Pupils swap Whitworth for Paris in magical trip

More than 100 students from Whitworth Community High School recently enjoyed a four-day trip to the French capital Paris. The students left school at midnight and took a coaches to the ferry at Dover and then on to Paris arriving in the afternoon.

Student Grace Wilkins, 14, said: “I had driven through Paris on a family holiday but never spent any time there. Now, I would like to go back.”

The students and organiser Spanish teacher Marina Murray and her team, spent the second day having fun at Disneyland Paris.

Grace said: “Disneyland was fun and then, the day after, we went on a river cruise on the Seine and we could see landmarks like the Eiffel Tower.

“Back on the coach we went into Paris to a skyscraper [Montparnasse Tower] where there was a viewing platform and you could get photographs looking over the whole of Paris.”

Staff and students then enjoyed a visit to the Sacre Coeur, and a meal in a restaurant, before leaving Paris the following day.

Mrs Murray began planning for the trip two years ago with 113 students making the trip alongside 12 staff.

She said: “The day at Disney was fantastic and the students loved it. The staff also had a fab time.

“Mrs Turner is known for being the Disney Queen and it felt like home for her, while Mr Lister's highlight was meeting Mickey Mouse.

“Mrs Baglow did not enjoy 'The Tower of Terror but Mrs Cavanagh loved 'Space Mountain' and went on it more than once.”

When one of the students dislocated her knee at the theme park and had to be wheelchaired to first aid, staff became translators.

She needed a leg brace, which slightly changed the planned itinerary the following day, but Mrs Murrray praised the coach drivers from Moving People who diverted the group to a shopping mall so all could still enjoy the experience.

She said: “The day in Paris was also lovely as we had glorious sunshine. We ended our tour looking over Paris at the Sacre Coeur with a group photo of everyone. Credit to all the students; they were fantastic on the trip.”

Grace added: “It was really good because I saw a lot of new things and when I got home my mum asked if I would like to go back and I said yes because I really enjoyed it.”