European Day of Languages Celebrated Across Sherborne Schools
Philip Morrow, Group Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Sherborne looks back on an inspiring and enjoyable European Day of Languages.
As the season starts to change at the end of September, language teachers across the country and the continent get a chance to do something a bit different as schools celebrate European Day of Languages.
This year, pupils across Sherborne Girls, Sherborne Boys and Sherborne Prep made the most of the wonderful weather to ring in the start of exeat weekend with a series of events and activities designed to get everyone excited about languages.
Sherborne Prep started the morning with an inspiring assembly delivered by L6th and U6th pupils from Sherborne Girls and Sherborne Boys. They talked about their own language-learning journeys, beginning with what had inspired them to learn the languages they now speak and explaining what they hoped to do with them in the future. They also spoke about the qualifications they have been able to achieve here at Sherborne, from GCSEs in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese and Russian, all the way to A Levels in French and Spanish, as well as Diplomas in French, Spanish, German and Chinese. Having these languages on their profiles as they move on to university and the world of work will really help them stand out to future employers and collaborators.
The Year 5 pupils from Sherborne Prep then had a chance to get inspired about language learning with a Languages Tour of the World in one hour, stopping off for Bachata dance lessons in the Dominican Republic, German lessons in Berlin and a song and dance in Swahili in Kenya – all without having to go through airport security.
Later on, 3rd Form boys and L5 girls enjoyed a treasure hunt around Sherborne town in French, Spanish and German before getting stuck into a carousel of language activities, with the chance to take taster lessons thanks to our wonderfully multilingual staff body across Sherborne Schools Group. Where else in the South West but Sherborne (other than Bristol Airport!) would you hear Welsh, Swahili, Russian, Arabic, Italian, French, German, Spanish and Chinese echoing around the classrooms on a late September morning?
All of this is just a taster for another linguistic extravaganza taking place later this academic year, when Sherborne is delighted to be a host centre for the inaugural National Festival of Languages in June 2027. This HMC-backed project seeks to open the doors of independent schools across the country to as many local schools and neighbours as possible for a day of language learning, culture and more.
If you have an idea for a session, would like to get involved in planning or hope to attend the events for the National Festival of Languages at Sherborne, do get in touch with Philip Morrow, Group Head of Modern Foreign Languages, at philip.morrow@sherborne.org
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