Our Ref: China exchange 2015/o/a
22 September 2015
Dear Parents and Carers,
Re: Winchmore School Exchange visit to China 2016
Following the successful exchange visit in February, by the students from our partner school in Shunde, China, we are now organizing a return visit to China in March 2016. Details of the February 2015 exchange visit can be found on the school web-site.
The exchange visit to China from Winchmore is planned to take place from 13thto 20th March. On this occasion, the exchange visit will be available to students in Years 9, 10,11 and Sixth Form. This will include five nights in Shunde,near Hong Kong, staying with a host family. During the day, the students will spend some time sightseeing, and some time engaged in special activities with their Chinese partners in our partner school. The Winchmore students, parents and carers will help to produce the final time-table for the visit. Depending on the flights, we expect to spend at least one weekend in Beijing or Shanghai or Hong Kong.
We anticipate the cost to be in the region of £775.00. We recognise that this is a large amount of money to find in a short space of time. We will be setting up a fund raising group. The main purpose of the group will be to organize special events to raise money, and explore sponsorship opportunities with local businesses, to support the cost of the trip.
There are huge benefits for everybody involved in exchange visits. For example, those involved develop a greater sense of global awareness and international cooperation and collaboration. Exchange visits also prepare students for life in the 21st century, which for some, will mean developing the skills to operate in an international market place. These are invaluable skills in the modern world. From our own experience, when the Chinese students visited Winchmore, not only were the students able to learn another language, visit famous landmarks and experience a different culture, they saw life from a different perspective which helped to broaden their horizons. Through the process of exchange, many students also established lifelong friendships.
If you are interested in this exchange, and would like your child to participate we would like to invite you to a meeting which will be held on Wednesday 30th September, from 5.00 – 5.30pm. The meeting will take place in the main hall.
The meeting will be an opportunity for you to find out more about the planned exchange visit, including the itinerary, costs and the possibility of financial support.
If you are unable to attend the meeting, but would like to register interest, please contact Mrs.Das, or myself, and we will be happy to pass on the details of the meeting.
If you are interested in our March exchange visit to China, we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 30th.
Yours faithfully
Noel Thompson
Deputy Headteacher