King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds welcomes visitors from Shanghai Yangjing Juyuan Experimental School in China
A high school in Suffolk has welcomed a school in China in its first visit there since 2019.
Staff and students from Shanghai Yangjing Juyuan Experimental School were at King Edward VI School, in Bury St Edmunds, last week.
Deri O’Regan, headteacher of King Edward VI School, said the visit marked ‘another milestone in our incredible 15-year partnership’ – and the school couldn’t be more excited to continue the collaboration.
At the school, in Grove Road, the visitors enjoyed a ‘breath-taking’ performance by the school orchestra of Elgar’s Enigma Variations and Holst’s Jupiter from The Planets and they got to attend various lessons, from rugby to history and geography to philosophy.
As well as experiencing school life at King Edward, which the guests embraced, they also got to explore Bury, including St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Cambridge, and London for a day taking in the iconic sights like Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.
In a special cultural exchange, the Shanghai visitors taught Chinese lessons at St Edmundsbury C of E Primary Academy, in Bury St Edmunds, and Risby Primary School.
The school said: “On Friday, we bid farewell to our wonderful visitors with an unforgettable party.
“Our music and drama students put on show-stopping performances, and our Shanghai guests gave us a brilliant performance of their own.
“With delicious food from Mr Punchard’s team and heartfelt speeches from headteacher Mr O’Regan, the evening was the perfect way to end an amazing week.
“As a parting gift, we presented our guests with special mementos to remember their time at King Edward VI School.
“We are so grateful for this week of friendship, culture, and shared experiences, and we can’t wait to welcome our friends from Shanghai back again soon!”
Referring to the time the Shanghai visitors had with their host families, Mr O’Regan added: “These personal connections will no doubt create lasting memories for everyone involved.”
