Partner School
Our partner school is Grundschule Stahringen, in Germany. It is located in the small but beautiful suburb of Radolfzell, which lies on the Lake of Constance in the south of Germany.
You can visit their website here and learn more about them! https://www.grundschule-stahringen.de/en/primary-school-stahringen
Our partnership started through the British Council in 2022, where our two Headteachers made contact.
We love to find time to connect the children in both countries. This has included video calls and Christmas cards. We are hoping to keep this contact going regularly throughout the school years as all children really enjoy these opportunities.
On this page, you will get to see all of the things we get up to!
15th December 2023 – Video call with Grundschule Stahringen and Year 3/4 pupils.
The children spoke about their hobbies, interests and school life. We learnt that they have chickens at their school! At the end, the children from Grundschule Stahringen sang us a German Christmas song!
Christmas Cards
Across the school, we made over 50 Christmas cards that were sent over to Germany, and we were so pleased to receive some back!
5th & 6th February – visit from Petra and Rachel
We were delighted as a school to welcome Petra and Rachel (the Headteacher and one of the teachers) from Grundschule Stahringen for 5 days in Aylesbury.
During their time with us, they met with teachers, had a tour of the school and fully immersed themselves into life at Green Ridge. They were able to join us in our whole school assembly, as well as visiting lessons to see what school life is like in England. On their second day with us, Petra and Rachel visited classes for a Q&A session.
The children loved finding out what school life is like in Germany, and really enjoyed when Petra introduced them to a song about the days of the week, which even included some dance moves!
World Book Day 2024 – Video call
The children in Alder class were able to have a video call on World Book Day with one of the classes at Grundschule Stahringen They talked about their favourite books and characters and asked the German children about their own opinions and favourites.
15th – 19th June – Grundschule Stahringen visit Green Ridge!
The children arrived into London on Saturday and then joined us for a picnic lunch on the Sunday, where they were introduced to the Pupil Parliament and Head Pupils. They were given a tour of the school, and then given free time to play and get to know each other!
On Monday, the children from Grundschule Stahringen arrived at school and were given school jumpers and ties. They don’t wear uniform at their school and so it was a new experience for them!
The children joined classes from Year 3 – 6, in pairs, matched up to children the same age as them. They joined in with lessons, and joined their new friends for lunch time too!
One afternoon, the children were brought together and completed an “all about me” activity that was in both English and German, to allow the children to learn about each other in an easy way. The children had lots in common!
We ended each day with an after school activity for the children from both schools. They had a BBQ and a fish supper. It was a lovely chance for all the children to socialise and many even swapped phone numbers and email addresses so they could stay in contact!
Staff visit to Stahringen 5th – 8th October 2024
As part of our exciting partnership with Grundschule Stahringen, Miss South, Miss Healy, Miss Ellison, and even Mr Wanford had the wonderful opportunity to visit Ludwigshafen in preparation for our Year 5 trip in March 2025.
During their visit, they explored the school, met with both staff and pupils, and gained valuable insight into daily life at our partner school. They also toured the local area, visited the accommodation where our children will be staying, and helped plan a range of enriching activities for the upcoming exchange. They also learnt that the school have a school dog too, called Charlie!
A highlight of the trip was a special visit from Simon Gröger, the Mayor of Radolfzell-Bodensee. He joined our teachers, along with Petra and Rahel from Grundschule Stahringen, for a thoughtful discussion on bilingual education and the growing relationship between our two schools.
Year 5 trip to Stahringen 9th – 12th March 2025
The children arrived at school bright and early (3am!) ready to board the coach to Heathrow. Even though it was very early, they were full of spirits and raring to go! Once at the airport, and all checked in, they sat and had their packed breakfast, read books and played games as they waited to board the plane.
Once on the plane, we had a visit from a member of the crew inviting the children to visit the pilot in the cockpit once we had landed (thanks to Max’s auntie!). This was truly a moment the children would never forget.
After landing in Zurich, we had to take 3 trains to Ludwigshafen to where we would be staying. It was a long journey, but the children loved taking pictures of everything they saw.
Over the course of two exciting days, our children had the opportunity to experience life at Grundschule Stahringen. After a cheerful bus journey, they were welcomed with a special assembly where they confidently introduced themselves to their German peers—in German!
The children were then fully immersed in school life, taking part in a variety of lessons including PE, English, and art. One of the highlights was collaborating with their new friends on LEGO programming projects, where creativity and teamwork were in full flow. Of course, there was also plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors during break, making new friendships and memories along the way..
On our second day at Grundschule Stahringen, we had a visit from a journalist from the local newspaper. They were keen to learn more about the partnership between our schools and the experiences our children were having. One of our pupils, Grace, even had the chance to be interviewed and share her thoughts about the exchange—she did a fantastic job representing our school!! The full article can be read (and translated into English) here (Radolfzell: Eine Reise ins deutsche Klassenzimmer | SÜDKURIER)
A One of the most special moments of the trip was meeting the children who will be visiting Green Ridge in the Autumn Term. Our pupils had the chance to spend time with their future guests, working together on a collaborative project designed to help them get to know one another. The finished piece is now proudly displayed at Grundschule Stahringen—a wonderful symbol of the growing friendship between our two schools.
As the school day in Germany finishes at lunchtime, we had a range of exciting afternoon activities planned to make the most of our time. One highlight was a treasure hunt around the village of Stahringen, with clues written in both English and German—an engaging way for the children to explore the area while practising their language skills.
We also enjoyed a delicious pizza lunch at a restaurant overlooking the beautiful Lake Konstanz, offering stunning views and a chance to relax together. Another memorable experience was a beaver workshop, where the children learned all about local wildlife in a fun and interactive setting.
The children all had a fantastic time and ended the trip swapping addresses to become pen pals.
We can’t wait to welcome the children and staff from Grundschule Stahringen back to Green Ridge later this year!