Before the summer break, 90 students from All Saints Academy Plymouth (ASAP) returned from an unforgettable four-day trip to Paris. The group was made up of 80 Year 7s, as well as 10 GCSE French students who used the opportunity to not only practice their language skills but also work with the staff on the trip to complete their work experience.

The trip included visits to various landmarks around the French capital, including the Arc de Triomphe, the Sacre Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, and the Gardens of Luxembourg, where the students wrote postcards in French about the sights they had seen. 

They also enjoyed a boat cruise along the River Seine, allowing them to see the city from a different point of view, and passed further monuments such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum. 

Visiting all of these sites would be impressive enough on any ‘normal’ day, but the trip included Bastille Day, the French national holiday when the population of the city rises by hundreds of thousands of people.  Due to the celebrations, from a vantage point at the Sacre Coeur, they were able to watch a fly past go over the city of more than 100 different aircrafts. 

 A highlight for many of the children was of course a visit to Disneyland Paris. Students had the opportunity to explore the park with their friends, meet some of the famous Disney characters, put their bravery to the test on some of the scarier rides and watch some of the brilliant music parades that Disney is so well known for. 

When asked how their day in Disneyland was, students’ replies included ‘it’s a dream come true’, ‘the rides were wicked’ and ‘can we just stay another day and come back tomorrow. ASAP, which is part of the Ted Wragg Trust,  will be running this trip again next summer, with the aim being to take 100 students to the French capital. 

 Brittanie Tonge, Associate Assistant Head Teacher at All Saints Academy and organiser of the trip said:

“This was the first of our annual trips to Paris, and it was an absolute delight to provide so many of our students with this opportunity. As the French lead at All Saints, it was wonderful to see so many of our students engage with the French language and culture. The students were a credit to the school, and we received so many compliments with regards to their conduct in the city and at Disneyland. In visiting Paris, our students have met their ASAP pledge to ‘visit a capital city’ and continue to access our incredible extra curriculum offer.”

 Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said: 

"At the Ted Wragg Trust, we believe that education should broaden horizons and create lifelong memories. This trip to Paris gave our students a chance to immerse themselves in another culture, practice their language skills, and experience some of the most iconic landmarks in Europe. We are incredibly proud of the staff who organised such a rich programme, and of the students who represented All Saints Academy Plymouth with maturity, curiosity, and joy."