book Club members whose short stories were chosen
for submission to the UK National Short Story competition. Class
winner (Group 1), Julie Colonna is 2nd from left, front row.
NB. Watching a film with its VO
subtitles can be helpful!
➲ GET ONLINE!
www.france24.com – 24hr World
News with text and video translated
into both French and English.
www.bfmtv.com – 24hr French
Current Affairs – emphasis on
Business and Economics.
www.bbc.com – how could
we not mention the BBC!
➲ FACING THE FUTURE!
www.etrust.org.uk/headstart – UK
Government based charity specialising
in Engineering/Manufacturing/Industry
taster courses at British Universities and
Companies for lycée cycle students.
www.oxford-royale.co.uk – awardwinning Company with courses centred
on Oxford and Cambridge University
campuses from 13 years upwards.
Disclaimer:
We take no responsibility for
the accuracy of the information
given on the listed websites.
“... wonderful and frequently changing art displays
hit you every time you come into the school”
17
Staff news
On stage
BSPA
The teachers who go back to school
X
ana Jones describes
why she decided to
embark on a Masters
in Education, what she has
learnt from the experience,
and the broader benefits of
her commitment and effort.
T he experience of teaching in the British
‘back to school’ was very refreshing. The flexible
course offered ‘blended distance learning’, including
directed reading, on-line conferences, research and
written assignments. In addition, the two summer
schools in Oxford were excellent opportunities to
meet my tutors and share experiences with the
other students, all teachers at international schools
in North and South America, Europe and the Far
East. I used the internet as a research tool more
than I had anticipated, drawing on a wide range
of e-books and e-journals. The university’s VLE
was also an excellent tool for sharing resources,
participating in forums and submitting essays.
Section played a
major role in my
It was not always easy to sit down to more
decision to embark
study after a day of teaching and there was more
on a Masters in
than one occasion when, uploading my essay
Education. Acquiring
to the VLE at the last minute, I wished I had
the specialised
followed my own advice and not left it until the
knowledge to
night before! However, researching and writing
better understand
the various assignments have challenged, honed
the challenges
and reformed my previous ideas about language
confronting teachers
learning and bilingualism as well as my wider beliefs
and students in
about education in general. I now feel I am a more
a multilingual
informed teacher and have been inspired to reflect
and multicultural
more deeply on my practice.
environment was
definitely a motivating force. At the same time, I
Finally I would like to express my thanks and
was conscious of what a unique
gratitude to the students who
and valuable opportunity this
participated in my dissertation
“I now feel I am
education system presents for
research, whether completing
everyone involved and that working
a more informed the questionnaire, agreeing to
in this stimulating environment
be interviewed or assisting with
teacher”
presented a range of possible
the pilot studies. Your interesting
research opportunities in the field
contributions gave me insight into
of international education.
your varied experiences of bilingual education which
The MA offered by Oxford Brookes University will hopefully assist current and future students.
I would also like to thank James Cathcart, Philip
is highly regarded and one of the only courses to
Shaw-Latimer and my British Section colleagues for
focus on the experiences of teachers practicing
their support.
in bilingual and international schools. As well as
covering pedagogical and management issues, the
choice of modules allowed me to specialise in my
main area of interest: bilingualism and the challenge
of bilingual education. In my two elective courses, I
examined the linguistic, social and cultural influences
on language acquisition and the development of
bilingualism, and studied the differing educational
contexts in which children learn another language.
For my dissertation I researched the experiences
of students who had been in Français Spécial,
Groupe 2 or Seconde Accueil, with the aim of better
comprehending the challenges faced by second
language learners. I was also interested in their
motivation for learning English or French and their
understanding of the terms ‘bilingual’ and ‘bicultural’
– with the aim of stimulating reflection among the
various stakeholders about the British Section’s
aspirations for students to “become bilingual and
bicultural” as stated in the Mission Statement.
The Scottish Play
Sally Naylor has also embarked on
a Masters in Educational and Social
Research with the University of London
International, and reports...
“This modular
Masters appealed
to me because it
combines rigorous
methodological
training with real
scope for defining
the eventual focus
of a research
project. In my
first year I have
been able explore
different approaches to research such as
ethnographies and case studies, debates
surrounding evaluation in educational research
and different epistemological standpoints. I
have looked at a range of possible areas to
pursue in more depth, including the OIB and
student mobility and the notion of bicultural
identities.
T he course uses Moodle and students
are from all over the world, offering a rich
community in which to pursue my professional
development. The stress of having to study for
exams has made me more sympathetic with
my own pupils!”
T
his year’s British
Section senior
production was
Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’,
directed by Claire Lewis and
performed on February 8th, 9th
and 10th in the Amphitheatre.
W hen trying to come up with an idea for
interpreting ‘Macbeth’, I was chatting to a parent
about her son, who wanted to audition, and she
mentioned that he was a keen magician. That is
what sparked off the idea of magic tricks, cards,
casino, roulette and dice. The witches would be
controlling the future in the dark depths of a night
club. What better era than the 1920s/30s gang
culture, with steamy jazz to complete the setting?
Another problem was the lack of female parts in
the play. As always some very talented ladies turned
up for audition and I felt so upset that I would have
to let them down. Then came the idea of the witch
chorus. I wanted the audience to be overwhelmed
with the presence of the witches and their sheer
number gave me a good chance to seal the deal
and what a presence they were! The memory of the
song, backing composed by Nick Baker, improvised
by the girls, delivered with such panache, dressed
in the marvellous costumes, provided by Elizabeth
Nolan, will remain with me for a very long time.
and a quiet authority. She will make an excellent
manager in the future!
‘Macbeth’ is very much centred around two
people and I was very lucky to have two such fine
actors in the lead roles, who showed absolute
dedication and worked extremely hard to achieve
such a high standard. (One parent commented that
they should have received Molières!) However,
even the smallest role demands the utmost
concentration and focus and I am very proud of all
those who agreed to take on minor roles and who
delivered them with utter commitment.
I was very relieved that the play passed
off without any accidents, because there is a
longstanding legend that when this play is put on,
nasty things can happen! You are not supposed to
utter the name, Macbeth, during production week
unless it is within the lines of the play. Outside,
when chatting about the play’s progress, it is named
‘The Scottish Play’.
The set was stripped down to allow full action,
playing with the red and black. Agnès Leclercq
worked tirelessly on a Wednesday afternoons to
provide props and insisted on the Malcolm and
Macduff corner, which provided a very special
atmosphere. I am very grateful to her for her ideas
and inspiration.
My backstage crew did a grand job, Nicolas
Lévy as professional as always with the lighting and
Alex Waldron nailing the complicated sound cues.
A big thank you is owed also to all the make-up
girls. Eleanor Brown needs special mention, as she
attended every rehearsal and helped with going
through scenes with the actors and noting down all
the blocking, not to mention carrying out the difficult
and thankless task of ‘runner’ on the production
nights. All this was done with great good humour
T his was a great journey for me and I was
delighted to be able to include so many students
in the production. Here is the list of those who
took part: Witches: Lily Polak, Sophie Loveridge,
Morgane Singh, Floriane Quazza, Emily Waldron,
Héloise Ely, Emma Rattier, Adèle Hurst, Rebecca
Boyd, Clarisse Biollu, Elise Hagan
Duncan: Louis Falgas Malcolm: Thomas Barclay
Donaldbain: Jules Ferry Ross: Hugo Scharfenstein
Lennox: Antoine Koen Young Siward: Wenfang
Zhou Macduff: Xavier Lajtha Lady Macbeth: Fiona
Macklin Macbeth: James Edwards Banquo: Benjy
Hollis Fleance: Joshua Hepworth Seyton: Matteo
Violet-Vianello Lady Macduff: Ingrid de Rauglaudre
Lady Macduff’s sons: Jack Finch / Ben Shing Captain:
Jules Polak Porter: Iain Russell Murderers: Typhen
Brouillet-Lee/Ben Bullough Doctor: Julien Siret
Gentlewoman: Laura Plamondon
Claire Lewis
Welcome to the world!
Congratulations to Matthew Tomlinson and his family on the birth of
his second son, Harry, in December.
Apart from adjusting to being on the other side
of the teacher’s desk and having to actually write
essays instead of set them, the experience of going
18
19
Student
What’s love got to do with it!
Forever Searching
of February – a day either
hated or loved by our fellow
première students – a fact that surfaced after
we collected the answers to the following
question:
Last summer, I finally started my BAFA (Brevet
d’Aptitude à la Fonction d’Animateur). The BAFA
is a training course that teaches how to be a
supervisor during holiday camps. It is a three part
course that lasts overall 6 weeks: one week of
learning the theory, two weeks of practise during
a colonie de vacances, in a centre de loisirs or
whatever infrastructure you can find. You then go
on to do a week of more theory, but where you
can specialise, for example in water sports, helping
handicapped people or horse riding.
What does Valentine’s Day
mean to you?
During the theory-learning week I made friends
that I have seen regularly since. We agreed that ‘the
friends you make during the BAFA are friends you
will have forever, a bit like those you make when
you’re involved in a war’. Although this may seem
a bit extreme it fits perfectly: it is a week of intense
emotion with the fear of not receiving the diploma
at the end of the week. Thankfully, I did get mine
after dressing up in ridiculous ways everyday , from
a leopard to a pink and blue alien. The last day
was awfully sad: everyone spent the entire journey
home crying, wanting to spend more time at the
centre. I, however, had something to look forward
to: a good night’s sleep, re-packing my suitcase
and leaving again to do my two weeks of ‘real’
training. Arriving at Gare Montparnasse I felt out
of place and terrified that I would be rubbish but I
needn’t worry: the first two children who arrived
ran up to me saying ‘Hey, look! LMFAO are here’
while pointing at two men with large afros. I had a
feeling that I was going to have a good time with
the group of 12 to 17 year olds.
During this second part of the training, I was
on a holiday camp near La Rochelle where the
children could do horse riding and karting. I was
with a wonderful team of supervisors and director,
although we did not always have the same opinions.
I am still in touch with the children and the other
supervisors. It was a superb experience and also a
brilliant excuse to have fun, be paid a bit and do
what you love!
F
As we could not include all première students’
answers, we have selected the sweetest, funniest or
most tragic ones.
Ingrid Jauffret and Lily Polak
“It means that I’ll have to spend time looking
for a present and therefore spending money…
again.”
Adrien
“It’s the day when you think about others
instead of yourself. Kind attentions spread for a
day. It is also the day you want to stay far from
your parents, especially if you find paper hearts
all over you house when you come back from
school!”
Anne-Laure
“Love looks not with the eyes but with the
mind and therefore is winged cupid painted
blind” – Shakespeare
Jules
“Just another previously important event that
is now dominated by commercials and media.”
Timur
“To my mind, love should not be reduced to a
one day celebration”
Melinda
‘“One should know that Valentine’s Day is
a day like any other except that florists do sell
flowers and everyone stuffs their mouths with
disgusting chocolates with their heart full of
love”
Nicolas
T his summer, the BAFA is not
the only option: the London Olympic
Games are coming up and with them
there are a great number of jobs. On
www.jobsforthegames.co.uk there are
hundreds of adverts for jobs going from
waiting in nearby cafés and restaurants to
being part of the defence organisation. I
think it is a great way of gaining experience
and making the most of the Olympics in
a different way.
“Commercial love.”
Constance
“A day in remembrance of this amazing guy called
Valentin!”
Solenne
“The word pain comes to mind. Embarrassment
basically, an opportunity for the cool kids to point a
big ugly arrow at the chubby kids with bad breath who
don’t get cards; because we all know who doesn’t get a
card and we all judge. If they’re going to subject us to
this, at least give us the day off.”
Madeleine
“With the TPE oral this year, not much but the
traditional ‘Valentine’s cards’, which are enjoyable.”
No name
“Although it’s just another commercial holiday,
it can be a good opportunity to send cards, express
one’s feelings, etc. The real merit, though, comes from
avoiding being cheesy”
Antoine
“Celibacy-awareness day.”
Julien
“Well, it is almost a day that allows people to express
their love; though it would be pathetic if people had
to wait that day to do so. The ridiculous part is that
initially, it is some Roman priest beheaded during the
5th century that corresponds to that day.”
Deirdre
ERRATUM
Our apologies to Max Borel for the error in the November
issue (Student Shout - Who’s Who in the Student Council).
Max is one of our two treasurers this year, and not Tom
Borel, as stated.
Lily Polak
The art of dressing up
20
When The Hague Plague strikes
14th
Ever since my sixteenth birthday, I have
been badgered by my family: they want me
to find a summer job. I would love to, but
the only problem is finding one that I know
I’m going to enjoy.
or those of you who do not know what
Who can blame them? After a week in a fourTHIMUN is, or MUN for that matter, here star hotel with a friend, the rest of their friends in
is a brief explanation: MUN is an after-school the bedroom next door and room service available
club organised by the American section - and more every time of night and day, few people in their right
particularly by Mr. Whitacre who does a sterling mind would enjoy coming back home and doing
job in keeping all of us under control - but open what their sometimes-frankly-annoying parents tell
to all sections, which involves attempting to re- them to do, and having to obey their sometimescreate the UN on a younger level through creating, frankly-boring teachers. But worst of all is the frankly
debating and voting resolutions to save the world frustrating catching up of missed work. I only just
in ways such as stopping piracy (real and cyber), or finished doing it but for God’s sake don’t tell my
the killing of civilians in Syria, and
parents that. It is the bane of
legalising Marijuana. All this may
a THIMUNer’s life and causes
sound a bit boring but I assure it
“no more stupid
many a sleepless night.
is not and neither are the people
But life goes on and we must
chat up lines sent
who do it.
just try and console ourselves
to the delegate of
So what does everyone who
that we no longer have any
comes back from the THIMUN
notepaper, (the only way of
North Korea”
(The Hague International Model
communicating with other
United Nations) trip - which took
delegates during conferences) to
place from the 22nd to the 28th of January - have give to the admins (the kind people who put up
in common? Simple answer: with various degrees with our silly talking and childish notes) to pass on;
of acuteness, a medical condition often named, no more chatting with Americans who have lived
somewhat affectionately by those who suffer from in Belgium all their lives but don’t speak a word of
it, PTD (or Post-THIMUN-Depression). Mostly, all French, and no more stupid chat up lines sent to
this does is cause the sufferer to complain a lot the delegate of North Korea to pass the time. All
about school and the hardships of obeying rules, there is left to do is to count down the days until
often citing the trip as the pinnacle of all that can next year and wait!
be good and enjoyable. But sometimes it translates
I would like to thank Mr. Whitacre and his wife,
into tangible physical symptoms known as the Janice, for accompanying and making us the best
“Hague plague”. Often this is a mere cold, except in we can be at MUN through their tirelessness and
hypochondriacs who seek this as an excuse not to commitment to us.
have to return to their morose daily rhythm of get
up-go to school-work-eat-work-go to bed and who Jules Polak
treat their runny nose as a brain tumour involving
multiple complications.
Le Patio
I
t’s over. Super Mario has stepped down and
a new man (whose Christian name is not
quite as publicized) has risen to our schools'
culinary throne. Many greeted this era with
pessimism; after all, newcomers hardly ooze the
tradition we were used to; whilst others stayed
hopeful, daring to dream of a cafeteria where
you didn’t have to put up with quite as much
drama - any regular will have witnessed at least
one Mario vs. Luigi behind-the-counter-battle.
During the first few weeks of September
optimists and cynics alike, sprinted up the stairs,
eager to see what the newcomers were offering.
Our first thought, after the obvious “What’s
up with the orange floor?”, was that it was all
quite nice: fresh, clean and calm. Le Patio initially
comes across as a school cafeteria utopia. The
workers are friendly and open - although they
clearly never got the memo about keeping
their beignets warm, and there seems to be less
favouritism going around (yes, I’m looking at you
members of staff and Italian speakers). They’ve
opened up the “Terminale only” area making
things a lot more comfortable for everyone so
that anyone of any age can sit there, (though, if I
were in Terminale I might be just the slightest bit
irked at losing my special place) and somehow
seem to have made the ceiling higher (or at least
made it seem so) thus creating a much more
aerated breathable atmosphere.
Yes, Le Patio seems pretty groovy at first,
but reaching the end of its second trimester, I
think we can now fairly judge whether it really is
All That. And though I like it, I’m not sure it quite
belongs on the renowned “All That List”, for the
following reason: Other than a small makeover,
including new flashy blue and yellow posters,
and a slight extension of the Italian themed
menu, it’s the same game. Behind the cheer
and tiramisu, lies the same dark reality. And this
reality is that no matter how much they smile at
us, how generous they are with serving free tap
water and how tolerant they are when we move
the furniture around, at the end of the day, it’s
something of a rip-off. We’re not stupid, just
hungry. And perhaps that’s the most frustrating
of all: that no matter how high the prices, we’ll
keep going back.
Madeleine Lowe
21
Alumnae
Over to YOU
Ginette vs LSE!
Your reflections
France - 1; UK - 1
L
I
t is rare for any student to
experience both the French
Classes Préparatoires and
the English university system.
Nick Dupuis (BS T2009) has
done so, and shares a personal
view of the pros and cons of
each educational system.
A
from the Lycée and secondly the work incentives
are very different. In terms of my Economics and
Maths degree, having done quite a bit of that in
Prépa I managed to keep up, but my classmates
started feeling the pressure quite early on, despite
scoring straight A*’s at A-Levels. Self-motivation is
also a difficult concept to grasp when you arrive at
university. Believe me, when faced with a choice
between finishing an Economics problem set or
going out clubbing, you make up your mind very
quickly! Finally, the spare time I enjoyed in London,
meant I could devote myself to an array of extracurricular activities, so badly lacking in Prépa. I was
- and am - involved in a variety of fascinating student
ventures, ranging from the Hummus or French
societies to the Finance and Alternative Investments
ones. Through such great experiences you meet
fascinating people from around the world and enjoy
some of the best nights out at University.
fter obtaining my OIB at the LI in 2009, I
spent a year in the HEC stream (or ECS,
as it is now commonly called) at Sainte
Geneviève (Ginette) preparing for the Grandes
Ecoles de Commerce. Contrary to what most say and
believe, the Classes Préparatoires are not the most
traumatic, morally exhausting
On a more serious
and difficult years of your life.
note, these are incredible
Life-changing - yes, but in a
opportunities which will shape
“Self-motivation good way. I learnt to organize
your future career, and enable
my work, push my body (and
us students to enter the job
a difficult concept to
brain) past limits I thought
market after only three years of
grasp when you arrive studies with a great head start
impossible and to bounce back
after setbacks. I obtained a
on the French! I have recently
at university”
1.5/20 at my first Maths test and
been interviewing for financial
told myself that it didn’t matter
institutions in the City and am
as I would improve next time.
struck by how comparatively
Sure enough I got a 3/20; a modest improvement, little HEC students have achieved after 3 years
but doubling my mark felt quite an achievement, (although to be fair they have been through
and I managed to follow that path for a (little) while two years of very time-consuming Prépa). Being
as I tried to catch up with the Henri IV and Louis Le immersed in the world of investments, economics
Grand geniuses!
and finance through societies, alumni-networking,
But it’s greatly unfair to sum up my year at internships, start-up ventures etc.., has brought me
Ginette as only work. Being locked up in the 18th a step further and I will be forever grateful to the
Century buildings of their famous ‘Internat’ might LSE for this. Ultimately, this is why I chose to join
seem daunting but quite the contrary: I played the LSE after a year at Ginette; not to work less and
competitive football and in tennis leagues every
week; performed in a small jazz band; even threw
the ‘rare’ party on Saturday nights - invaluable
moments to escape revision for a few hours. I was
also lucky to make everlasting friendships at Ginette.
It might seem clichéd to think that friendships grow
in adversity, but fighting for the same cause (i.e.
enter the best Grandes Ecoles) brought us closer
and after two months of ‘Prépa’, I felt I knew these
people better than after two years at the Lycée!
When I left Ginette after a tough but successful
year take up a place at the London School of
Economics, many of my Prépa teachers and friends
felt I was sneaking off to the UK to enjoy a more
relaxing, less-intensive educational system. In fact
that was not entirely true. Although your first two
months may feel like an extended summer holiday
- one of your most eventful ones too - it changes
rapidly. Firstly, the academic level is a real step up
22
enjoy social life more (although maybe a bit!) but to
take part in these fantastic opportunities alongside
my studies. Such opportunities do exist in France,
albeit usually on a smaller scale, but tend to only
be available after 3-4 years of study, compared to a
few months in the UK. Mindful of generalisations, I
see the English university system as being a French
fast-track that offers greater diversity, opportunities
and open-mindedness in your studies and extracurricular ventures.
I have tried to describe each experience fairly,
and although others will have different experiences,
I can safely say that most of those I have met,
whether at Ginette or at the LSE, blossomed in both
institutions and are able to praise both very different,
yet equally exceptional, educational systems.
Nick Dupuis
ooking for a good
book to read? This is
the page where you
can share your thoughts
and recommendations.
If you would like to write
a review, please contact
Madeleine Hepworth
(james.hepworth@wanadoo.fr)
LES ÂMES GRISES
torments him: the murder, in 1917, of the
restaurant owner’s daughter ‘Belle de Jour’, a
young girl of 10, the joy of her family; another
death in these troubled times; another useless
death.
As soon as the corpse is found, everyone
spies on, suspects and gauges his neighbours.
Who could have committed such a horror?
The village is full of potential suspects: the old,
lonely and sad Prosecutor, the unpleasant judge,
a deserter fleeing from the front line, a drunken
brute? There are so many possibilities that you
will only discover the name of the murderer at
the end of the novel. The narrator has found his
quest but you, what will you have found?
BY PHILIPPE CLAUDEL
Available in any good
bookstore (6€50)
“neither
black nor
white, never
straight
forward”
By the effective use
of metaphors, which
replace the need for
lengthy descriptions,
Philippe Claudel draws
moving portraits both
of prominent citizens,
whose lives have not
been disturbed by the
war and of modest
people who are
persecuted and driven
to suicide.
‘Les Âmes Grises’ are the characters of this
moving novel, neither black nor white, never
straightforward. Within this society undergoing
a profound change they are both magnificent
and despicable. Throughout the 280 pages, the
frontier between good and evil is never clear and
you will ponder on human relationships, daily acts
of cowardice, social classes and their complicities.
You might even think of more recent events and
realise that, even though the life of the early 20th
century is long gone, the complexity of human
relationships is the same; which makes ‘Les Âmes
Grises’ a very contemporary novel !
Philippe Claudel won the ’2003 Prix Renaudot‘
and ‘2004 Prix du magazine Elle’ for his novel ‘Les
Âmes Grises’, well-deserved awards for a book
which has been translated into 25 languages.
From beginning to end, emotion grows and you
cannot put the book down, despite the late hour
and the alarm clock set for the next morning!
The Insites Survey
Compliments and encouragement
Many thanks to the 105 Insites readers who
replied to our survey launched with the November
issue. 75% of the responses came from parents, 20%
came from students, and the remaining 5% from
staff. We wanted to know what you thought of the
magazine, and you have told us!
In a nutshell, you said that the magazine meets with
your approval, but could do with a little refreshing.
You would like to see more photos, more work
from the pupils, and more news from the partner
schools and the French side of the Lycée International.
Some of you would like to see a more punchy style
- shorter articles and more direct language. There
was also a call for more “fun” items, such as quizzes,
jokes and cartoons - particularly from the students
who responded.
S ome of your ideas and suggestions we can
respond to immediately (for example, we can aim to
include more photos, and we can review the Insites
editorial style). Some ideas call for further reflection
(for example, how might Insites better provide links
with partner schools’ news). Some ideas call for
more input from you - the readers. Ideas are always
welcome and can be sent by email to the Director
for consideration in future issues.
Most of you say that you turn to the VLE as
your main source of information. That makes sense,
as Insites is not the place for up-to-the-minute
news. With the time-delay needed for a printed
publication, the role of Insites is less time-sensitive,
presenting articles which broadly reflect the mission
and the spirit of the British Section. Each issue is a
snapshot in time of the wide range of activities and
experiences - educational and extra-curricular - that
the British Section offers and contributes towards; a
tangible record of life in our unique community.
We promised a prize for a survey respondant
- selected at random from those who sent in their
email address. Congratulations to Alex Gurney (seen
here with her son, Kai) - who received a family
selection of chocolates!
D o not succumb to the easy pleasure of
watching the movie made from the novel; it only
proves that it is worth reading.
Sophie Durand-Delacre
The story is set during World War I, in the
North-East of France, in a country town spared
from fighting and war atrocities but not from its
own tragedy. Twenty years later, an anonymous
narrator, a former policeman from the village,
tries to get to the bottom of the Affair which
23
In pictures
More photos from
Primary pantos:
In January another successful
Carrefour des Etudes et des
Métiers was organised by APELI
for all senior students at the
Lycée to find out more about
prospective studies and careers.
Backstage, it’s make
up time
The Guardian of the gates
of the City of Oz;
A beautiful baby princess is born.
A good fairy casts her spell;
A winning game plan!
Students at the Collège des Hauts
Grillets joined in the national fundraising Téléthon event in December.
The organised board games in
the cantine, charging 2 euros to
play, and raised an impressive
total of 1185 euros.
When it comes to lunch, festive
meals tend to get the thumbs
up! Cameras were present on all
sites during the Repas de Noël.
Above, having fun whilst raising money for
the Téléthon at Collège Pierre et Marie Curie