Looking back at foreign exchanges: a highlight of Cumbrian school life

Going abroad to stay with a foreign family and hosting a student in return provided a opportunity to experience another culture first-hand.
In Cumbria, exchanges have always been popular, and a black-and-white photograph shows students from Caldew School, Dalston, with those from Germany who were staying in the area in 1980.

Another black-and-white image from the same year shows Japanese teachers with pupils at St Aidan’s School, Carlisle.

Moving forwards in time, during an inter-curriculum week at Maryport Junior School in 2016, pupils studied countries around the world.
Spanish exchange teacher Lola Martinez is pictured with some of those who took part.

Two teachers from Tanzania – Imelda Minde and Fraternus Mushi – are shown on an exchange visit to their partner school, High Hesket C of E Primary School.
They called in at Harrington Farm, in Ling, near High Hesket, being given a tour by farmer Allastair Turnbull.

In another picture, High Hesket headteacher Margaret Taylor and international school co-ordinator Jennifer Ager are about to set off for Tanzania.

While they didn’t take part in a physical exchange, pupils from Victoria Infant School were able to enter into the spirit by swapping Christmas cards with those from around the world in 2015.
Teacher Christine Humble is shown presenting a card as part of an etwinning by the British Council.

Workington Rotary Club was keen to promote exchanges, and pictured are the mayor and mayoress of Selm, Workington’s German twin town, on a visit to talk about working with the organisation to facilitate them.

Students Sophie Vogeli, 17, and Lisa Marie Jannsen, 19, from Flensburg, Germany, did work experience at Robert Ferguson Primary School, in Carlisle.

In 2013, headteacher Claudia Maria Chuwa and deputy headteacher Lawrence Kissima Hardson, of Kilimanjaro Primary School in Tanzania, spent a week at Stoneraise School outside Carlisle.