From the moment they stepped through our doors, the students from Saint Niklaas radiated warmth and enthusiasm, eager to engage with our students and staff. Over the course of their visit, they immersed themselves in various activities such as workshops focussing on communication and behaviour strategies, observational time within classes across the school to work alongside our amazing staff, and ending with a social activities afternoon with our Key stage 4 and Post 16 cohort.

One of the most stand-out aspects of their visit was the positive impact they had on our students. Their presence infused our school with a sense of energy and excitement. Whether it was assisting with lessons, participating in recreational activities, or simply sharing stories and laughter, the students from Saint Niklaas forged meaningful connections with our students, fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance.

As we bid farewell to our friends from Saint Niklaas, we are filled with gratitude for the impact they have had on our school community. Their visit has reaffirmed our commitment to fostering international partnerships and promoting global citizenship.

Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate the reciprocal visit when our school takes a group over to Saint Niklaas in April this year. We cannot wait to reunite with our friends and continue building upon the bonds of friendship and collaboration that were forged during their visit.

The visiting students shared the following words about their trip. 

"I liked being outside when we went biking. The presentation was helpful [and] the students were very talkative. Everything was perfect." - Ruben

"I really loved the tour. It was very interesting and nice to see all the kids. The sign language was also very interesting to learn. I really loved coming to your school! The way you all interact with these students is very beautiful to see!" - Marie 

"I really liked the tour of the school and the presentation was really interesting. It was nice to know before you went in the class. On Wednesday it was a very structured day in the class, we had music and art and I felt really welcome. It was a nice experience." - Esther

"The tour and information about the school were [sic] very nice. The lesson about communication, behaviour... were really handy because I could (and did) use the information during the classes. I love this project and am thankful for being here." - Lize 

 "Dear Tom, I would like to thank you for this experience. It's a good thing that you and the other staff prepared us for our classes. I have a lot of respect for the staff who seem to have all the patience in the world." - Demi 

"Dear Tom, thank you so much to [sic] give us the chance to learn more about this Special Needs school. Wednesday and Thursday were really interesting! I had so much fun!" - Laura