Canolfan Amanwy, a specialist teaching provision for pupils with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties visit to Paris
Pathway 1 funding is currently closed. It will re-open 28 January 2026
Grant recipient area Canolfan Amanwy is a Local Authority facility for learners with severe learning difficulties, profound multiple learning difficulties and additional diagnoses from Year 7 to Year 14. In June 2025, a group of pupils took part in an unforgettable Taith learning exchange to Paris.
Adam Goodman, Manager at Canolfan Amanwy, who applied for the funding and organised the trip, tells us about the experience.
The project aimed to give pupils the opportunity to experience a new culture and build friendships through a partnership with a French school. Beyond cultural exposure, the trip was designed to develop independence, confidence, and life skills. The level of support needed, and the financial costs had always made a trip like this impossible. The Taith grant made an international experience achievable for our pupils for the first time.
The project itself has met and surpassed the aims and objectives we set as the pupils got even more from the whole experience than we could have dreamed of.
We visited our partner school La Jonchère and got to meet our friends and colleagues face-to-face instead of on video, this was a key part of the mobility and the experience was fantastic! The pupils overcame nerves and anxieties to engage with the pupils and staff from the school and lifelong friendships have been generated as a result.
Pupils visited iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral. They explored the Louvre and enjoyed a river cruise along the Seine. These experiences allowed pupils to immerse themselves in French culture and history and sharing these activities with the pupils from La Jonchère made the experience even more meaningful.
In September, we welcomed 14 pupils from La Jonchère to Wales. Despite stormy weather, we showcased the best of Welsh culture with visits to Cardiff Castle, Dinefwr Castle, and Swansea Museum. A highlight was a surfing session at Caswell Bay with Surfability, an organisation that ensures even pupils with complex needs can participate. These activities deepened friendships and gave our pupils the chance to share pride in their own heritage.
We are continuing our link with La Jonchère and both schools are now co‑creating an international cookbook, including a virtual meeting to present their dishes. Pupils will try traditional French recipes and share some of Wales’ favourites, linking the work to our Wonderful Wales curriculum theme.
The project created life-changing opportunities for our pupils who had never travelled outside Wales, and in some cases, never beyond Carmarthenshire. Experiencing air travel, navigating airports, and exploring a foreign country were transformative moments.
Since returning, pupils have shown clear growth in confidence, independence, and social skills. Staff have seen significant changes in how they communicate, participate, and interact with others in class.
The visit has shown our pupils what they are capable of and given them a sense of achievement. Pupils with ALN very often miss out on these types of activities and this opportunity has been invaluable on so many fronts. It was a truly once in a lifetime opportunity that brought tears of joy to all involved, especially the staff seeing the pupils’ expressions as we moved around Paris, seeing things they had only seen in books or on TV.
The impact extended beyond the pupils themselves. The project raised awareness of what ALN learners can achieve when given the right support and the experience has left a lasting impression on the entire school community.
Due to the needs of our pupils, the school was able to apply for and receive additional financial support. This included funding for an adapted coach to ensure wheelchair users could fully take part in the mobility, as well as funding to help some pupils with the cost of passports. Without this support they would not have been able to overcome that financial barrier. The whole process is simple and well supported by the team at Taith.
Absolutely! I would strongly encourage other schools to apply for this grant support.
The opportunities it provides are far beyond anything we could have achieved without it. Because we required a high staff-to-pupil ratio, the trip would simply not have been possible without funding as we would have had to pass significant costs on to families, inevitably excluding even more pupils from taking part.
Seeing the pupils’ joy as they explored Paris, and later shared Welsh culture with their French counterparts, was remarkable. We are deeply grateful to Taith for making this possible and for helping us create memories that will last a lifetime.
