Year 11 Belgium Exchange
From 18th–21st November, 14 Year 11 pupils, accompanied by Mrs Wheeler-Choudhury and Mr Saint-Prix, travelled to Belgium for the first half of a school exchange with Spes Nostra Kuurne School. The visit gave pupils the chance to experience everyday life as Belgian students, ahead of the return trip when the Belgian group will come to the UK later this academic year.
Spes Nostra Kuurne is a Catholic secondary school with a sixth form, located near the outskirts of Kortrijk, not far from the French border. Its name comes from the Latin phrase Deus Spes Nostra—“God is our hope.”
Pupils described the exchange as an amazing experience, noting how friendly and welcoming the Belgian students were. Lessons differed from those in the UK: students sit at individual desks and each uses a Chromebook hired from the school. The school is a specialist STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) institution with a strong focus on science and languages. Our pupils discovered that pupils Spes Nostra undergo more frequent progress assessments.
On Wednesday afternoon, pupils spent time with their host families, enjoying activities such as making Belgian waffles, bowling, visiting a chocolate factory, and exploring a medieval castle in Ghent. Communication was easy, as many Belgian pupils spoke English or were learning it.
Food was familiar to UK pupils, though many enjoyed discovering Belgian waffles and trying French—“Belgian,” according to the hosts—fries with mayonnaise. Host families lived in traditional European houses rather than high-rise buildings, and pupils noted how clean, quiet, and peaceful the towns around Kortrijk were compared with Croydon.
On Thursday, the group visited Kortrijk—made even more memorable by snowfall—and explored the city before touring the Texture Museum, which highlights the region’s historical flax industry.
The group left on Friday morning after being treated to a traditional Belgian breakfast, complete with donuts. They are now looking forward to welcoming their exchange partners to the UK in February.
Year 11 - Belgium Exchange - November 2025
