Day-trip highlight of holiday lessons

FOR some eager students the summer holidays gave them the chance to go back to school, but these were lessons with a difference.

The innovative Dover grammar schools' summer school two-week course included a day-trip to France.

They visited a Coastguard station, used trigonometry to measure the height of the famous Boys' School tower and learnt to speak Chaucerian English.

Mike Thomas, head of English and sixth form studies at the boys' school, was joined by staff from both the boys' and the girls' schools for the government-funded national scheme.

Core subjects were English, drama, maths, history, French and science.

"This has not been just another two weeks in school for the children," said Mr. Thomas.

''It's been very relaxed with no uniform and the course was comprised of both boys and girls.

For Year 6 pupils it has been exciting because it has been an introduction to secondary school." Classroom work such as spoken French, studying hovercraft technology, radiocarbon dating, archaeology and history were preparation for a variety of excursions.

St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury, Langdon Battery Coastguard Station, Dover Bronze Age Boat Exhibition and, cross-Channel to Montreuil.

The whole course has been very successful," said Mr Thomas. "The highlight was the day trip to France which they all enjoyed.

"All the students were very enthusiastic - they didn't see it as being at school during the summer holidays."