Girls at Truro High School have been reaching out to pupils across the Channel in order to broaden their linguistic and cultural horizons.

Modern languages lessons got particularly personal this week as pupils received their first pen pal letters from their new partner school Collège Sainte Anne in Brest, Brittany.

The girls were particularly excited about the correspondence as they will have the opportunity to meet their new friends in person when they come over to visit the school next April.

All pupils studying French in years eight and nine will take part in an interactive afternoon of cultural exchange. The French pupils plan to give the girls a crepe making demonstration whilst Truro High’s pupils will be showing off their crimping skills with a pasty workshop.

Dotty Squibb, 13, from Redruth, said: “I can’t wait for them to visit so that we can chat face to face. I want to be more confident at speaking French and this seems such a fun way to do it.”

This cultural exchange will be the first of many as the modern languages department launch their brand new French exchange to Brest for 2017. Girls will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in continental life spending a week staying with a French family. They will attend school with their exchange partner in the mornings and visit the local sights in the afternoon.

Head of languages, Kate Cox said: “This is going to be a fantastic opportunity for the girls, not only to improve their language skills through immersion in French but also to make new friends and experience the French way of life in a beautiful part of the country. The girls were so excited when I handed them their letters and we look forward to seeing how these cross-continental friendships flourish.”

The school plans to host the French pupils during the first week of the summer term in 2017.