Our KS4 students recently enjoyed a visit to Durham University, where they took part in a Languages Taster Day designed to broaden their horizons and showcase the opportunities that studying languages can offer.
During the visit, students attended a range of engaging sessions led by university academics and current undergraduate students. The day began with a talk on Where Languages Can Take You, highlighting the many career paths and global opportunities available to those who continue studying languages beyond school.
Students also had the chance to experience new languages and cultures first-hand. They took part in an introduction to the Russian language, discovering the Cyrillic alphabet and learning some basic phrases, as well as an Italian session that explored key features of the language and its culture.
A particular highlight of the day was a creative translation challenge in French. Working together, students explored how meaning, tone and cultural context can influence translation, encouraging them to think creatively and collaboratively.
The visit was a fantastic opportunity for students to deepen their interest in languages, experience university-style learning, and feel inspired to consider continuing their language studies in the future.