24 students from the Collège Sainte-Marie in Chavagnes-en-Paillers, Vendée, 
France, have arrived at King Harold Academy in Waltham Abbey. The Year 9 students were accompanied by their teachers and will pair up as pen pals with King Harold students.
The French students were given a tour of the Academy, played games, socialised and mixed with the local students as well as meeting their future pen pals. They enjoyed the chance to experience a day in an English school. Some of them liked the idea of a school uniform, while some of the King Harold students were attracted to the idea of a non-uniform school.
At lunch-time the visitors had good old British fish and chips, which were delivered by a local restaurant.
The visit sadly only lasted a day, but now the King Harold pen pals are looking forward to making a return visit to France before too long.