China
Nearly 1,200 pupils travel to China for biggest ever Mandarin Excellence Programme school trip
Who is the trip aimed at, and what are the approximate costs?
Who the trip is aimed at: Year 9 Mandarin Excellence Program (MEP) pupils.
Approx cost: Subsidised (apart from Visa and spending money).
(NB: The cost is not guaranteed and will change when the trip is recruited to. This is a guide only)
A record-breaking number of students from across England embarked on the most ambitious international school trip of its kind. 1,197 pupils and 157 teachers from 61 schools travelled to China i nJuly for an educational tour to improve their Mandarin-speaking skills and cultural awareness. The visit was organised by the Mandarin Excellence Programme, a flagship initiative which has helped more than 11,000 young learners in England on the path to fluency since its launch eight years ago. It is the first major excursion to take place since the Covid-19 pandemic, following a pilot trip involving 132 students last year.
The Mandarin-learners embarked on the journey in different travel groups throughout July. They engaged in an extensive cultural and language-learning programme, connecting with pupils in Chinese schools throughout the experience. The trip took students to cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Xi’an, Chengdu, Kunming, Shenyang, Dalian, Hangzhou, Shenyang and Guangzhou.
The Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP) is delivered by IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE) in partnership with the British Council and with the support of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC).
Mandarin is the most widely spoken language globally and is considered a highly valuable skill for young people in the UK to learn. According to British Council research , Mandarin ranks as the second most important foreign language for the UK's global influence.
Hear from those who went...
Speaking ahead of the trip, Tilly, a Year 9 student from Finham Park School in Coventry, said, “It’s a huge trip. It’s taken a while to organise and we’ve had lots of meetings about it, I’m really excited. I’m a bit nervous for being away from home but I think that I’ll get over that quickly. I think it will massively affect my learning in such positive ways.”
Her classmate, Vincent, said, “I don’t think I would have done this without the Mandarin Excellence Programme, it’s made me learn a lot more about China than I would have if hadn’t taken it. It’s a very surreal experience knowing that you’re going to be on the other side of the planet. It’s a great, great opportunity.”
Katharine Carruthers, the Mandarin Excellence Programme’s Strategic Director from the IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, said: “The Mandarin Excellence Programme study visit is a fabulous opportunity for students to experience China in person and advance their language skills. This is an unrivalled opportunity which rewards Year 9 MEP students who have been undertaking intensive Mandarin language study in school for the past 3 years, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds. The students will benefit from an unforgettable experience as part of their journey to becoming the next generation of fluent Mandarin speakers in the UK.”
Tom Dearing, the British Council’s Head of UK Schools, said: “This year more students than ever before will have an unparalleled opportunity to visit China and immerse themselves in this vibrant and dynamic culture, practising their Mandarin skills as well as their intercultural skills. This unique experience will stay with them for life and will motivate them to continue their studies, as well as building lasting friendships between people in the UK and China.”