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An international focus is to be placed on Stansted’s schools and culture as the village twins with a French counterpart.

A partnership is being established between Stansted Parish Council and Stansted Business Forum and representatives from Rungis, France.

The twinning will bring opportunities to children within the Essex village, with plans for students to take part in exchanges and Skype communication with their peers across the water. It will also enable other cultural exchanges in the village.

Teachers from Forest Hall School joined members of the parish council and business forum on a visit to Rungis, before the plan to twin underwent consultation and was approved by the council.

Six delegates from Stansted will visit France in June to sign the twinning documentation, before a twinning event in Stansted on July 6 to make the link official.

The day will include Rungis delegates attending the Stansted Business Forum breakfast meeting, visiting Forest Hall School and taking part in the parish twinning ceremony at St John’s Church.

Hannah Jones, co-head of school at Forest Hall, said: “At Forest Hall, the visitors will meet with our student executive team, as well as spending time with our teachers to talk about the differences and similarities in the education system here and in France. They will have a tour of our school, sample our lessons and take a look at students’ work, as well as learn more about our curriculum with our subject leaders.

“For our students, the twinning will be an opportunity to take part in school exchanges, to develop an understanding of the wider world and compare the two cultures.

“There will also be opportunities for our teachers to go and experience working in a French school.

“There are so many opportunities for us all.”

MP Kemi Badenoch will speak during the twinning ceremony.

Maureen Caton, parish council chairman and chairman of the twinning committee, said: “The parish council was contacted and asked if they would consider twinning with Rungis, which has Europe’s biggest market and is near Orly airport. The delegation loved the history of Stansted and, of course, the similarity in that we are close to an airport too.

Iris Evans, treasurer of the business forum, said: “The twinning will be an opportunity to learn from each other. The Stansted Business Forum works very closely with our schools, for example, and people from Rungis may be interested to see how that works.

“Everyone is very excited by the partnership.”