A Wanstead school has won a first prize in a competition to celebrate the diversity of languages and cultures in London.

Ilford Recorder: Pupils representing different cultures and languages with their teacher.Pupils representing different cultures and languages with their teacher. (Image: Archant)

Year eight students Stefania Atupe-Gerucka and Madeleine Cole from Wanstead High School produced the best dialogue among the secondary schools at the annual Teach a Friend a Language (TAFAL) competition.

Last Thursday, 49 pairs of students from 11 primary and four secondary schools across four London boroughs gathered to compete at Woodbridge High School and Language College in Woodford Green where the competition originally began in 2001.

Students who have a home community language pair up with a friend or fellow pupil to teach them their language and practise dialogues over several months.

The dialogue is performed before a native speaking judge on the competition day and the Woodbridge High School entry

was the result of Stefania teaching Madeleine Russian.

Students also have to wear their national costume and prepare a table display with items from their country, both of which they are judged on.

Wanstead School entered four pairs of students into the competition.

Lin Redman, English as an Additional Language coordinator at Wanstead School, said: “We were pretty impressed with them.

“We have entered the competition for several years and always enjoy it.

“They were all outstanding this year.”