MEETING Paddington Bear in his homeland of Peru was among the many highlights for an intrepid group of young travellers from Warrington and Widnes.
Thirty Year 5 and Year 6 children from Evelyn Street Primary Academy in Warrington and Ditton Primary Academy in Widnes spent a week in the South American country.
The visit was arranged through the Global School Alliance, an organisation which aims to build international links and friendships.
Thomas Paul, geography lead at Ditton Primary accompanied the children on their adventure which supported the Upper Key Stage 2 Geography curriculum.
He said: “The children had a blast. From first time flyers to well-travelled youngsters, all children immersed themselves in the culture and traditions of Peru.
“The children’s excellent behaviour was noted by locals, air hosts, restaurant owners and both schools are very proud of our children.”
The trip centred on a two-day visit to Berkeley School in the San Isidro district of the Peruvian capital, Lima. The children were formally welcomed by the staff and children and during their visit they took part in organised sports including football, volleyball and athletics and classroom discussions and presentations about climate change.
The packed itinerary featured trips to local restaurants and markets, a visit to the Andes mountains and a city tour of ancient Lima. A visit to the ancient Huaca Pucllana pyramid was another major highlight, not to mention a seaside promenade walk to find the statue of Paddington Bear.
The youngsters were also treated to a performance of traditional Peruvian dance and enjoyed sampling exotic rainforest fruits.
In a letter thanking Evelyn Street and Ditton for the visit, Ivonne Sarco, English headmistress at Berkeley School, described the visit as “a powerful motivator for our students to use their English in meaningful and real-life contexts.
“The entire week of activities left us all with a sense of longing for more cultural exchanges like this one. We genuinely hope to return the visit in the near future and continue building on this special connection.”
Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery and Ditton Primary Academy are part of Warrington Primary Academy Trust (WPAT), a community of nine schools in Warrington, Widnes, and Cheshire West and Cheshire.
