[Recorded in spring of 2021]
Hello, and today, I'm going to interview my daughter. My daughter is 11 years old. And we're going to talk about her school.
Good morning, Angela. How are you?
Fine, thank you. And you?
Oh, fine. Really? Yes. I'm feeling great. And it's really good to have this little chat with you about your school.
Yeah.
And so what's the name of the school you go to?
Entreolivos.
Right. And where is it?
It's in Dos Hermanos in Seville.
Seville. All right. Yes. Okay. And what sort of school is it?
It's a private school.
So is it a mixed school?
No, it's a girl's school.
So what time do you leave for school in the morning?
At more or less twenty past eight.
Right? Okay. And how do you get to school?
I get to school by bus.
And how long does it take?
It takes like 15 minutes.
15 minutes, right. Okay.
And then you get to school and you have your lessons, of course, don't you?
Now, what subjects are you studying at your school?
Spanish, English, maths, social science, natural science.
So what is social science then?
We study the planets, rivers.
Okay. Right. The planets and the rivers? And geography as well. Right. Okay. And so what is natural science?
We study parts of the body like the digestive system, respiratory system.
Oh, my goodness, that does sound difficult.
Yes, it is.
Is it? Yeah, right. Okay. Lots of names to remember. And you study that in English, don't you? Why do you study in English? I mean, what sort of system do you have there at the school?
We have natural science in English and natural in Spanish. And social science in English and social in Spanish.
Right. Okay. So it's what we call a bilingual school, isn't it?
Yes.
Okay. And what other subjects do you study?
French. R.E. - religion?
Okay. All right. Yes. What we say, Religious Education, isn't it?
Yeah. PE - physical education.
What sort of things do you study in PE? Well, study? What sort of things do you do?
We do sport? We play tennis, volleyball, basketball, baseball.
Wow. Do you have basketball courts?
Yes.
I see. Well, that's wonderful, isn't it? I mean, it's a very nice school, isn't it? Because it's not in the city, is it? Where is it?
In the countryside.
In the countryside. So you've got a lot of green spaces, haven't you? A lot of trees. That's why it's called Entreolivos. Because what does Entreolivos mean in English?
That we are in the middle of olive trees.
And there are a lot of olive trees in your school.
Yes.
They actually grow they don't they? Olive Trees! Isn't that wonderful? So then you have art as well, don't you?
Yes.
And what sort of things do you do in art?
We paint. We draw. Yeah, we do optical illusions.
Mm. All right. That sounds interesting. And do you enjoy that subject?
Yes.
Right.
I love it.
Okay. And then what else do you have?
Um, we have Scratch.
Scratch, what is scratch?
Um, we do simple programming.
Computer studies?
Yes.
Right. Programming. I see.
We do like, we make video games make pictures. Graphic Art.
Right? You're studying for a special qualification, aren't you?
Yes.
And what is that?
It's B1 in English.
I see. The Cambridge B1, isn't it?
Yes.
And do you have to attend special classes for that?
Yeah, well, in English. Everyone has English corner.
English corner. And what's that?
A teacher takes two or three girls outside. And we start talking with her in English.
Right? Are you doing special practice, though? Like the practice that you need for the exam?
Yes.
And do you think you'll pass that?
Yeah, I think so.
Right? And when is the exam?
I think it's in May.
Right? So you haven't got long to go then have you?
No.
Now what sort of day do you have then? When you get there? You start with your lessons, I suppose. What time do you start?
At nine o'clock.
And then you have a break. Don't you? Break or play time?
Yes. We have two. One of half an hour. That is the breakfast break.
Yes.
And another one. It's two hours. It's a lunch break.
And can you tell me? Which form are you in?
I'm in sixth grade.
Sixth grade, sixth grade or sixth form, right? I think in British schools we say sixth form. When I was at school, we used to use the word form, which means the year. I think in American schools, they say grade, don't they?
Yeah.
Sixth grade, but you're in sixth grade but is it primary school or secondary school?
Primary School.
So you have your break or your playtime? Well, what do you do during the playtime?
We play killer.
Killer?
Yeah.
Well, that sounds a bit aggressive. A bit violent.
It's a little bit violent.
Is it a bit a bit violent? Well, how'd you play killer?
Um, we have to throw a ball at the opposite team.
You throw a ball at the opposite team?
Yes. We have... We have to kill a person, a member of the team...
What do you mean? When you say kill them? You mean hit them with the ball.
Yeah.
Which is not exactly the same thing, is it?. Okay, but I see what you mean. Right. So when they're killed? Does that mean they're eliminated?
Yes. Well, no. They go to the... [whispers to me]
[I laugh] They go to where? What's it called? In Spanish.
Campo de los muertos [laughs]
And what's that? The field of the dead? That sounds terrible! What do they do there?
They go there. And they have to try to kill us.
What, from the from the field of the dead?
Yes. To kill us so they can be alive again.
How do they try to kill you?
With the ball. They throw a ball at us.
Okay, so they have another ball, do they?
Yeah, no, it's the same ball!
Oh, it's complicated this game, isn't it? Do you do other things in your break besides playing killer?
Yeah, we look for birds nests in the trees.
Oh, right. That's lovely. Well, in the spring. That's right now. That's at the moment. Yes, there are birds nests in the trees, are there?
Yeah.
That's lovely that you can do that. And what do you do? You just sort of... you don't disturb the birds in the nest, do you?
If we can get up the tree and there isn't a bird. And we see the eggs. We don't touch them. We see them. And we like draw them and we study them.
Oh, I see but you mustn't stay there very long. The mother has to come back and sit on her eggs, doesn't she? - to keep them warm.
And the mother can attack us so we go very quickly.
Right. So when it's lunchtime you have your lunch of course. And you eat at the school, don't you?
Yes.
In the what we call the dining room! Yes. Sometimes they call it a canteen. Can you tell me? Which is your favourite dish?
Eh, pizza.
Pizza. All right, so that's typically Spanish, isn't it?
Yeah, it's delicious.
It's delicious? Oh, that's fantastic. Okay. Now, you have classes in the afternoon, don't you?
Yeah.
And what time do you finish school?
At more or less a quarter to five.
And then how do you get home?
By bus again.
Okay, that's a school bus. And isn't it?
Yes.
All right.
But sometimes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I go to a club.
You go to a club, I see and what do you do at the club?
Um, first, we have one hour and a half for studying.
My goodness!
And on Tuesdays, we do cooking.
Hmm.
And on Thursdays, we do handicrafts.
Oh, that's lovely. All right, so when you do the cooking, I suppose you make another pizza... This is your last term, isn't it? This the summer term. And when do you break up?
The 28th of June.
Well, that will be nice, won't it? Break up from school. Are you looking forward to that?
Yeah.
And in Spain, you have very long holidays, don't you? So when do you go back to school?
Eh, the 15th of September.
So that's a very long holiday, isn't it? Yes... What do you understand by a boarding school?
I think it's a school where you sleep in.
I went to boarding school, when I was a child.
Boo! [laughs]
And well, I was 16. When I started. It was just for the sixth form, in the secondary school, and I was there for two years. So I was quite big then anyway. But a lot of children go to boarding school, don't they, when they're very little. Would you like the idea of going to a boarding school?
Hmm, that's an interesting question. I don't think so.
Right. Why not?
Because I will [would] feel lonely.
That's true. You'd miss your mummy and daddy, right?
Only if there were dogs there, I would go.
Oh, I see. Yes. You'd like to have a dog there, wouldn't you? Angela, that was lovely to hear about your school. I think it's interesting as well, when you compare schools in different countries. And it seems that you do a lot of homework, don't you? Um, you're still in primary school. And I can remember when I was at primary school in England, and we didn't have any homework in primary school at all.
Really?
Yes. I mean, we didn't start doing homework until secondary school. So you really are studying very hard... Right. So thank you very much, Angela. That's lovely to speak to you. And maybe we'll have another interview another time?
Yes, of course!
Okay. Thank you very much. Would you like to say goodbye.
Bye, Bye.
Bye, until next time!
Angela passed her Cambridge B1 English that following May!
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