Solihull School has strengthened its links with a school in Chile after welcoming two new Gap Year students.

Andres Oelker and Paulina Rosales, who were classmates at The Wessex School in Concepcion, will be helping out in a number of ways during their three months at the independent school for boys and girls in Warwick Road.

The 18 year olds are already helping Spanish language pupils with their conversational skills and have even taken roles in the School’s latest musical production ‘Spamalot’, with Paulina performing as a dancer and Andres as one of the backstage crew

Andres and Paulina, who will be staying with parents, are hoping the experience will improve the quality of their English before returning to Chile where they aim to start university courses in engineering and geology respectively.

They bring to 16 the number of Chilean Gap Year students that Solihull has hosted since the first arrival in 2007.

Andres and Paulina first visited Solihull as members of a school party two years ago when they sat in on lessons, played in games and visited local attractions. The latest party of Wessex School pupils will be arriving at Solihull on Tuesday, May 20.

As part of the exchange programme, Solihull pupils help teach English at The Wessex School in their own Gap Years or summer holidays.

Julie Brown, a Geography Teacher who launched the programme, said: “Andres and Paulina are already making a wonderful contribution to the Spanish department in particular, and gaining valuable experience to further their own career aspirations.”