Year 7 take part in Dragon's Den style project

Budding entrepreneurs in Year 7 took centre stage at our recent Dragon’s Den style event led by Miss Picton, showcasing the business skills they have developed over the past eight weeks.

Working in teams, students created and pitched a diverse range of innovative products and services to a panel of three judges. The ideas pitched included tutoring apps to help students learn, multi-functional drink holders, a literature translating subscription service and toy boxes for children.

Throughout the project, students explored key business concepts including marketing, identifying a unique selling point (USP), cost and pricing strategies and targeting the right customer segments. They also developed valuable public speaking and presentation skills as they prepared to pitch their ideas with confidence and professionalism.

Nine teams competed in the final event, impressing the judges with their creativity, teamwork and commercial acumen. Awards were presented to the top three teams – The Golden Badgers, The OG's and The Two Musketeers, recognising excellence in business planning, innovation and presentation. In addition, a special Social Impact Award was presented to team Artificial Intelligence whose idea demonstrated exceptional potential to make a positive difference in society.

Students embark on an unforgettable journey across Beijing

Our recent school trip to Beijing provided Year 9 Mandarin learners with an extraordinary opportunity to extend their learning far beyond the classroom. Over an unforgettable seven-day itinerary, the group immersed themselves in China’s rich historical heritage and dynamic contemporary culture.

The journey began with the challenge of climbing the iconic Great Wall at Juyongguan, followed by visits to some of Beijing’s most significant imperial landmarks, including the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the magnificent Temple of Heaven. Students were able to bring their history studies to life while also gaining insight into Confucian philosophy through a visit to the Temple of Confucius.

Alongside these historic sites, the trip offered a wide range of hands-on cultural experiences. Students participated in traditional tea tasting, a calligraphy workshop hosted by a local family, a Kung Fu session in a local square, and a memorable hutong rickshaw tour through Beijing’s historic neighbourhoods. They also explored the city’s modern creative side at the 798 Art Zone, practised their bargaining skills in Mandarin at the Silk Market, and enjoyed spectacular acrobatic and Peking Opera performances.

By stepping outside their comfort zones, embracing new experiences, interacting with local people and trying authentic Chinese cuisine, students developed greater independence, cultural awareness and global perspectives. The trip not only deepened their understanding of China but also created lasting memories and friendships that will stay with them for years to come.

A big thank you to Mrs Barelli, Mr Cogavin, Mr Boison-Filipiak and Ms Li, who helped organise and accompanied the students on this memorable trip!

Three Campuses, One Team: A Memorable Sports Day

Year 8 students from our schools in Lille, Paris and London gathered at the Lille campus on Friday 19th June for the very first inter-campus Sports Day, bringing together students from all three schools for a day of friendly competition and new friendships. The programme featured a wide range of sporting activities, from climbing and table tennis to thèque (a French version of Rounders). Mixed-campus teams encouraged students towork together, cheer each other on and get to know one another beyond their own school community.

The day was filled with energy, teamwork and plenty of smiles, giving students a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the bonds between the three campuses while celebrating the values that unite our schools. A huge thank you goes to all the teachers and staff across our three campuses whose enthusiasm and hard work made this memorable day possible!

Exploring Life in Roman Britain: Year 8 Visit to Bath

Our Year 8 Latin students recently brought their classroom studies to life with an immersive, hands-on trip to Aquae Sulis (modern-day Bath). Moving away from the classroom, the students spent the day walking in the footsteps of the Romans to better understand the realities of life in Roman Britain.

The day centred on a lively and collaborative workshop where students acted as historians, debating the provocative question: “To what extent was Aquae Sulis a typical Roman town?” By carefully analysing authentic artefacts and examining regional evidence, the students weighed the impact of Roman cultural influence against the site’s unique local character. This exercise encouraged them to look beyond surface appearances and consider how diverse cultures blended during this fascinating period of history.

Following the intense debate, a guided tour of the iconic Roman Baths allowed everyone to walk through history and experience the architectural brilliance of the ancient world firsthand and to feel a connection to those who visited this sacred site two millennia ago. Ultimately, it was a day when the history they study in class became real, giving everyone a much clearer, more vivid picture of what daily life was actually like in Roman Britain.

Year 12 ESS students gain first-hand fieldwork experience in Sitges

The Year 12 IB Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) students recently travelled to Sitges, near Barcelona, as part of their Internal Assessment (IA) fieldwork. During the trip, students collected primary ecological data in a local dune system, investigating topics such as sand compaction, vegetation cover, biodiversity and human impacts on coastal environments.

Working alongside staff, students were joined by students from our sister school in Paris for this trip. Together, they used a range of fieldwork techniques including quadrat sampling, transects and environmental measurements to gather data for their individual research projects. The trip provided an excellent opportunity to apply classroom learning to a real-world environment and develop practical scientific skills.

In addition to the fieldwork, students explored the local area and gained a greater understanding of the challenges involved in balancing tourism, conservation and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems. The experience was both educational and enjoyable, and the data collected will form the basis of students’ ESS Internal Assessments over the coming months.

Year 8 students explore history and culture in Paris !

This month, our Year 8 (5e) students went on a residential trip to explore Paris. From the grandeur of Versailles to the collections of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée des Arts et Métiers, they discovered some of the places and ideas that have shaped French history and culture, bringing their classroom learning to life.

One of the many highlights of the trip was undoubtedly their evening at the Comédie-Française to watch Le Malade Imaginaire. Seeing Molière performed on stage brought a text studied in class to life in a way no lesson ever could. To make the evening even more memorable, the main actor Guillaume Gallienne came to greet our students after the performance! Of course, there was much more to the week than museums and monuments. Travelling together, navigating the métro, sharing experiences and spending time with friends all contributed to making this a rich and rewarding trip.

Thank you to the teachers and staff who made this trip possible.

Jeannine Manuel Reaches the ESU Public Speaking Regional Finals

Following a brilliant run to the regional finals last year, Jeannine Manuel’s public speaking team – which meets every Tuesday lunchtime, has repeated the achievement. This year, our speakers, Matvey, Eugenie, Arthur and Augustin from Year 10 (3eme), navigated a highly competitive knockout round to reach the prestigious English-Speaking Union (ESU) Regional Final at Dartmouth House. We caught up with Mr Thomson who ran this year’s program to reflect on the team’s journey.

Q: Could you tell us more about what the competition entails?

A: ESU public speaking is the largest competition of its kind in England and Wales, with hundreds of schools participating. The format is quite distinct; rather than simply delivering a monologue, teams take on the specific roles of Chairperson, Speaker and Questioner and work in collaboration with other schools. The results are very insightful and interactive presentations in front of an audience.

Q: What were the defining moments of the competition this year?

A: The pivotal moment was undoubtedly the knockout round at the City of London School for Girls. Our team managed to win over 5 other competing schools, which helped bolster our confidence and approach for the finals.

Q: The team competed at this year’s Regional Finals at Dartmouth House. What was that experience like?

A: Stepping into Dartmouth House – the historic headquarters of the ESU, is always a fantastic experience and the standard of competition at the regional finals is high. Our team represented Jeannine Manuel School with eloquence and vigour, delivering an outstanding performance that further strengthened our school’s reputation in the competition. We look forward to preparing for next year!