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Introduction
Introduction
The German Exchange was established at McKinnon SC in 2001 and takes place every two years. Our sister-school is the Alfred-Wegener-Schule in the small town of Kirchhain, which is located about 10 minutes train-ride from the historic university town of Marburg, about 100 km north of Frankfurt in central Germany.
Learning opportunities and benefits
Learning opportunities and benefits
Benefits of participation in the exchange include improved knowledge and use of the German language, expanded cultural knowledge/experience, and personal development. Feedback has indicated that students can return from the completed exchange more confident and ‘world-wise’. Families regularly report that the experience of hosting their German guest was fun for all concerned.
How is the exchange run?
How is the exchange run?
It is a reciprocal family-based and school-based exchange, i.e. participation involves both of:
(a) travelling with the McKinnon SC school group to stay with the matched exchange partner in Germany (McKinnon SC teachers accompany and supervise our students in Germany), and
(b) six months later hosting that German partner for four weeks here in Melbourne.
The exchange is organised and supervised by our teams of teachers here and at the Alfred-Wegener-Schule. Costs are relatively low compared to commercial programs because we organise things ourselves and thus limit costs to airfare (and passport acquisition), excursions and spending money.
While we are in Germany our teacher counterparts at the Alfred-Wegener-Schule run a couple of excursions (including overnight) for the McKinnon SC group. While the German group and their accompanying teachers are here in Victoria we run a couple of excursions for them - it's a reciprocal arrangement.
Successful candidates for the exchange are in Years 10 or 11 when they travel with our group to their German Exchange partner in late March, and they host their partner here in late September of the same year.
Students applying to participate fill out a form about their interests and preferred ways of spending spare time, and the organising teachers match students as well as possible. Over the years since the exchange has been running, many participants have maintained contact with their partner, including further visits (some exchange partners have even attended each other's weddings later on!).
The most recent round of exchange saw the McKinnon group of students in Kirchhain in April 2024 and their German partners made the return visit to the McKinnon families in September 2024.
Enquiries about McKinnon SC’s German Exchange can be directed to Mr Nutting at school.
Timing of the next round (for 2026)
Timing of the next round (for 2026)
April 2025 - information evening at McKinnon SC for interested students and their parents
May/June 2025 - matching of successful candidates; students take up contact with German partners
late March 2026 - group trip to Kirchhain to the German hosting families
late September 2026 - German partners come here for the return visit
Other options
Other options
In the event that any students are unable to be matched we encourage and support them in applying to participate in an exchange run by the Association of German Teachers of Victoria with the German state of Bavaria. That exchange has been running since 1988 and is also reciprocal and family-based in nature. McKinnon students have participated in that exchange also. (Expressions of interest for that exchange are due in April and we assist students with their application.)
Email exchange project
Email exchange project
For many years McKinnon SC students of Year 8 German have participated in an email exchange project with Year 8 students at the Alfred-Wegener-Schule. Our students write in German and the Alfred-Wegener-Schule students write in English, exchanging information and photos about their interests and their personal world.
For many years McKinnon SC students of Year 8 German have participated in an email exchange project with Year 8 students at the Alfred-Wegener-Schule. Our students write in German and the Alfred-Wegener-Schule students write in English, exchanging information and photos about their interests and their personal world.
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