On Friday 23rd November, Russian A Level students attended a conference, held at Oxford High School. The day consisted of multiple lectures from a variety of speakers, including a talk about Russian History at the time of Gorbachev. The girls also heard a passionate talk given by an Oxford Professor about the opera and play The Queen of Spades, by Alexander Pushkin, which allowed them to develop a deeper knowledge of the characters, as well as an appreciation of literature in its different forms. A particular highlight of the conference was that it offered the students a chance to meet other budding Russian linguists, who are not all that common! The conference was a truly unique and interesting experience which prompted girls to consider the need for a great idiosyncratic mind when working as a translator. The experience was enjoyed by all who attended and boosted the girls’ enthusiasm for studying Russian.

German exchange trip to Hamburg
When we were not out on trips, our pupils were attending lessons with their exchange partners in our partner school, the Gymnasium Oldenfelde in Hamburg-Rahlstedt. It was fascinating to see the many differences between the English and German school systems.