Trip Reviews

Trips are an important part of life at City. Our location allows us to not only take advantage of the myriad of opportunities within London, but also to a range of European countries and countries further afield. Below are some reviews from City staff and pupils from recent trips.

Guatemala, October 2015

“Travelling to Guatemala with my Spanish class was definitely a highlight of my 2015. The opportunity to discover a culture we previously knew nothing about, through visits to museums and tours of the vibrant villages surrounding Antigua and other towns such as Chichicastenango is truly once in a lifetime. We will also never forget the children we met at the school we volunteered at during our two weeks stay; we really enjoyed teaching them English and spending time getting to know them. The best thing about the trip was that it combined daily Spanish lessons with volunteering and sightseeing, all of which together contributed to an amazing experience and it would not have been the same without the lovely families we stayed with, who made us feel so welcome.” Year 12 pupil

“The opportunity to volunteer in Guatemalan primary schools whilst staying with a host family in Antigua not only improved my Spanish and allowed me to explore the country, but also gave me a greater insight and understanding of the culture and an interest and investment in Guatemala’s future.” Year 12 pupil

“Travelling to Guatemala was not only an incredibly educational experience, but also and extremely humbling one. I was able to greatly improve my language skills through immersing myself in the culture and I returned to the UK confident in my Spanish and eager to explore more of South America.” Year 13 pupil

Beijing, October 2015

"In October last year I took 25 students who are studying Chinese at CLSG to Beijing. We visited the sites, spent a day with our partner school, met our tour guide's family, haggled at markets and struggled with transport. We found a matchmaker's corner and joined in early morning dancing in a park. We took pictures and had our pictures taken by curious onlookers…We do our best in the classroom when teaching languages to try and convey something about the culture of a country. But nothing beats the experience of being there. We tell them about the Chinese school day, the amount of homework, the pressure to succeed in the Gaokao; but nothing brings the message home like a conversation in a Chinese school with a Chinese student with a massive pile of textbooks in front of him experiencing those things. The world is growing smaller and the need to understand other cultures greater. In a 9-day trip you can't become a local, but you can make the first step to opening up a young person's mind to different ways of living. And there's no way you can fail to understand the importance of learning a language when you're surrounded by people who speak it" Liz Garner, Head of Chinese

Beijing 2015

"The China trip was truly an amazing trip, I was able to fully immerse myself in the culture and learn about the way the citizens live their lives. I believe I am now much more knowledgeable about Chinese culture which I would not have been able to accomplish only by learning in a classroom. I also was able to practice speaking the language and I know that I have vastly improved since the trip took place." Year 10 pupil

Germany, various

"My school trips to Germany have definitely been the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences at senior school. In year 8 we were assigned pen pals from Trier, who we got to meet during a school trip to the Rhineland. We were encouraged to keep in touch and in Year 10, I participated in an exchange with her. A lot of the exchange is spent simply experiencing how she and her family live, which was a very fascinating insight into German culture. Some of my favourite memories from the trip were just simple family meals and conversations. We have continued to remain in touch and this year I will be going to Trier again to do work experience and later in the year she will come to stay with me. The whole experience has been incredibly inspiring and rewarding and has been instrumental in my decision to apply to read modern languages at university." Year 12 pupil

“I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to visit Germany on a number of occasions over the years at City to further my learning and love for the subject. The first trip we went on was to the Rhineland which was when my real interest in German culture began. We then participated in an exchange which improved my spoken German immensely and allowed me to form a great friendship that I still have today with my exchange partner. In one month time we will return to our exchanges in order to carry out a week's work experience which I am very excited about as I know it will greatly expand my knowledge of the language as well as the culture and the German world of work.” Year 12 pupil

“I have been really lucky to have been to Germany on school trips at City. In year 8 we had the opportunity to go to the Rhineland where we had a taste of German culture and visited Cologne and explored the area. During year 10 we took part in an exchange trip with a partner school in Trier, where we spent a week with a family. This was a fantastic experience as we were immersed in the language and were able to improve our German immensely. It was great fun as we went on a few day trips with our partners and their school friends to Luxembourg and Bonn and experienced a day in their school. One highlight was watching the World Cup whilst in Germany and as it was the year they won, it was very exciting. We made great friends with our partners who came back to stay with us in London and we enjoyed taking them out to see the sights here. We are currently planning a work experience exchange with our partners which will enhance our preparation for German A Level as well as helping us to decide what to do in the future.” Year 12 pupil

Greece, February 2015

“Our trip to Greece in February 2015 put what we learned in the class into a wider context and it allowed us to study a whole new side of the classical world." Year 13 Latin & Greek

Australia, July 2015

“Australia was an unforgettable experience and I would recommend it to everyone who wants to immerse themselves in a different culture and education system. It is a great opportunity to become more independent and make friends from around the world.” Year 11 pupil