Gambia Expedition 2016

A team of 30 Colfeians took part in the 14th annual expedition to Kotu Senior Secondary School in the Gambia over half term.

The partnership between Colfe’s and Kotu School has developed over the years from support with building projects to a now much wider focus on cultural and educational exchange between staff and pupils. This year, mornings were spent teaching and helping to build a new canteen for the school while afternoons focused on cultural outings such as a trip to Kunte Kinte Island (formerly James Island and named after the main character from the novel Roots).

Head of Learning Support, Alex Coode said, “We all felt it was a real honour to be part of a relationship that has developed so successfully over the years.

“The highlight of these trips continues to be the way relationships blossom between Colfeians and Gambians. Over the week we developed friendships with teachers, locals and many of the Gambian pupils. We now intend to keep in touch and continue to share best teaching practice and ideas.”

Thomas Graham (Year 11) said, “This was by far the best, most humbling and enjoyable experience I’ve had. Everyone there was just so happy all the time and it was infectious. Gambians have their own phrase which means that they might have a worst quality of life but they have the best enjoyment – and that was certainly true.”