On 10th February 2008 15 post-16 students from Ryde High Schoolset off for Córdoba in the south of Spain to participate in a work placement project funded by Leonardo. Four of these students are studying A Level Spanish and the others, Art and Design. Those students who were studying Spanish worked for three weeks in hotels and hostels, prsctising their Soanish and learning about the tourism industry in Spain. Those who were studying Art and Design, worked on a church restoration project, called La Merced. Here they workwed with gold-leaf worth thousands of pounds, and made carvings. They also attended an Art School where they worked with wood and clay and made items they can use for their coursework. As well as arrying out their work placements, students studied Spanish and visited the sights of Cóedoba, Sevilla and Granada. They watched a Flamenco show and went to the Arab Baths. The experience gave them ample opportunity to learn about Spanish culture and work ethics and the feedback was very positive. "I feel I have learned a lot from this trip and would recommend it to anyone who is learning either Spanish or Art. It has been good to put on my personal statement for university and helped me to mature as an art student and as a person in general". Hannah Joyce "The hostel has done wonders for my self-confidence because from my very first day I had to communicate with people from all over the world". Laura Turtle
