Comenius Maidstone. England
Introduction
On Monday 7th November 26 students and staff from around Europe arrived at Cornwallis Academy for the first of four international conferences. The schools involved in the conference were as follows:
- Cornwallis Academy (England)
- Berufskolleg Hilden des Kreises Mettmann (Germany)
- Lycee Theodore Aubanel, (France)
- Lycée français Gustave Eiffel de Budapest (Hungary)
- Sogn videregående skole (Norway)
The conferences operate under the title of Comenius Project and the purpose of the meetings that take place, is for young people across Europe to meet up in a series of student led meetings to work and gain further knowledge of mobility across Europe. In Maidstone the students worked together and picked a number of topics that affects each of them in their home country and then worked on raising awareness and possible solutions. Whilst working together the students gained an understanding of how to work with people across Europe.
Students Involved
Country
|
Participants
|
Teachers
|
England
|
Ellen Hunybun
Matthew Hood
Carly Peacock
Bryn James
Jaz Qunta
Elaine Kemp
Neville King
|
Paul Sheehan
Christopher Jones
|
Germany
|
Nadine Grantl
Lisa Joszig
Meika Neumann
Linda Oppermann
Sarah Schäfer
Kim Trilling
|
Alexandra Donike
Horst
|
France
|
Frédéric Marie
Guillaume Meyer
Amandine Lopez
Gaëlle Praden
Justine Roussel
Pauline Reiser
|
Danielle Beaugiraud
Francoise Hamon
|
Hungary
|
Gellert Galgóczi
Mate Geczi
Christopher Bonnafous
Vassiliki Vlahakicepeda
David Bartos
Boran Tobelem
|
Olivier Chiquet
Clem Daudier
|
Norway
|
No students from Norway participated in this conference
|
Malfrid
Adnan
|
Topics
Since Maidstone was the first of the four conferences there were not any topics set, so instead of following set topics the following work was carried out, but topics were set for the next conference in Hilden, Germany.
Social classes:
This effects opportunities for education, as many can`t effort to pay the costs that university bares/ has. If you come from a lower class you can receive loans however if you are a middle class family this is more difficult. As you can see below those who are part time students, probably because of work, they receive less money from the government.
New full-time students - £9,000
New full- time students at private university or college - £6,000
New part-time students- £6,750
New part-time students at private university or college - £4,500
Full-time students can apply for a Maintenance Loan to help with living costs. Maintenance Loans are paid into your bank account at the start of each term.
Part-time students can’t apply for a Maintenance Loan.
The exact amount full-time students can borrow depends on:
Your family’s income
Where you live
What year of study you’re in
What help you get through the Maintenance Grant
Schedule
Monday 7th November
|
AM,
International students and staff make their journey to the Cornwallis Academy
|
PM,
International delegates arrive at Gatwick shuttle from Gatwick to the Hotel.
Tour of Cornwallis Academy, team building games.
All students transported to New Line Learning Academy by coach.
Cornwallis students will follow their normal day until 3pm
| |
EVE,
Welcome meal, staff and students introduce themselves
Cornwallis students to be collected from New Line Learning Academy at 8:30pm
| |
Tuesday 8th November
|
AM,
Cornwallis students to arrive at New Line Learning Academy by 9:30am
Introduction to the project
Set targets for the conference
|
PM,
Share prepared materials on life in our home countries
| |
EVE,
Social activity (Bluewater ) All students transported by coach to Bluewater.
8:15pm Cornwallis students to be collected from The Ramada Hotel, Maidstone
| |
Wednesday 9th November
|
AM,
Cornwallis students arrive at Cornwallis Academy by 8:30am
All students transported to Leeds Castle for a business seminar and project work
|
PM,
Work on the Comenius Project
| |
EVE,
Bowling in Maidstone.
Cornwallis students need to arrive at AMF bowling by 6pm and picked up at 8:30pm
| |
Thursday 10th November
|
AM,
Cornwallis students arrive at New Line Learning Academy (NLL) by 9:30am
Conclude the Comenius Project, set targets for the next conference.
|
PM, 1-3pm
Talk by Mr Craig Baxter (EDF Energy)
Cornwallis students can either stay at NLL until the evening meal or return at 5:45pm.
| |
EVE,
Farewell meal, staff and students celebrate meeting and look forward to the next conference.
Cornwallis students to be collected from New Line Learning Academy at 8:30pm
| |
Friday 11th November
|
AM,
Students travel by coach to London for tour around city.
|
PM
Students travel to Gatwick and return to respective countries
|
Food
Key Social Activities
Leeds Castle:
I had been to Leeds Castle before. However for our visit we had a private tour of both the grounds and the Castle itself. The tour was very interesting and informative and allowed me to learn that the castle has a number of key influences from all over Europe as well as visitors from all over the world.
After the tour we had a delicious meal and an informative talk from Mr Fulcher who is the Heritage Manager of Leeds Castle. He told us a lot of information about the amount of visitors each year as well as a number of key business practices the castle employs to remain ahead of its competitors. He also emphasised how important it is that employees can speak at least two languages if they are going to be in regular contact with members of the public.
The tour and the talk were very interesting and gave an insight into somewhere that is on my doorstep but previously I knew very little about.
Bowling:
Bowling was great fun! At first we were going to bowl with the other British participants. Initially we were a little shy and embarrassed but after a while we got to know each other and we had a great time. This was a great chance to actually get to know our European peers. I think that it was important to work well but also to build on the social side, bowling as the perfect opportunity to do this…and I won on my lane! I will certainly bowl again but I will never forget bowling with my new European friends.
EDF Energy:
This talk was very informative. We were joined for lunch and then addressed by Mr Craig Baxter and Jane Francis of EDF. Both are very senior members within the EDF company with Mr Baxter a company executive.
Both talked to us about EDF which was originally a French company but is rapidly spreading across Europe and the rest of the world. Mr Baxter informed us of the current drive within EDF to Nuclear power with the company investing billions of pounds to become almost exclusively dependent on Nuclear facilities to power homes across Britain by 2020. 
Ms Francis spoke about her career which has seen her work across much of Europe with her early career starting in Germany. She told us that EDFallows employees to work in different areas of the company across a two year period and then you move on. Mr Baxter too spoke of his work in Asia and in particular China.
"This talk was amazing; very informative and a real eye opener" said one of the students who participated.