Forty Years!
That’s how long our language school has been going! It wasn’t always called Linguatastic and of course, it has changed a bit since it first started, but the ethos is still very much the same: promoting intercultural understanding through language-learning.
Back in 1985, it started out as L’école Maternelle, a French playgroup. Back then, Old Basing and Chineham were one parish and Lychpit was being created from so-called Chineham South. The group was held in a room at the back of Chineham Library and was run by Chansopha Biermann and Nicole Walker.
In 2025, Chansopha is still at the helm and whilst there is still an emphasis on “planting the language seeds” in younger generations, we offer classes to all generations. Indeed, with language learning on the decline throughout the country and this being evident locally where our two FE colleges have ceased offering adult evening courses in languages, we consider ourselves as having an important role to play in the community.
We currently teach well over 60 children in Old Basing Infants, St Mary’s Junior School and Great Binfields Primary School (and over the years, have taught hundreds more children from families in Old Basing and Lychpit) and so we hope that many readers will join in our delight in reaching 40 years!
Putting On A Show
On 18th May, we’ll be putting on a show at Queen Mary’s College and enjoying some nibbles from all around the world. Proceeds of this event will be donated to Médecins sans frontières (doctors without borders), which especially being an international charity and working in many worn torn countries, is very close to our hearts. If any readers (maybe even former pupils) are able to spare some time to support us backstage in the show or would like to make a food or monetary donation, please e-mail info@linguatastic.com. Thank you for reading and thanks to all who have been part of or have supported Linguatastic in one way or another over the years!