Ratcliffian 2016 (LOWRES)

RESIDENTIAL TRIPS
YEAR 9 HISTORY TRIP TO
THE BATTLEFIELDS
On Monday 4 th July, after a long journey,
Year 9 students arrived at the Tyne Cot cemetery.
The sight of 11,956 headstones of British and German
servicemen greeted us along with a sea of Portland stone,
encompassing the Memorial to the Missing,
containing the names of 34,959 soldiers
whose bodies were never found. It was a
sobering reminder of what we had come
to experience and remember.
Having completed our visit to Tyne
Cot we arrived in Ypres for the
Menin Gate service at 8.00pm. At
the Last Post Service Judith Scherer
and Diamond Ho laid a wreath on
behalf of the school to honour the
Old Ratcliffians who had fallen in
the Great War.
The second day was especially poignant
because the Somme battle began
almost exactly one hundred years ago.
We began with a visit to Vimy Ridge
and then travelled to Arras and to
Wellington Quarry where the students
experienced a series of tunnels that were dug largely by
miners from New Zealand under no man’s land.
Later in the day, we were fortunate to be met by world
renowned military historian and Old Ratcliffian, Brother
Nigel Cave, at Newfoundland Park. Brother Cave walked us
through the battle and the students listened with quiet disbelief
as gritty stories were recounted of the staggering
91% casualty rate on this sector of the battlefield.
From Newfoundland Park, we visited the
Gordon Dump Cemetery and Lochnagar Crater
near which three Old Ratcliffians were killed
and are buried. Brother Cave was able to tell us
about these students and their lives at school.
Our final day saw a trip to the Bayernwald, an
area of reconstructed German trench in an area where
Hitler served and to the German cemetery Langemark. Our
final stop saw us in the centre of Ypres, at the In Flanders
Fields Museum.
Mr J Cantrill
Head of History
LANGUAGES TRIP
TO BERLIN, GERMANY
In the last week of the Easter holidays, a group of students went
to Germany’s capital city, Berlin, for an intensive week of language
immersion and culture.
We stayed in the heart of the trendy Prenzlauer District,
popular with intellectuals, artists and fashion designers.
Following lessons in the morning, where German was the
sole language of communication, a packed programme of
visits, including visits to the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate,
the Anne Frank Centre, DDR museum and Berliner Dom,
gave us valuable insight into German history, before and
after reunification in 1990.
The flea market in the
funky Mauerpark, ice
cream in the Hokey Pokey
ice cream parlour and
street food market in
Halle 9, all added to our
enjoyment of this multicultural
city. On the final
day, not even the torrential
rain could dampen
our appreciation of the
designer shops on the
famous shopping street, the Kurfürstendamm!
The language school, high standard of accommodation,
food and diverse sightseeing opportunities, make this trip an
absolute must for any student studying German in Year 10
and above who wishes to improve their fluency in one of the
most vibrant cities in Europe. Thank you to Miss Laura Ferstl,
for her help and insider knowledge.
Mrs S Cushing
Head of MFL
RESIDENTIAL TRIPS
LANGUAGES TRIP TO GRANADA
HOMESTAY IN SPAIN - EASTER 2016 – YEARS 10-13
Meeting in the early afternoon on Easter Sunday, twelve students in one Ratcliffe minibus
and their belongings in another, our party headed off to Luton for an early evening flight.
Despite an hour’s delay, students arrived
excited to see Granada, following a
coach transfer from Malaga airport. Host
families had waited patiently to give us a
warm welcome and then lead the way to
the students’ new home for the week.
Mornings were spent at the language
school, Escuela Montalbán, where
students had the opportunity to improve
their Spanish in a traditional classroom setting with native
speakers. However, many other linguistic possibilities
presented themselves on the trip, through conversation
with host families at mealtimes and via a wide range of
activities in the afternoons. We were assigned a highly
knowledgeable guide, who gave us an excellent insight into
the history of Spain, and who accompanied us on a tour of
Granada city centre on Monday, the beautiful Alhambra on
Thursday, and finally on our full day visit to Seville on Friday.
Mid-week, students enjoyed a cooking
class, where they learned how to make
the traditional Spanish dish of paella,
as well as a visit to the ancient Arab
Quarter, El Albaicín, with Wednesday
evening being spent watching a
spectacular live flamenco performance
in an enchanting cave set in the hills of
the Sacromonte district.
During ‘free time’, either before or after the afternoon’s
activities on the itinerary, students had fun exploring the
shops, where they bought souvenirs and gifts for family and
friends, as well as purchasing a few additions for their everexpanding
wardrobes (and suitcases!). I would like to thank
Miss Casas-Ojeda for her invaluable support throughout the
trip, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Mrs S Beddoes
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