Pupils on course to be fluent in Mandarin
PUPILS could be on track to speak fluent Mandarin after a school was picked for a government language programme.
All Hallows Catholic College in Macclesfield has been selected to participate in the Department for Education’s national Mandarin Excellence Programme and has received a grant to support the development of the language over the coming years.
It means students are getting intensive lessons in Mandarin Chinese, spending an average of eight hours per week studying the language – a significant increase on the time pupils have been spending on the subject before now.The intensive language programme is being delivered by the UCL Institute of Education in partnership with the British Council and will see at least 5,000 school pupils in England on track towards fluency in Mandarin Chinese by 2020.
Pupils from All Hallows have started the programme alongside pupils from Tytherington School, which has also been chosen for the scheme.
Aima Denby, Mandarin teacher and MEP co-ordinator at All Hallows, said: “The programme is not only giving Year Seven students the opportunity to learn Mandarin, it has also broadened their horizons.
“The students really enjoy their Mandarin lesson and are also very much looking forward to their trip to China next year. Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world, and is seen as important for young people in the UK to master in order for the country to remain globally competitive in the future.”
Progress test results from the 14 schools who have just completed the first year of the programme show that the Year Seven pupils’ skills are developing quickly.
School standards minister Nick Gibb said: “Mandarin Chinese is an important language to learn in our globally competitive economy. I am pleased that this programme is continuing to grow, allowing more pupils to be taught Mandarin at an advanced level.”