A SCHOOL in Potters Bar has celebrated 30 years of successful foreign exchange programmes with a school in Germany. Dame Alice Owen s School welcomed 37 students from Viernheim to mark the continued partnership. The exchange programme linking the school

A SCHOOL in Potters Bar has celebrated 30 years of successful foreign exchange programmes with a school in Germany.

Dame Alice Owen's School welcomed 37 students from Viernheim to mark the continued partnership.

The exchange programme linking the school to Albertus-Magnus-Schule focuses on the language development of year nine pupils, aged 14 to 15.

Jonathan Robinson, co-ordinator of the exchange programme, said: "It's a really good way for the children to make new friends and break down the barriers between our two countries.

"Usually people do not think of Germany as a beautiful country but it really is and the children get the opportunity to explore this."

Since December, the children have been emailing and contacting their counterpart in Germany.

The German youngsters became tourists for their week, heading to Madame Tussauds, the Natural History Museum, and Cambridge.

They returned home on Thursday.

A second celebration will be held in July, when pupils from the Dugdale Hill Lane school visit Viernheim.

Headteacher Dr Alan Davison said: "I am delighted with the strong and lasting link between the Albertus-Magnus-Schule and Dame Alice Owen's School.

"I firmly believe in the positive value of our cultural and linguistic exchanges over the years and I am looking forward to going to Viernheim in July with our chair of governors, Peter Martin, to join in the celebrations of this 30th anniversary.