Pupils benefit from Oriental vacation

CHINA TRIP . . . From the left, Leon Rostron, Alishyah Warburton, Elizabeth Crofts, Bethany Ledger, Kayson Flanagan.

FIVE pupils from Limehurst Primary School went on the trip of a lifetime when they travelled half way around the world to China.

Elizabeth Croft, Bethany Ledger, Alishyah Warburton, Kayson Flanagan and Leon Rostron spent 10 days working alongside Chinese students in the 2,000 pupil Youfu Primary School in Nanjing, the capital of China's eastern Jiangsu province. And though it might sound large, the school is actually among the smallest in China.

The Chinese pupils hit the high notes to welcome their new English friends to the school when they burst into song and throughout their stay the visitors were treated like royalty said associate head teacher Ian Wilson.

They sat alongside the Chinese pupils during bilingual lessons - in English and Chinese - enjoyed learning a traditional Chinese song and took part in lessons including calligraphy, art, PE and maths.

The five nine and 10-year-olds mastered the art of eating with chopsticks and sampled local delicacies including fermented eggs, ducks tongue and fish served with the head on. In their spare time they saw the sights including emperors' mausoleums and museums and travelled to Shanghai where they went on the river and visited the Pearl Tower.

They are now passing on their experiences to other pupils and putting together a presentation for governors.

Mr Wilson, who has been visiting the school for five years, said: "The whole experience was overwhelming. The children have learned so much including tolerance and appreciation of other cultures. It has also widened their horizons and they are now keen to do more travelling. It has been a real working holiday."

Travelling with the pupils were Mr Wilson and teachers Tim Heywood and Rachel Robertson.

SEE the next edition of The Knowledge on August 3 to follow their experiences or click on the link below see a video of the trip:

http://www.limehurst.oldham.sch.uk