Each year we welcome student teachers from the University of Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany. They join us to learn about educational approaches and schools in the UK, and we benefit form their insight, their role modelling to our students of international study, and them being a positive force of energy and enthusiasm around the school.
Here, our current cohort introduce themselves to you:
“We, Sophie, Martin and Jonas, are three students from Germany and were given the opportunity to do an internship at The Friary School in Lichfield as part of our studies.
In the time from the 25th of April to the 21st of July 2022, we got the chance to dive into British everyday school life, as well as participate in interesting and engaging activities like the school’s musical Jospeh’s Technicolored Dreamcoat, the MFL trip to Edale and the Summer Sizzler.
Last summer, when we got the news that we’d be spending our semester abroad in England, we were very excited but have to admit that we were quite nervous about working in a foreign country for three months. Luckily, after the very first day, we learned that our worries were unnecessary, as we were welcomed by an amazing staff and courteous students. Therefore, it was very easy for us to settle in quickly.
Jonas is working in the Geography Department. He got really excited about how keen everybody is on learning about the earth at The Friary, and with how much effort each teacher and student are trying to achieve their goals. From the very beginning, Mrs Young supported him wherever she could to make his days at The Friary as comfortable as possible, before he could also teach some lessons in a Year 7 class.
Sophie, who is working in the English Department, is teaching a Year 7 class once a week. She assisted in a booster session and took part in the Next Step`s program on Literacy. Mrs. Furness, her mentor, kindly helped her settle in and prepare the lessons.
Martin got engaged in the PE Department with Mr Sleigh as his mentor, where he got to know and love cricket and softball – two sports he had not been familiar with before. To him, it was really inspiring to see how the PE team got the best out of each and every student.
We got to know The Friary School as a very friendly and well-organized learning institution, where everybody gets the chance to live up to their full potential, while also being able to embrace their passions.”
Matt Allman, Headteacher, said; “We hugely value our links with the University of Wuppertal as the chance for our students to interact with international teachers, to learn from different approaches, and to see the opportunities for international study first-hand, is too good an opportunity to miss. We are not sure what they put in the water in Wuppertal but every trainee we have met over the years has been excellent.
Regrettably, this current scheme arrangements are coming to an end as the country pushes through the Brexit steps – and though it will still be straight-forward for private schools to continue the scheme – it seems it will be much tougher for state schools. We’ll try and find a way around it as we very much believe that Friary children deserve the same experiences as those who are privately educated.”
