The beauty of using Spark Spanish for a school trip is that pupils see the “real” Spain. El Puerto de Santa María is a traditional, unspoilt Andalusian town yet it is still vibrant and exciting with lots going on. You are highly unlikely to come across any other English tourists!
For us, using Spark means that we get a lot of logistical support from the school. They meet us at the airport, chaperone us on tours and also stay with us in the residence above the school to ensure the trip runs smoothly. This also creates a lovely “family” feel as the Spanish chaperone is like a big sister or brother to the girls, and it is great to expose them to Spanish as they insist on speaking Spanish to the pupils. The Spanish housekeeper who is also on site during the day is also very much part of the “family”, adding to the warm and friendly community.
The programme of events and trips run is excellent, Spark will tailor trips and activities to your needs and I have to say that the efficiency and organization of Doug and Inge is really appreciated. The accommodation and facilities are of a high standard and the teaching is very good; pupils always come away from lessons having learnt and more confident in their Spanish. Using Spark will definitely take the pressure of you as a teacher. When parents ask me where they can send their daughters to improve their Spanish I always recommend the Spark homestay programme and our pupils have always been well looked-after when they have gone independently.
