German Exchange 2022-23

From 23-30 June 2023, we welcomed students and teachers from our partner school – the Otto-von-Taube-Gymnasium in Gauting (SW Munich) – for the return leg of the German exchange.

Seven students from the Lower and Upper Eighth took part in the exchange this year and we’ve worked out that 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the partnership between our schools.

The Paulines enjoyed a fabulous week in Munich in December 2022, featuring temperatures of -11C and a foot of snow, visits to Otto-von-Taube-Gymnasium (of course), to Augsburg, to the Christmas Markets and main sights of Munich and to the castle of Herrenchiemsee, and to the Allianzarena (home of FC Bayern Munich). Lots of fun was had with our exchange partners and last week it was our turn to host.

Our German visitors enjoyed day trips to the various tourist attractions in London including Westminster Abbey, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, the London Dungeon, the South Bank and a performance of A Comedy of Errors at the Globe Theatre. Of course, they also attended a morning of lessons at St Paul’s and were introduced to the High Master, followed by a trip out to Hampton Court Palace and a day trip to Cambridge.

Our students were excellent hosts, organising a dinner for all exchange partners (English and German) at the weekend as well as a barbecue together on their final night. We finally packed them off on the Piccadilly line to Heathrow first thing on Friday morning and wish them a safe homeward journey.

It has been an exhausting but incredibly rewarding experience for our students, allowing them to develop their German language skills and giving them invaluable cultural insights but also, we hope, the start of lasting friendships. Sadly pupils from St Paul’s Girls’ School were unable to join us this year but they’ll be back next year for our 41st year!