This January the diverse and exciting international atmosphere at Kingsford was enriched even further by the happy smiling faces of 35 young visitors from National Hsinchu Senior High School in Taiwan. Our visitors were paired with Kingsford buddies in Years 9, 10 and 11 who are learning Mandarin, and shadowed them in all their lessons and after school activities. At the weekends, they explored life in the UK further with a series of exciting experiences. They visited colleges at the University of Cambridge, explored the British Museum in London, and even squeezed in time to visit the world-famous Harry Potter Studios in Watford. The cultural exchange brought many learning opportunities for both our visitors and all Kingsford pupils, and lifelong friendships were certainly formed.

Studying here at Kingsford Community School, I have not only learned English language here, but also how to communicate across cultures. I am grateful for this opportunity to grow with the support from Kingsford Community School.

- said one of our visitors.

In this school, everyone is my teacher. I have learned so much, both in the classroom and in life. I love everyone at Kingsford. At first, I was worried that language would be a barrier, but I've found that the power of friendship and understanding can cross all boundaries.

- said by another.

We would like to extend our thanks to colleagues from National Hsinchu Senior High School, and our own exceptionally hardworking Mandarin team, who made this unique opportunity possible. The Kingsford pupils who took part in the exchange will surely remember these last few weeks for the rest of their lives.