Teach Secondary 13.8

FromMerseyside to Beijing: How a school trip transformed our students’ lives The Inside Story I believe that school trips and international experiences provide a unique and powerful learning opportunity for young people. I have been involved in many over the years, but nothing comes close to the impact of one particular international visit to China. In summer 2024, we were part of the largest ever school trip to China, where nearly 1,200 students from 61 schools across England embarked on a journey that I’m sure they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. The trip was part of the Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP) – an initiative that has helped over 13,000 young learners in England on their path to fluency since its launch in 2016. Opportunities like this can be rare for our students. 40% of those who travelled were in receipt of Pupil Premium funding, and many had never left the country or even been on a plane before. Our school is situated in a community where opportunities for students to travel abroad are often limited. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is twice that seen nationally. The school supports a significant number of priority families and high numbers of looked after children. The trip was particularly meaningful for our students, and its impact cannot be overstated, but this was no holiday. The programme aimed to challenge and develop our students, and it certainly did that. I was so proud of how they responded to the challenges they were given. The students took part in an extensive cultural and language learning programme, connecting with pupils in Chinese schools throughout the experience. The blend of lessons, activities and visits was perfect. The study trip also inspired our students to consider new opportunities, such as those discussed during a talk by the British Council in Beijing, which highlighted the value of learning Mandarin and how it could enhance their career opportunities. Having the skills to converse confidently in Mandarin will indeed open doors, and could prove to be life-changing. Since returning from China, the students’ confidence has noticeably improved. The depth of their Mandarin knowledge, and courage in speaking the language have increased significantly. They are excited about the opportunities they experienced. The trip has clearly inspired them and deepened their engagement with the subject. Research from the British Council shows that nearly two thirds of language students at university were inspired to pursue language degrees by an international exchange trip while at school. The impact of school trips and international experiences for foreign language learning cannot be underestimated. I would like to see more schools teaching Chinese follow the lead of the MEP and organise their own visits to China. If your school is able to take students abroad, even for a short visit, I would wholeheartedly recommend it - the impact can be truly life-changing. Contact: For more information, email mandarinexcellence@ucl.ac.uk CAMERON SHEERAN Executive Principal of Cowley International College, St Helens [ HOW IT STARTED ] We joined the programme in 2017 as part of the second cohort, having wanted to expand our curriculum opportunities. Significant Chinese investment was taking place in Merseyside at the time, so we wanted our students to have the skills needed to seize on future career opportunities. We also saw the programme as a way of building cultural awareness and broadening the students’ horizons. For students from a small town in the northwest of England, travelling 8,000 miles to experience a new culture, visit iconic landmarks and practise Mandarin in real-world settings was truly life-changing. TheMandarin Excellence Programme (MEP) is delivered by the IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE) and in partnership with the British Council. Funded by Delivered by In partnership with PA R T N E R C O N T E N T 31 teachwire.net/secondary