The Senior School had a fantastic week celebrating the European Week of Languages. Team MFL shares their week with us:
How lucky we were with EWOL’25! After a dull start to the term that saw storms, torrential rain showers and flooding in Surbiton Crescent, EWOL week dawned with delightful weather and brilliant sunshine.
In the previous week, Mme Demetz gave a tantalising taste of what was to come in a fascinating assembly that not only announced all of our scheduled activities, but also examined the idiosyncrasies and peculiarities of languages in general.
By the time EWOL arrived, anything that didn’t move in School was bedecked in flags, bunting, posters, strange words and their definitions, pictures of past and future MFL trips, explanations of the skills that languages bring and, new for 2025, a “Hall of Fame”, featuring some of our most recent outstanding linguists. Didi and her wonderful catering team provided a mouth-watering array of European dishes, including fantastic fayre from Italy, Spain, Germany, France and, of course the UK – there was never any risk of removing our beloved fish and chips from the Friday menu! I have never witnessed such excitement or heard so many compliments about the variety and standard of the lunches as there were this year.
Activities started with our traditional and highly popular French, German and Spanish breakfasts in the quad. Surbiton pupils never let us down and, this year, were avid purchasers of croissants, pains au chocolat, waffles, doughnuts, palmiers, magdalenas, pretzeln, crêpes and chocolate surprises. We even made a small profit and the money has been sent to one of our cherished School charities.
Tuesday’s “kermesse” took place in brilliant summer sunshine and pupils were invited to take part in a myriad of linguistic and cultural activities. Participation won tokens and an array of tokens won some much-coveted prizes. On Wednesday, our customary karaoke took place and, despite missing a number of Year 8 pupils who were out on a trip, our keen linguists danced and sang their hearts out in the autumn sunshine – what an uplifting and joyful scene. Staff in the admin offices commented on how fabulous it was to hear so many pupils singing with such gusto! On Thursday, we had a continental quiz during form time and on Friday, Year 7 pupils did not disappoint as they turned up to school in a dazzling array of impressive and colourful costumes that represented their home languages and cultures. What a breath taking spectacle it was. Congratulations and hearty thanks to all those who put such tremendous effort into their outfits.
And then, like a whisper in the wind it was all over for another year. Once the flags and bunting were removed School returned to business as usual, slightly less colourful but still stimulating and full of fun.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our wonderful week and here’s to EWOL ’26!
Team MFL
#beanythingyouwantanywhereyouwant!