A group of 26 students accompanied by 6 adults visited the Gorenje Youth Centre near Zreče for a week in February. Every year since the televised programme "The Town Wants a Twin" programme was filmed in 2004, Settlebeck High School and Zreče Year 9 students have organised a very successful exchange programme.

The Centre is amongst hills in a small village and is an immaculately maintained three storey building with small ensuite 2/3/4/6 person rooms, dining hall, classrooms, a sports hall with climbing wall and outdoor sports area.

Our activity programme was similar to previous years with skiing, sight-seeing, and activities with local students.

This year we travelled by Ryanair, Liverpool to Treviso-Venice and on by coach to Zreče.

Our visit coincided with Slovenia's National Day and on our first visit to the school we saw a presentation in words and music by their students. We also met the new mayor who we hope has the same enthusiasm for the twinning as his predecessor. He seemed both dynamic and charismatic. That afternoon we spent some time swimming in the thermal pools at the Spa. The complex of indoor and outdoor pools with jacuzzis and a helter-skelter slide kept us all happily entertained for several hours!

The next day was the first skiing experience at Rogla. Although there was no snow at lower levels (2 metres plus in 2006), Rogla's slopes were well covered and despite low cloud and cold winds the party soon warmed to their instructors and the challenge of downhill and cross-country skiing. We are fortunate in having the services during our visits of Gorenje's outdoor education staff Snečene, Gregor, Dean, Dana and Nada led by the redoubtable Emil.

That afternoon we visited the Francolova monument at Stranice. Here 100 political prisoners and partisans were hanged from apple trees in reprisal for the killing of a Nazi general and the district commander. A moving and sobering experience. There are many apple tree orchards in this region and their stark leafless branches became, for me at least, darkly menacing. As the sun went down we arrived at the ruined mediaeval fortress of Celje where we watched the lights come on over this regional centre, all very atmospheric.

The next day was spent with the Slovenian students exploring language and some cultural issues. Volleyball and football matches were held in their magnificent sports hall and our young ladies attempted to teach a mixed group netball while the Settlebeck staff were invited to address their opposite numbers on the policy of inclusion in English schools and how Settlebeck in particular deals with these issues. This was very warmly received. After lunch groups set out on an orienteering exercise which ended at a particularly convivial café where the adults had fortuitously positioned the final check point.

We had an early start the next morning as we were expected at the capital Ljubljana for a tour of the Parliament building. One has to express considerable admiration for our students who throughout this trip showed amazing resources of patience and consideration when long periods of waiting or particularly long addresses were encountered. Our visit coincided with a film crew who we presumed were just making their own film on "Visiting Parliament". It came as a shock to discover on our return that we had been featured on Slovenian TV. Some notice next time please! We could perhaps swot up on our Slovenian politicians (and learn to pronounce their names!) and maybe be less disparaging about our own system! Exploring the city followed. We all had different priorities, markets, shops, architecture, tea houses and the ubiquitous Golden Arches. The afternoon was spent at the Postojne caves, a vast complex of chambers and giant karstic features. Highlights were the proteus "human fish" a strange pink salamander-like creature and the services of a particularly good english-speaking guide.

Back to the ski slopes on our last day. This time the sun was shining and the full extent of the slopes and surrounding dramatic views were clearly visible. The session was rounded off by a series of rides to the very scary toboggan run where a precipitous track on rails hurtles down pine-tree covered slopes. After our usual enormous lunch various sports activities took place and following supper local young musicians and a troupe of "baton-twirlers" entertained us all. Disco for students and mayor's invitation dinner (attendance on rota basis!) rounded off the day.

We headed home the next day again via Treviso. This airport is building a new terminal but meanwhile the chaos and lack of local cooperation nearly resulted in a missed flight. School groups were obviously a new and unwelcome experience.

A feature of this year's trip was the inclusion of two boys with autistic spectrum disorder and their support teacher. Settlebeck, besides being a technology school has an ASD facility with 8 students, some more severely disabled than others, working with support staff. They are included in mainstream classes as and when appropriate. Not only is this of considerable benefit to them but a valuable lesson to the "able-bodied" students who accept them and their differing social interaction problems with affectionate equanimity.

I was, as always, very impressed with the caring and considerate attitude expressed in student/student, student/teacher and teacher/student relationships but especially this time with the ease of friendship and support offered to those whose problems may have isolated them in other circumstances.

However many computers, technological aids etc.a school may have, it is tolerance, patience, consideration and care which are sadly not universally an end product of our educational system. At Settlebeck this is definitely a huge plus for all.

Susan Garnett