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Early Years section | 20 January 2025 | 12:30 | Zoom
The first Harvest Lunch was very warmly received, and we have carried this event on every year since, so that it is now firmly established as a La Cote International School tradition. Forging connections with older people, speaking French, displaying kindness and offering a warm welcome, creating, cooking and entertaining – the experience is deeply rewarding for all our students as well as our guests.
Our 2024 Harvest Lunch took place on the 7th of November, with every year of our lower school involved, from Foundation through to Year 6.
‘This annual event is an important one in our school calendar. It celebrates the riches of Aubonne and our local area: the produce and traditions, its community and sense of belonging,’ says Head of Primary, Alison Piguet.
The first essential task is of course to invite the guests! Year 5 students designed invitations, which were printed on recycled paper in line with our Eco-Schools initiative. We know our guests appreciate receiving a physical invitation and sending physical post is rare these days. Our Year 6 carefully hand write each envelope, and a teacher accompanies them to a nearby post box.
Leading up to the event our Foundation 1 and 2 students made placemats by printing on paper with autumn leaves, using handprints and drawing to create seasonal designs.
Fitting in with their current curriculum subject of 3D shapes, Year 1 made small gift boxes for each attendee, into which they put a chocolate kindly donated by Chocolatier Tristan in Perroy.
Our Year 2 students created a range of menu cards in French, which were printed for each table setting.
Time in the kitchen was an opportunity for Year 3 to practice all sorts of skills from teamwork to hygiene, safety and of course practical cooking. In the past our gardening club has grown the pumpkins for the pumpkin soup starter, which has been fantastic. Unfortunately for the last two years we have not had the conditions to successfully grow our own, but our Eco-Schools Committee provided some lovely flower decorations for the event instead.
In addition to the place mats made by Foundation children, Year 4 created table decorations using autumn leaves, and mastered some fancy folding techniques to make attractive features with autumn-coloured napkins. They worked together to set the tables on Thursday morning in time for our Harvest Lunch guests’ arrival.
Meanwhile Year 5 were busy making the fresh fruit salad dessert. Head of Primary, Alison Piguet, took small groups to the school kitchen to cut up the fruit, teaching children about hygiene, cutting and slicing, kitchen safety etc.
Hospitality is led by our eldest Primary students, Year 6. It is wonderful to hear them switching effortlessly between French and English as they welcome our guests, serve the meal and converse. Opportunities for interactions between generations can be rare in our culture, and these moments are valuable, and memorable, for both our students and the members of our community they meet.
With the entertainment, place settings, starter and dessert all organised by our teaching team and created by our students, our wonderful resident Chef Robert makes the main course of our Harvest Lunch, cooking a seasonal ‘chasse’ (game) dish, which this year was a delicious venison stew.
We encourage everyone to take their time, mix and mingle. Our Upper Primary Choir opened the event by singing to gathered guests in our foyer, before everyone was led through to our cosy Coffee Corner café to take their seats.
Between courses guests enjoyed more entertainment from our Junior Choir. They listened to poems the students had written, and enjoyed sketches performed in French and our Year 4 students sang a French song. At the end of the meal many of our guests always stay a while to chat amongst themselves, tasting the Tristan chocolate whilst enjoying a tea or coffee. Our Year 6 students also offered a tour of the school.
This annual community outreach event is warmly anticipated by our guests, who tell us how much they enjoy and appreciate it. Our guests were full of praise and gratitude:
“Once again, you've spoilt and delighted us. The students were amazing. The meal was very good. My congratulations to you all!” said one attendee. And another,
“What a pleasure it was to share the Harvest Festival meal with you all! Everything was perfect: the lovely students, the delicious meal and the show, full of good humour. A big thank you to all of you for giving us this wonderful moment of sharing.”
Meeting old friends, spending time with the children, a hearty seasonal meal and celebrating the riches which our local harvest brings. What could be better?
