Padiham to Aachen 2014

Our Year 5 class is currently planning a trip to Aachen in Germany which will take place in November 2014 as part of a European and East Lancashire Community Rail Project.

The opportunity to visit Germany and the Netherlands came about from a project the children were initially involved in last year for the Citizens’ Rail Partners meeting, held at the newly refurbished Manchester Road Railway Station in Burnley.

The children performed a play (complete with historical top hats and moustaches!) followed by presentations about each of Citizens’ Rail’s partner regions. The children also created a wide range of railway-related artwork, which adorned the station’s new community room.

The partners (Pays de la Loire, France; the province of Parkstad Limburg, the Netherlands; AVV, Germany; Aachen University, Germany; Lancashire County Council and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, Plymouth)  were hugely impressed and touched by the effort and imagination that the children had clearly invested in learning about the culture, economy, food and history of each local area. The pupils in turn were excited to meet representatives from each of the countries they had been studying – providing a chance to find out more, and to try out their language skills.

Uwe Müller from Stadt Aachen said: “The children’s work and enthusiasm was really outstanding!  I was very impressed by what they had learned and presented about Aachen.  I hope that one day we might be able to arrange for the children to visit our cities in person.”

Uwe’s hopeful invitation has now become an exciting reality!

The class of 30 pupils and 8 adults are travelling to and staying in Aachen, Germany. They will spend one day in a German school, working alongside similar aged children, forging new links and friendships.  Exploring Aachen will be high on the itinerary in order that the children can visit the many places of interest previously researched at school in Padiham.  A visit to the Netherlands is also planned – travelling by train from Aachen to Heerlan.

This exceptional transnational project is about expanding the learning horizons of the Year 5 pupils of Padiham Green CE Primary School, many of whom will be travelling abroad for the first time.  The children are very proud to represent their school and also appreciate the task of becoming ambassadors for their town, county and country! 

The pupils, staff and governors of Padiham Green CE Primary School would like to thank the partners, stakeholders, Abellio and Community Rail, Lancashire for the opportunity of this unique adventure.