Student Exchange in Ackworth

Ackworth School is a very old school, dating from 1753, and has been renovated several times. Ackworth is very large and has a huge amount of classrooms. The teaching here is different from what we have in Spain but more or less we learn the same. I found the lessons very practical!

Dear readers, my name is Javier and I am a student in 5th year of Primary Education at Agora Portals. I started this school year with a very cool experience that I recommend. If you have the chance, do not hesitate to do it! From the 5th of September to the 22nd of October I was in England at a school called Ackworth. I went with my brother Pablo, who is currently doing 6th year.

Ackworth School is a very old school, dating from 1753, and has been renovated several times. Ackworth is very large and has a huge amount of classrooms. The teaching here is different from what we have in Spain but more or less we learn the same. I found the lessons very practical!

In my group there were ten students, including three foreigners, (an Indian, a Japanese and myself). I slept in a room equipped for three: my brother Pablo, an English boy and myself.

Next to the bedrooms, we had a sitting room with a TV, a sofa and a kitchenette. The bathrooms are common and there is one on each floor. From my bedroom window I looked out onto the green field where we used to play during our free time after lessons.

The food was very good. It was a buffet which had everything and in abundant quantities. We could choose meat, pasta, vegetables, fish, cakes, etc. What I liked best were the breakfasts. Of course, we ate lunch and dinner much earlier than in Spain!

Every morning, before school started, we had a meeting where we discussed the results of the weekend matches and matters of interest concerning school and the programme for that day. And every night before going to bed we had to sign a paper so that the school staff knew that we were in the building.

Ackworth has many green areas where you can play football, hockey, etc. There is also a pavilion where you can practice many other sports.

We used to spend the weekends climbing, kayaking and playing many football matches. If you did not want to participate in these activities you could stay inside reading, resting or chatting to other students.

Our parents came to visit us one weekend. We showed them around the school and they met our teachers and then we went to Edinburgh for a family weekend. We had a wonderful time!

On my last day of school my classmates gave me a gift and did not want me to leave. The truth is that I have made some great friends. Both Pablo and I have very much enjoyed our stay and have really improved our English. We both hope to return. It was an incredible experience!