Pupils at an independent school in Liphook have this week shown much love for their European neighbours.

The children at Highfield and Brookham School showed great enthusiasm, creativity and a willingness to learn as they marked European Day of Languages on Thursday, an educational initiative set up in 2001 to encourage language learning across the continent.

Working together, the Pre-Prep and Prep school children proved a real tour de force as they were split into groups and allocated a European country before being tasked to find creative ways of promoting their adopted nation; via colourful posters adorned with relevant words, pictures and interesting cultural facts, beautifully decorated flags, or carefully-crafted headgear sporting the national colours of the likes of Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Germany and Ukraine.

Suzannah Cryer, Head of Highfield and Brookham, said: “It was such an inspirational morning and the children came up with some amazing creations and wonderful facts before standing up in front of the whole school and reciting words and phrases in their newly-discovered foreign languages.

“It was also wonderful to see children of all ages working so well together. From experience, we know that the older children and the younger pupils get so much out of our whole-school initiatives; the younger children gain confidence as they learn from their older mentors while the older children learn patience and leadership skills.”

Highfield and Brookham, which has for many years welcomed children from across the continent, currently has 21 European students in the school, including children from Romania, France, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Ukraine, Sweden and Austria.

Mrs Cryer added: “Studying at Highfield and Brookham gives our overseas children the chance to share first hand insights into their language and culture, which is a great learning experience for our British children and offers a proud moment for our European pupils.”