Southborough High School, in conjunction with Tolworth Girls’ School, has run a highly successful annual residential exchange programme with Colegios el Valle for well over a decade. Each year, this valued partnership provides a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Our students travel to Madrid in October, before we warmly welcome our Spanish counterparts to the UK for the return visit in June.
This week, it was finally the turn of our Spanish friends to join us on British soil to experience the very best delights of London and its surrounding tourist attractions. Long before the visitors arrived, staff had painstakingly spent time matching the individual interests and personalities of our boys with children from the Spanish school. Thanks to this meticulous preparation, our superb host families were able to provide a particularly warm, tailored, and comfortable welcome to all our Spanish visitors from the moment they arrived.
Of course, the one element that nobody could have truly planned for was the extraordinary British weather. June treated us to a record-breaking heatwave! While the locals were scrambling for shade, our visitors were, unsurprisingly, completely acclimatised to the daily scorching temperatures and took the brilliant sunshine entirely in their stride.
The action-packed itinerary saw all the exchange students enjoy a daily round of fantastic cultural visits. Highlights of the trip included exploring the historic Royal Observatory Greenwich and stepping aboard the legendary Cutty Sark. The students also spent a wonderful time soaking up the iconic sights of central London, enjoying vibrant walks along the Southbank, and taking in views of the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament. In addition to the bustling city centre, the group spent a lovely, tranquil day exploring the stunning landscapes of Kew Gardens.
An exchange of this scale relies heavily on the dedication of the community. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to Head of MFL, Mr Johnson, for his exceptional efforts in organising this fantastic visit. Finally, a huge thank you must go to all of our wonderful host families for being so incredibly kind, welcoming, and hospitable towards our Spanish friends. They have truly made memories to last a lifetime.
