Celebrating International Pupils: Our First Language Lunch

Our first ‘Language Lunch’ took place on Tuesday, 12th November, and it was a great success. We welcomed 12 English as an Additional Language (EAL) pupils from Casterton Sedbergh Prep School, and 25 Senior School pupils attended. Seven languages were spoken – French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese (eight, including English!). Pupils from Year 5 to Year 13 participated and were delighted to sit down and share a meal with others who speak the same language, chatting together over food. Language is a significant part of our identity, and opportunities like this foster a true sense of belonging for our international pupils.

Sedbergh School is a truly multilingual community. We value and celebrate the diversity of languages, experiences, and knowledge that our international pupils bring. At the end of the lunch, many pupils excitedly asked when the next Language Lunch would take place – and they won’t have to wait long! The next one is planned for January. Going forward, these fantastic lunches will happen every half term, and over time, we hope to increase the number of pupils attending and the range of languages represented.