Beacon Academy students of GCSE German enjoyed an immersive trip to Berlin over the half-term holidays.
The students in Years 10 and 11 spent an action-packed five days improving their German, exploring Berlin and visiting important historical and cultural landmarks in and around the city, including the Brandenburg Gate, the open-air East Side Art Gallery (formerly the Berlin Wall) the Stasi prison and Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.
Head of MFL, Mrs Sarah Noble, told the Times: “The students were excellent and were very engaged throughout the trip. They were eager to practise their German, try typical German food, and find out more about the places we visited.”
Year 11 student, Belle, reported, “I enjoyed myself immensely on the Berlin trip, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has left me with lots of great memories.
“One of the highlights of the trip was the river cruise down the Rhine River, which gave us an amazing opportunity to see some of the most famous sights in the city.”
Year 11 student, Eleanor, reported back saying: “This trip was an absolutely incredible experience and I made so many new memories and formed some amazing new friendships. One of the places we visited was Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
“This place has great historical importance and while the subject matter is heavy, I thought that it was very insightful and enlightening so therefore a very important part of our trip.
“We also visited the Stasi prison, where we got a very engaging tour by a knowledgeable and helpful historian who gave us lots of in-depth information on the prison and the treatment of inmates there.
“This trip was absolutely amazing, and I also want to thank all the incredible teachers who gave up their part of their holiday to make this trip possible.”
