PRIMARY Schools in Ilkley and Addingham are delighted to be developing ever-growing links with primary schools in Ilkley's twin town of Coutances in France.

A delegation from the Ilkley-Coutances Town-Twinning Committee visited Coutances in May, and was able to meet with teachers from local primary schools.

Teachers from both towns have been very keen to develop such links, as there is already a long-established annual school exchange between children from Ilkley Grammar School and the secondary schools in Coutances.

In England, the teaching of a language to children aged seven to 11 has been statutory since September 2014, and all primary schools in Ilkley and the surrounding area teach French as their main foreign language. This work is then built on by Ilkley Grammar School and other secondary schools that children will move on to.

The following school partnerships have been established:

l Sacred Heart RC primary School with École Jean-Paul II

l Ben Rhydding Primary School with École Jules Verne; and

l Addingham Primary School with École Pont de Soulles

Within each school partnership, children will have the opportunity to undertake a regular exchange of letters. In May, children from Addingham and Ben Rhydding primary schools wrote letters that were taken to France by Ilkley primary school teacher, Catherine Cheater.

“The children produced some lovely letters,” said Catherine. “They each wrote part of their letter in French, and they included images and short English descriptions to tell the French children about the town in which we live, the schools here and what they like to do in their spare time.”

Letters from Addingham Primary School children have, just for this term, been exchanged with École Jean-Paul II. Marie-Pierre Fouchard, teacher at the French school, said: “The children here in Coutances have really enjoyed replying to the letters, to thank the Addingham children for their messages. We used Google Earth to have a look at Addingham Primary School.”

Addingham Primary School headteacher, Hilary Cave, is delighted the two primary schools are now linked.

She said: “The international linking between our primary schools is a wonderful next step in relations with Coutances and a great way to help the children develop their language skills. The children have loved reading their letters and they are looking forward to working even more closely with the children from France next academic year."