6 November 2026
Trip to China
Some of our Transition Years have just returned from the trip of a lifetime to China. The group began their extraordinary Chinese adventure in Beijing. They began at the Chinese Film Museum, where students had the opportunity to stand inside the spectacular 360-degree screen and explore fascinating artefacts from some of China’s most famous films. They later headed to Beijing’s vibrant art district, where students discovered wonderful examples of Chinese art, as they explored the many shops and museums in the area. A day filled with culture, creativity and exciting new experiences!
Day two began with a visit to non-other than the incredible Great Wall of China. They had the opportunity to climb a section of this amazing landmark. They had not quite anticipated how tough the climb can be, but once they reached the top of their section, they were rewarded with the most spectacular views, with magnificent mountains stretching as far as the eye could see in every direction. Visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World was a real highlight of the trip and an unforgettable experience.
The day continued with a visit to the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation at the China Exploratorium. The Loreto students were warmly welcomed by the university staff and each given their own China Exploratorium passport, which they got stamped as they made their way through the various fun and educational activities organised by the college team. Students enjoyed dressing up in traditional Chinese costumes, exploring interactive screens to learn about Chinese history and culture and trying their hand at playing a variety of traditional Chinese musical instruments. They also had the opportunity to smell and explore traditional Chinese herbs and spices and even learn a traditional Chinese dance using a fun interactive screen! To top it off, their wonderful guide, Cherry, translated everyone’s name into Chinese. A fantastic opportunity to learn about Chinese culture and tradition while having lots of fun along the way!
On day three the group headed to the stunning Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing for a guided tour. There they explored the magnificent buildings, intricate decorations and fascinating history of this ancient imperial palace. It was a truly wonderful and educational experience for all.
The day continued with a very special visit to the Irish Embassy in Beijing. The Loreto group had the pleasure of meeting the Deputy Ambassador of Ireland to China and enjoyed a warm welcome from the embassy staff, along with delicious refreshments. They also took part in a fun table quiz, with one group emerging as the winners and receiving a lovely prize for their efforts. Everyone was presented with a gift bag as a token of the embassy’s hospitality. Such an honour and a memorable experience to be invited to the Irish Embassy in Beijing.
The evening brough them to Qianmen Street, a famous historic pedestrian and commercial street in the heart of Beijing. A wonderful evening spent exploring the wonderful markets and shops, taking in the beautiful buildings, colourful lights and lively atmosphere. Some of our students were even brave enough to try deep-fried scorpions! The verdict? They taste just like salt and vinegar crisps! Another day filled with memories they will certainly never forget.
Day four of their Chinese adventure brought them on an incredible overnight journey of over 1,200 kilometres from Beijing to Wuhan. Our students enjoyed a unique travel experience, sleeping in carriages as they travelled through the night to their next exciting destination, the University of Wuhan. Here they got to learn some basic Mandarin, Chinese writing and the history of Chinese clothing. They also tried on traditional dress and made fragrant herbal satchels. A real treat was meeting the Dean of the University and after a fantastic day of cultural learning and new experiences, pizza was a very welcome treat at the end of yet another unforgettable day!
As they returned to the university on day five, they were honoured to enjoy live performances of traditional Chinese songs and watch a fashion show showcasing beautiful traditional Chinses dress. The morning continued with an interactive calligraphy class, where our students were guided by local Chinese students as they explored this beautiful art form. What a wonderful cultural learning experience, bringing our students closer to Chinese traditions, creativity and heritage while building connections and sharing experiences with their Chinese peers.
Day five also brought them to visit a local primary school, receiving a phenomenal welcome. From traditional Chinese food and thoughtful gifts to sharing science projects, touring the school’s art museum and a friendly football match – showing that Wexford CBS are not the only school in China with a flourishing football team! Zhuankou Primary just edged the win, but our team certainly gave them a run for their money.
The Loreto phenomenal Chinese adventure began day six with a visit to Donghu (East Lake), a stunning and famous park in Wuhan. The girls enjoyed a peaceful walk around the lake taking in the tranquil surroundings and feeding the goldfish. They then visited the famous Quyuan Art Museum within the park, where they were incredibly honoured to receive a calligraphy class from the world-renowned Chinese calligrapher Ge Changyong. This was a truly special experience and a tremendous honour for all our students, giving them a wonderful insight into the beauty and tradition of Chinese calligraphy.
On day seven the Loreto group visited hand weavers in rural China, over 100 kilometres from Wuhan. Students created and embroidered their own fridge magnets before trying their hand at local weaving. Arriving back at their hotel they were blown away by the hospitality of their Chinese hosts when greeted with a local traditional band who played some traditional music and songs for them.
Day eight and they were off to iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium, the venue of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. They also saw the National Arena and the Ice Cube, which hosted events during the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. They day continued with a traditional tea ceremony inside the stadium where the Chinese national soccer team play their home matches and a walk around the Asian Games Team Sculpture Park, where they admired a variety of sculptures dedicated to past Asian Games held in Beijing.
Next was a visit to the Chao Yang Theatre, where they were treated to a spectacular and colourful aerobatics show. A tradition in China stretching back over 2,500 years, this breathtaking performance was a dazzling display of skill, agility and precision.
The final day of their amazing Chinese adventure began with a visit to Beijing Zoo, where the students got to see up close the many animals housed there. They went on to visit a high school in Beijing, enjoying a guided tour of the campus and exploring the impressive science facilities, sports facilities (including a mini-golf course), art facilities and the school library. Our students proved to be quite the celebrities! They were very popular with the local Chinese pupils, who were keen to take selfies with them and generously presented them with lots of lovely gifts. The final day continued with lovely walk around Houhai Lake which is one of Beijing’s most famous and picturesque lakes. The students enjoyed taking in this beautiful scenery while experiencing the lively crowds and exploring the many shops lining the area.
Huge thanks must go to Mr O Sullivan and Ms Mullally who accompanied the students on the trip and helped create such an unforgettable adventure. The trip was truly one of the most incredible and remarkable experiences of a lifetime for all who were lucky enough to travel and one that will live long in their memory.
Please check our social media pages for lots more amazing photos and videos of this incredible experience:
Instagram: @LoretoWexford and Facebook: @LoretoSecondarySchoolWexford
Every day matters
Congratulations to Class 1.1, who topped the attendance leaderboard last term with an impressive 96.9%. First Year also took the prize for best-attending year group, achieving an overall attendance rate of 96%, followed closely by Sixth Year at 92%.
Today, we held a raffle draw for students who achieved perfect attendance last term. The winners received a €50 voucher for The Book Centre, while the runners-up received a €25 voucher.
We’ve now started the next block of our attendance drive, and everyone has a fresh start. Keep an eye on the notice screens for weekly updates!
Paired Reading
Our annual paired reading programme started this week. This is where our trained Transition year and fifth year students (pictured below) read with first years to help them foster a love of reading. The programme will run in the school library every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 1:25 until Christmas. We will wrap up with a Christmas party to celebrate our wonderful readers at that point. Well done to all involved!
Hockey Success
Our hockey team had a great 2-0 win over Ursuline, Waterford earlier this week. In addition our first year hockey team also played Ursuline, Waterford in preparation for the league which starts next week. Well done to everyone involved!
Stand Up Week
The Inclusion Committee is proud to lead the National Stand Up Week celebrations in our school this week. We were delighted to welcome Veronica from Wexford Pride who works with our local FDYS and Ciara, a past pupil, who works for Shout Out to the school as part of Stand Up Week. Veronica spoke to Transition Year students and Ciara spoke to first years about the importance of respect and kindness. Everyone was asked to show their support by donating to the bake sale on Friday or by entering the Bake Off to be in with a chance of winning a €15 voucher. Well done to the Inclusion Committee for all their hard work.
Forthcoming Events/ Dates to Note:
Mon 9 Nov: Anti-bullying Week – morning reflection by Head Girls on this year’s theme No one Left Out; 1st Years to watch movie Wonder
Tues 10 Nov: Junior and senior rugby blitz in Carlow (full day); Junior Camogie v Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown (away)
Wed 11 Nov: Anti-bullying Week – Random Act of Kindness Day/ Meitheal and Cara check-in with 1st and 2nd Years; Hockey v Loreto, Kilkenny – Junior A, 1st A & B and senior A (away); MABS financial speaker for TYs
Thurs 12 Nov: Potential Strike Day – school closed
Fri 13 Nov: Anti-bullying Week – Odd Socks Day
