T
HETFORD
GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Bridge Street, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3AF
Telephone: 01842 752840 Fax: 01842 750220
Headmaster: G J Price MA (Oxon)
To the parents of pupils studying German
16 September 2014
Dear Parents,
I am delighted to write to you with initial details of the German Exchange Programme for 2015-2016 which, over the last
10 years, has already provided TGS pupils with a unique opportunity to gain firsthand experience of German life,
language and culture.
For parents who are new to our Exchange link with Gymnasium Brede I should like to outline the background to this
exciting joint venture. Our German Exchange programme operates over a two year cycle with an INBOUND stage in
March 2015 followed by the OUTBOUND stage in the following school year, i.e. March 2016.
Our German Exchange school is Gymnasium Brede, a co-educational grammar school (with bilingual German-English
teaching in some subjects) in the delightful rural town of Brakel in the beautiful Weserbergland region of Germany, close
to Hamelin, Paderborn and Kassel. This location means that we can take advantage of convenient flights from Stansted to
various German airports. Recent exchange trips to Brakel have included visits to the VW Autostadt (an exciting
interactive science park around the car plant), encounters with the Pied Piper of Hamelin and much more! Attending
bilingual lessons, our traditional ‘TGS vs. Brede skittles evening’ and supper in a local tavern and other activities will
guarantee an unforgettable range of authentic German experiences to be enjoyed. For the German pupils’ visit to TGS we
organise a range of activities including trips to London and Cambridge, an official reception with the Mayor of Thetford,
as well as school-based activities to give our guests an interesting insight in to life at TGS. We usually leave the weekend
time free for families to enjoy with their German Exchange visitor.
Over many years I have forged strong working relationships with the staff at Brede and am very confident that our next
programme will be just as successful and rewarding as the last. Participants on such an Exchange often form long-lasting
friendships and can benefit from further visits during their school career and beyond.
STRUCTURE OF THE EXCHANGE PROGRAMME 2015-2016
The Exchange Programme is open to current pupils of German (although numbers and allocation of places will ultimately
depend on the profile of the interested pupils at Gymnasium Brede). In recent years the number of participants has
averaged 20 pupils as this is an ideal size of group for the successful running of the programme of activities. Interest from
pupils at Gymnasium Brede usually exceeds this number significantly.
Accommodation is based on the traditional host-family concept (i.e. full-board accommodation with the Exchange
partner’s family).
Timing – We will host our visitors from Germany for one week in March 2015. In the following school year we will
travel to Germany to spend a week with our partners and their families at Gymnasium Brede in March 2016 (i.e. during
the final weeks of our Spring Term 2016 which will end on Friday 18th March 2016).
Exchange Partners - Each participating TGS pupil will be assigned a correspondent at Gymnasium Brede based on
information gathered via an individual questionnaire. Copies of these completed ‘fact-files’ (e.g. outlining personal
background, hobbies, interests etc.) will be forwarded to Brede so that the process of forming Exchange pairs can begin.
(At this stage it is very important for pupils to remember that we are all different! Fortunately I have never experienced
any serious ‘mismatches’ during the past Exchange
visits and, of
course, learning to communicate and get on with your
Exchange
partner and his/her family is one of the many rewarding
aspects of the
project!) Ideally partners will be of the same sex and of
similar
age.
Any special requirements (e.g. allergies etc.) can be
accommodated
during this process.
Memories of a previous Exchange trip:
“Calling all Exchange Pupils …..
the Pied Piper of Hamelin awaits!”
The planned dates for the INBOUND part of the Exchange Programme are as below:
The group from Gymnasium Brede will arrive at TGS on Thursday 5th March 2015 and will return on Thursday 12th
March 2015 (the TGS Spring Term ends on 20th March 2015).Proposed cost: The ‘inbound’ stage normally costs no more
than about £50 per pupil in order to cover the cost of coach hire for excursions and other activities shared with our
German friends.
For the return OUTBOUND part of the Exchange it is anticipated that we will travel to Brakel for one week during the
final fortnight of the Spring Term 2016. We usually return from the German trip in time for the last few days of the term
so that participation on the Exchange does not impact on the Easter holidays or any other commitment scheduled for the
Easter period. The precise dates are to be confirmed in the future and will depend on availability of flights, academic
commitments at school etc. The cost for the OUTBOUND trip to Brakel is normally between £350 and £400 and includes
all flights, travel to and from the airports and all costs incurred for the programme of activities during our stay in
Germany (e.g. coach hire, entrance fees etc.). Of course an exact price will be confirmed once the price of flights/travel
for 2016 can be confirmed.
Deadline for applications to join the Exchange.
I am very keen to receive replies to this letter as soon as possible in order to confirm bookings. (Please note that pupils
will need to have their own valid passport and European Health Insurance Card for the trip to Germany in 2016).
Please complete and sign the attached reply slip and return as soon as possible, preferably no later than 1st October. I
will then distribute questionnaires to those pupils who have applied along with details of payment collection etc. We will
then hold a brief meeting in the Spring Term to discuss the details of the programme.
I very much look forward to receiving reply slips and am very happy to answer any queries you may have.
With thanks for your support,
Yours sincerely
A. M. Durling B.A., M.C.I.L.
Head of Modern Foreign Languages
Thetford Grammar School
------------------------- PLEASE COMPLETE, DETACH AND RETURN TO MR DURLING BY
01.10.14 -----------------------------------------
Pupil’s name and Form ………………………………………………………………….
Parental declaration:
I agree to my *daughter’s / son’s participation in the German Exchange 2015/16 and agree to accommodate an Exchange
pupil from Gymnasium Brede in March 2015. (*Please delete as appropriate)
Signed: ……………………………………………………