Developing students' intercultural capability is now an expectation within language programmes in New Zealand schools. This is a challenge, particularly as intercultural capability is still a new concept for many teachers. Drawing on data from a two-year project, this paper foregrounds student voices to reveal how beginner learners experienced language programmes where non-specialist intermediate school teachers facilitated comparative intercultural explorations for the first time. The findings indicate that shifts in teachers' practices led to some worthwhile, although variable, intercultural learning gains. An interdisciplinary approach is taken to consider the possible impact of age on learners' intercultural development at this level.