Old Aylesburian Adam Woodage (Phillips '18) returned to school on Friday 5 June to speak to Year 8 students as part of Languages Day.

Adam spoke about his language journey, from studying Spanish at A Level to working with top goalkeepers, coaching and undertaking community work in many different countries, before going on to study at the University of Cambridge and the University of Birmingham.

He delivered a fascinating and inspirational speech which highlighted the importance of human connections and being willing to challenge yourself to learn new things and experience new ways of life. His experiences demonstrated to students how language skills can open doors to opportunities around the world and help build meaningful connections across cultures.

Adam's visit formed part of a packed programme of language-based activities for Year 8 students. Throughout the day, pupils took part in translation and decoding challenges, compared different languages, explored the origins of language, and learned about careers involving languages. They also enjoyed tasting typical food from France, Germany and Spain, playing pétanque, taking part in a treasure hunt, and attending taster lessons in Dutch, Gaelic, Hindi, Japanese, Old Norse, Polish, Punjabi, Russian and Yoruba.

We are grateful to Adam for returning to share his experiences and inspire our students.