Programme of the meeting in Birmingham
Summary of Activities
– Visitors arrive. Visiting pupils collected by host families. Visiting staff book into hotel and eat at restaurant in Birmingham
– Breakfast. Opening Ceremony. Workshop (in small multinational groups, pupils work on an assigned (on day) topic leading to presentations and prizes). Explorer Dome (visiting portable planetarium dome – performances during the day). Tours of school during day. Evening sit down ‘English’ meal in school. Star Party and / or Games/ Activity Evening (members of Birmingham Astronomical Society will attend Star Party)
- Visit to the Royal Greenwich Observatory. Visiting pupils spend evening with Host families.
- Visit to National Space Centre (including a Challenger Mission). Fish and Chip and Balti supper in school. Star Party and/ or Grand Comenius Quiz Evening (members of Birmingham Astronomical Society and Birmingham University’s AstroSoc in attendance),
- Visiting pupils with host families who take them to airport for departure. Visiting Staff tour of Lichfield Cathedral and library.
More detailed programme
Tuesday 22nd March
Romanian group arrives Terminal 1 Birmingham Airport. To be greeted at airport by Anna Moloney. Minibus (Endeavour Coaches) will transport Romanian group from airport to KEHS.
Romanian group (4 pupils and 3 staff) arrive at KEHS.
Refreshments and greetings.
Pupils hosting the Romanian pupils will take them for lunch
Visiting staff to have lunch in staff dining room
Romanian pupils attend Physics lesson
Visiting Romanian staff observe lessons and have a tour of school
Romanian pupils go home with host pupils/ families
Visiting staff go to hotel
Italian, Dutch and French groups arrive at Birmingham Airport
Greek group arrive
Both groups to be greeted at airport by Nigel Argust.
Coach (Endeavour Coaches) will transport Italian, Dutch, French and Greek groups from Airport to KEHS.
Arrival at KEHS by Italian, Dutch, French and Greek groups.
5.30 p.m. onwards Refreshments and host families collect visiting pupils to take them home
6.30 – 7.00 p.m. Teachers go to their hotel.
7.30 p.m. Hotel to restaurant (Depending on weather – walk or taxi) for evening meal.
Wednesday 23rd March
Light Breakfast in Dining Room
Opening Ceremony in Lecture Theatre (Presentations, musical pieces, inauguration of Comenius sundial.)
‘Comenius Paperclip Competition’ Workshop – participating pupils split into small (each with 5 pupils) multinational groups to work together on different topics related to ‘Measurement and Astronomy’; two key areas of the M.E.T.E.R. project. Each group is to be monitored by a nominated teacher.
During the day, each group will be given a tour around the school (KEHS staff member plus English participants as guides). There will also be shows in the portable planetarium (Explorer Dome) set up in School Hall. Groups of 20 or so will attend each performance.
Lunch in girls dining room for all participants (including English girls involved in Paperclip Comenius workshop)
Continuation of ‘Comenius Paperclip’ Workshop. Preparation for Presentations to be completed by 3.45 p.m.
4.00 – 5.15 p.m. ‘Comenius Paperclip’ Presentations
Prizes awarded to winners by judges!
6.30 – 8.30 p.m. Star Party with Birmingham Astronomical Society. Games/activities evening
8.00 p.m. – 9.30 p.m. Hosting families take visiting pupils home.
Thursday 24th March
Departure from school for all day visit to Royal Greenwich Observatory. Fun Quizzes / activities on coach for those interested.
Arrive at RGA. Self-guided tours in small multinational groups. Prizes awarded for completing a trail and answering some questions based on exhibits
Depart from Greenwich
Return to KEHS and greeted by host families to take home visiting pupils
Restaurant for visiting staff
Friday 25th March
Departure for National Space Centre (NSC). Quizzes and competitions on coach for those interested
Challenger Mission ‘Voyage to Mars’ 10.00 a.m.
Planetarium show ‘We are Astronomers’ 2.30 p.m.
Self-guided tour of Space Centre 2.45 p.m.
Self-guided tour of Space Centre 10.00 a.m.
Planetarium show ‘Planets’ 11.30 a.m.
Challenger Mission ‘Voyage to Mars’ 1.00 p.m.
Departure from NSC
Fish and Chip and Balti supper
Star Party and Grand Comenius Quiz. Birmingham Astronomical Society and Birmingham University ‘Astrosoc’ in attendance.
Hosting families to collect visiting pupils
Saturday 26th March
Hosting families deliver visiting Greek pupils to Birmingham Airport
Greek teachers arrive at airport. Bernie Tedd to be at airport.
Italian, Romanian and French pupils spend morning with host families
Italian, Romanian, French and Dutch teachers have opportunity to visit Lichfield Cathedral and library and Lunch
Hosting families deliver visiting Italian, Romanian and French to Birmingham Airport
Italian, Romanian, French and Dutch teachers arrive at airport
Bernie Tedd to be at airport.
Italian, Romanian, French and Dutch flight