Residential visit to Santo Domingo de Silas, Pinto, Madrid
We were delighted to visit our partner school in a small town named Pinto on the outskirts of Madrid. This marked the beginning of a year of partnership between RGS Dodderhill and Santo Domingo de Silas. It was lovely to be able to visit the school for a day and have the immersive experience of a day shadowing our peers in the Spanish School.
It was a very different kind of school from ours, much larger and noisier than tiny Dodderhill! Nevertheless, we were made to feel very welcome by the Deputy Head Teacher and then had the courage to pair up with partners and attend their lessons conducted entirely in Spanish! The girls did some Spanish poetry, a maths lesson, some Geography, to name a few subjects. The RGS Dodderhill pupils warmed to the style and tone of the lessons and tried their hardest to participate when asked!
The pupils mixed together socially at breaktime and lunchtime, sharing information about their lives, families and schools. This was an opportunity for authentic communication, putting their language skills to good use and boosting confidence at the same time!
In the afternoon, the linguistic tables were turned, and our pupils helped and supported their Spanish counterparts in an English conversation class. The pupils worked in small groups to have guided conversations on topics which relate to the Spanish students’ studies.
At the end of the day, it was a particular pleasure to see pupils exchanging contact details with their partners so as to keep in touch informally throughout the year.
This visit to our partner school concluded a residential trip to Madrid, which coincided with the celebrations of Spain’s national day, the 12 October 2024. We were able to go on a walking tour, which passed by the King’s palace and caught a glimpse of the royal family departing for official engagements to mark the special occasions. There were live outside broadcasts from a range of Spanish television channels to watch live too. In the evening, the older pupils joined with the Madrileños to attend a concert in Puerta del Sol, and we all went to a traditional Flamenco show during the trip. Another highlight was visiting Toledo and the hidden gem of the illustrated musical instrument museum.
Madrid, ¡hasta pronto!
