A GROUP of North Cornwall students have been testing out their French language skills thanks to a new pen pal project.

The Modern Foreign Languages faculty at Launceston College, part of Athena Learning Trust, has announced the launch of an exciting new pen pal project with Le Collège du Penker, a secondary school in Plestin-les-Grèves, northern Brittany.

This unique initiative offers Year 7 and 8 students the chance to practise their French in a real-world context while building meaningful connections with peers overseas. As part of the project, students have written personal letters introducing themselves and describing their hobbies as an opportunity to apply the language they’ve been learning in lessons in an engaging way.

The project also celebrates Launceston’s 40th anniversary of twinning with Plestin-les-Grèves.

The school hopes that this project will not only improve students’ foreign language skills, but also deepen the long-standing relationship between the two communities.

A spokesperson from the school said: “For many students, this could mark the beginning of lifelong international friendships and future involvement in the town's twinning activities.”

With letters written, some of which have even included pictures, stickers and drawings, the first batch have been posted, making their way over the Channel to their French recipients. As a result, anticipation is high as students eagerly await replies from their new pen pals!

Mr Matthew Thompson, principal at Launceston College, has praised the initiative’s traditional approach in today’s ultra-digital world.

He said: “In an age of instant messaging, it’s been really rewarding to see our students embrace traditional letter writing as a way to connect across cultures. Their enthusiasm and commitment have been outstanding and the project brings our language curriculum to life in such a powerful and personal way.”