A Festive Launch in Frimley
The new partnership "Schools: Partners for the Future" (PASCH) between the Goethe-Institut and Tomlinscote School in Frimley was celebrated with a festive launch on 22 September 2011.
Following the opening speech by Tomlinscote’s Executive Principal Ian Hylan, the newly appointed Head of Culture and Education at the German Embassy, Stefano Weinberger outlined the objectives of the initiative and stressed its importance for the teaching of German language and culture throughout the world. He presented Ian Hylan with a PASCH plaque, marking Tomlinscote School’s entry into the global network of 1500 partner schools.
Sabine Hentzsch, Director of the Goethe-Institut London referred in her speech to the achievements of the three partner schools in the UK. She stressed the importance of German language skills for students’ career prospects by quoting a recent article from the Daily Telegraph: "German is the most common foreign language needed for jobs in Britain this year, a study found. Employers looking for staff with a second language most often wanted German."
The festivities then got underway. German Teacher and Director of the Language College, Danny Brown, showed the PASCH film A New Way to Promote German which documents the results of the three-year PASCH cooperation with the three UK partner schools.
A particular high-point to the event was the Year 7 choir, who sang Lieder, die wie Brücken sind, which was followed by a presentation about the Youth Summer Courses of the Goethe-Institut in Schwäbisch Hall. Chiara Givanni, Charlotte Lauder and Dayna Rodrigues who, as part of the PASCH partnership, took part in a three-week youth exchange scholarship, reported on their positive experiences in Germany to an audience of students, teachers, senior staff, parents and politicians and emphasised the boost this gave to their German.
A further musical performance was given, this time by flautist Rebecca Wileman playing Gluck’s Allegro con molto. Before guests gathered to sample the variety of German cakes on offer, school teachers Polly Burford and Helen Clutterbuck's performed a special rendition of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy from his 9th Symphony.
