BIRKENHEAD School recently played host to teachers from the Lycee Aubanel in Avignon when they met to discuss the schools' up-coming joint venture.

Both schools are participating in Dialogue 2000, an initiative arranged by the British and French Governments to develop educational rapport and consultation between the two countries.

The Lycee Aubanel and Birkenhead School have been successful in their bids to bridge the educational gap between the two countries. French students will be coming to Wirral for a month in February to learn about the area. Birkenhead School boys will visit Avignon at the end of March, also for a month, and both visits will culminate in the production of a bi-lingual magazine which will highlight the experiences of the students.

Several activities are being arranged and firms will be approached to see if they will can give French students work experience during their visit.

Said Paul Walton, the teacher at Birkenhead School who is masterminding the joint exchange: "We are delighted to be involved in the Dialogue 2000 project, the more so as it is being supported by the highest echelons of government in both countries. We are seeking to involve local firms and the local community and want them to benefit just as much from this exchange."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.