AS part of European Languages Week, students at Tavistock College entered a competition to design and label, in a language of their choice, either their ideal house or a new building for the school.

Overall prizewinner was Jack Coiley in Year 10 and runners-up were Sophie Hill and Lydia Derges in Year 7, Hazel Bishop and Amy Neave in Year 8 and in Year 9 prizes went to Peter George, Jade Hughes, Mabel Barclay and Kelly Walker.

More than 150 entries were judged by the sponsor of the competition, Mike Hooper Architects, and prizes were also donated by Jag Communications, the Wharf, The Original Pasty House, the Barn Climbing Centre at Milton Abbot and the National Marine Aquarium.

The college also ran a series of assemblies with a languages theme and invited guest speakers to address the older students.

Philippa Hart of Air Southwest, and Mike Riley, former flight director of Mission Aviation Fellowship in Chad, talked about the importance of foreign languages in their jobs and how they used them every day.

The events were arranged to support the European Day of Languages, which promotes language learning. Terry Davis, General Secretary of the Council of Europe, organisers of the national day, said: 'To all Europeans of all origins, ages and backgrounds: learn, speak, listen and understand each other'.