A SWINDON school has said buenos dis and bonjour to its European neighbours.

Grange Junior School, in Stratton, has been hosting teachers from Spain and France, who are spending five days in the Swindon area.

The visit is part of the Comenius Schools Project, which is aimed at enhancing the European element in youngsters' education.

And yesterday a special concert was held for parents and visitors, including musical numbers, performance poetry, country dancing and instrumental pieces.

The visit by the teachers from Miribel, near Lyon, in France, and Las Palmas, in Gran Canaria, marks the beginning of a three-year project involving the schools.

Lucy Castle, 10, of Stratton, has already been writing to her pen pal, Dafne, in Gran Canaria, and she is very enthusiastic about the visit.

She said: "It's really exciting that they have come over and it's nice to find out about people from different countries. We've found out the different foods and what sports are popular there."

Emily Wheatley, 10, of Stratton, said: "It's good to learn about other countries and their history."

For Mari Carmen Merino, a teacher at the Iberia School in Las Palmas, the visit has been very useful.

She said: "It is good because we want to know about other types of learning in other countries."

Her boss, headteacher Alfredo Lopez, was very interested in the British system of schools hiring teachers rather than the Government.

He said: "In Spain it is impossible to sack teachers if you don't like them."