果冻影院

Since its inception in 2016, the Mandarin Excellence Programme has empowered more than 11,000 young learners in England on the path to fluency in Mandarin Chinese.

Funded by the Department for Education and delivered by the IOE, 果冻影院鈥檚 Faculty of Education and Society in partnership with the British Council, it gives pupils an unprecedented opportunity when it comes to language learning.

The trip, involving 132 students from five schools across England, marks a significant milestone as the first international school tour organised under the Mandarin Excellence Programme since 2019.

Pupils will venture to Beijing, Shanghai, Xi鈥檃n and Chengdu over the course of two weeks engaging in an extensive programme of cultural activities with pupils in connected Chinese schools, all of which will incorporate cultural exchange, friendship building and language learning at their core.

Activities will range from cultural lessons, from calligraphy to cooking, to sporting and arts activities, including martial arts and dancing.

Katharine Carruthers, Director of IOE, 果冻影院鈥檚 Faculty of Education and Society鈥檚 Confucius Institute for Schools and the programme鈥檚 Strategic Director, said:听鈥淲e are delighted that some MEP students are able to visit China for the first time since 2019 through the Mandarin Excellence Programme. The MEP students are the next generation of fluent Mandarin speakers in the UK.听

鈥淭his is a wonderful opportunity for them to experience China in person through real-life situations, advancing their language skills and motivating them to continue with their Chinese language studies into future years.鈥�

The schools taking part are Finham Park School in Coventry, Queen Mary鈥檚 Grammar School in Walsall, Alexandra Park School in London, St Mary Magdalene Academy in London and Dartford Grammar School in Kent.

Andrew, a year 10 pupil from Dartford Grammar School, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 my first experience of going to Asia and because it鈥檚 a very different culture, I鈥檓 really looking forward to it. I鈥檓 most looking forward to visiting the Great Wall of China, ever since I started learning Mandarin Chinese in year 7 it鈥檚 fascinated me.

鈥淚 think while we鈥檙e in China there will be less of an emphasis on passing exams but more on learning about the Chinese way of life, so we might learn more idiomatic phrases and about the culture. It鈥檚 a really good opportunity and if any future students at my school or any others take Chinese and are presented with the opportunity to either visit China or to live and work in China for a longer period, I would highly recommend that they take it.鈥�

Mili, a year 10 pupil from Alexandra Park School, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting because you鈥檙e meeting new people and you鈥檙e talking in a language that, up until three years ago, you didn鈥檛 really know鈥� It鈥檚 like 鈥榦h wow, this is actually pretty impressive and amazing that we鈥檝e had the opportunity to do this!鈥欌��

Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world and is recognised as a valuable skill for young people in the UK to acquire.

Research by the British Council found that Mandarin is the second most important foreign language for the UK鈥檚 influence on the global stage.

Shannon West, the British Council鈥檚 Principal Schools Consultant, said: 鈥淭he visit to China offers students an unparalleled opportunity to immerse themselves in this vibrant and dynamic culture, practise their Mandarin skills as well as their inter-cultural skills.听

鈥淭his unique experience will stay with them for life and will motivate them to continue their studies and build lasting people to people links between the UK and China.鈥�

Earlier this year, the Department for Education announced an expansion to the Mandarin Excellence Programme, to reach an expected 100 participating schools by September 2024.

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• IOE, 果冻影院's Faculty of Education & Society

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