School German Language Study Trip to Cologne

A school trip to Cologne offers your students the opportunity to improve their language skills in this magnificent city on the Rhine!

Cologne is over 2,000 years old and the largest city on the spectacular Rhine. It is, perhaps, most famous for its imposing Gothic cathedral but there are lots of exciting things to see and do here, whether that’s visits to a chocolate museum, or a boat cruise along the river.

Our partner language school in Cologne will provide your students with German lessons in closed groups, so that lessons can be tailored to suit your specific curriculum requirements. All the teachers are fully-qualified native German speakers.

Our German Language Study school trip to Cologne is ideal for GCSE and A-level students preparing for exams. As well as improving reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, and revising grammar and vocabulary, they can also use their time to cover things like communication strategies and understanding rubrics and instructions.

Key Stage 3 groups may also benefit from the opportunity that this trip offers to develop and consolidate their vocabulary around a variety of themes. And, of course, any time spent using the language with a native speaker will not only boost their confidence, but it could also spark a real passion for the language!

If you decide that you would prefer a more relaxed introduction to Germany and the German language and culture, you may like to consider our German Culture Trip to Cologne.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Depart from school

Afternoon

Channel crossing

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Day 2

Morning

Boat cruise through the city

Afternoon

German lessons at language school

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation followed by a trip to the cinema

Day 3

Morning

Visit the cathedral and treasury

Afternoon

German lessons at language school

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Day 4

Morning

Visit the Chocolate Museum and Sports Museum

Afternoon

German lessons at language school

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation followed by bowling

Day 5

Morning

Depart Cologne for Calais

Afternoon

Channel crossing

Evening

Arrive back at school

9 hours of language lessons in closed groups
4 nights' half-board hostel accommodation
Access to the Vamoos app to download all tour-related travel documents
Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
Detailed information pack
Itinerary planning service
Motorway tolls and taxes
Return Channel crossings
Return executive coach travel
Use of school materials/resources and end-of-course certificates

Curriculum

A Level

Theme-based vocabulary - chosen by teacher
Practising reading, writing and speaking skills
Communication strategies
Understanding rubrics and instructions
Grammar revision
Asking questions and giving opinions
Social conventions
Understanding culture and identity of German-speaking countries
Literary text and films

GCSE

Theme-based vocabulary - chosen by teacher
Practising reading, writing and speaking skills
Grammar revision
Communication strategies
Understanding rubrics and instructions
Asking questions and giving opinions
Social conventions
Understanding German culture and identity

Key Stage 3

Theme-based vocabulary chosen by teacher
Suggestions:
Exploring the town
Hobbies and pastimes
Food and drink
Eating out
Introducing yourself
Describing others
Likes and dislikes
Plants and animals
Cultural traditions

Accommodation

a&o Cologne Neumarkt

After a complete renovation this former office building welcomes you with its modern and friendly features. A&O hostel Cologne is well located in the southern part of the town, from here you can visit the Cologne Cathedral or enjoy a trip on the River Rhine. All the important sights are within easy reach.The hostel offers modern, comfortable rooms; students will be accommodated in multi-bedded rooms and staff in twins. There is an internet corner, souvenir shop, bar, tv area, games, table football etc. This hostel also offers access to a teachers' lounge.

DJH Köln Deutz

With its modern, fashionable décor, Köln-Deutz Youth Hostel welcomes increasing numbers of groups each year. Students are accommodated in multi-bedded rooms, and staff in twins (for single rooms, a supplement applies). All rooms are en-suite and WiFi is available in the reception area.Seminar rooms, games rooms, table tennis and a disco make this youth centre a favourite among school groups.

DJH Köln Riehl

The DJH Köln Riehl is located on the west bank of the river Rhine and this quiet, idyllic location is ideal for school groups. The city centre is just 10 minutes away by public transport. This accommodation has 116 rooms with a total of 369 beds. Students will be accommodated in multi-bedded rooms and staff in twins (single rooms are subject to availability and will incur a supplement). All rooms have a shower, WC and individual lockers. There are conference and seminar rooms available for hire (which are great for evening activities or as a rehearsal space for music groups), a bistro with television and a basketball court. The hostel can host a barbecue evening and holds a gluten-free certificate.

Educational Activities

Cologne City Museum

The Kölnisches Stadtmuseum is set in a large old building with exhibition space of 2,000 sq. metres and provides an

Olympic and Sport Museum

Next door to the Chocolate Museum, this museum tells the story of the Olympic Games from ancient Greece to the

Roman-Germanic Museum

The Roman mosaic with scenes from the world of Dionysos (around 220/230 A.D.) and the reconstructed tomb of the legionary

Cultural Activities

Chocolate Museum (Imhoff-Stollwerck)

Quite simply this is one of the best attractions in Cologne! The first part of the exhibition is a history

Cologne Cathedral

Köln Cathedral took more than six hundred years to build, but when it was finally completed in 1880 it was

Hard Rock Cafe Cologne

The Hard Rock Cafe Cologne opened in 2003 and was a welcome addition to the city. Try it for some

Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) Boat Trip

Köln-Düsseldorfer Line’s river cruises offer a unique perspective on two of Germany’s most scenic river valleys. Most towns and villages

Phantasialand

As the number one German theme park for visitors from the UK, Phantasialand is a great way to have fun and use up your pupils' energy.

Rhine Cable Car

Located in the suburb of Riehl, the Rhine cable car offers a spectacular panorama of the city below as it

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.