king's high king's high

Autumn Half Term Trips
Year 8 in Paris
China
China was the exciting
destination for thirty eight
students and six members
of staff this Autumn half
term. The students (ranging
from Year 10 to Year 13)
experienced the China of the
past, present and future in their
journey to four principal cities
on the eastern seaboard.
At the Great Wall of China
Enjoying the market at Brie-Compte-Robert
Seventy seven girls travelled to Paris during half
term to enjoy the romance, beauty, cuisine and
buzz of the capital city. Based at the Château de
Grande Romaine in Lésigny, they took in the
sights of Paris including a trip up the Eiffel Tower,
a coach tour of the city and a river cruise on the
Seine. The girls were able to put their language
skills to the test purchasing local produce and
gifts at the market in nearby Brie-Compte-
Robert. Other excursions included the Parc Astérix
theme park, where they braved some of the
largest rollercoasters in Europe, as well as viewing
the impressive architecture and art collections of
the Château de Chantilly.
Netball Tour in Jersey
Four netball teams (two each from the U13 and
U14 squads) travelled to Jersey during half term
to experience the unique atmosphere of this
Channel Island and play some very competitive
netball matches. All four teams played three
matches each against tough opposition where
they won all but two. The girls not only developed
their netball skills through training and play, they
also experienced a tour of the island from which
they gleaned an insight into its history. The group
also enjoyed some more light-hearted pursuits
including bowling, shopping and a visit to
‘Aqua Splash’.
The first stop on the tour was ‘China Present’ incorporating the capital, Beijing.
Here, students visited iconic structures from the Great Wall, built to prevent the
invasion on Mongol hoards, to the Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium, designed to embrace
competitors from all over the world. They visited the vast and infamous Tiananmen
Square and in contrast experienced the
thrill of riding in rickshaws through the
narrow streets of the old town, Hutongs.
Bike ride through the ancient city of Xi’an
The final destination was ‘China Future’
– Shanghai – the most populous city in
the world whose bright lights and fastemerging
financial district have the
potential to rival Wall Street and the
Docklands. Whilst staying in Shanghai
they also took an excursion to Suzhou,
the ‘Venice of China’, where, in this
‘small’ city of over six million people,
they witnessed the skilled craft of
double sided embroidery.
Views from the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai
The second stop was ‘China Past’, which
took in the ancient walled city of Xi’an
where, in the mid 1970s, a farmer’s
accidental discovery led to the Terracotta
Warriors becoming a ‘wonder of the world’.
This visit also included a trip to the Tang
Dynasty show and a calligraphy lesson.
King's Terracotta Warriors!
The nine-day
demanding tour
resulted in some very
tired, not to mention,
culturally exhausted,
students and staff
alike who, now that
they have time to
reflect on the
wonders they have
seen, are already
asking – when can
we go back?