High school welcomes Chinese guests

Reepham High School and College (RHSC) recently hosted its second group of guests from Shenzhen, China. The visit by 32 pupils and their teachers came about when RHSC principal Mark Farrar responded to a request for partner schools across the UK from the Shenzhen Education Bureau.
 

 
Reepham was the first school selected for the programme and one of only two nationwide.
 
The project also provides a full-time teacher of Mandarin – Miss Li has been teaching Reepham pupils since September – and will subsidise travel for learners of Mandarin to China.
 
The aim of the project is for the Chinese to gain an insight into how the UK education system works; they are interested in the broader curriculum and how the UK promotes “soft skills” like team working and creativity, while RHSC hopes to gain insight into how the Chinese teach mathematics at a high level, as well as the opportunity to learn Mandarin.
 
The visit has been a boost for Reepham’s 48 learners of Mandarin (who are in Years 9, 10 and 12) and a great cultural experience for Year 7 and 8 pupils, who were buddied up with the Chinese students and accompanied them to lessons.
 
There was lots of enthusiasm from Years 7 and 8 for the programme – some from the last visit in October have stayed in touch and many want to learn Mandarin in future if they get the opportunity.
 
Over the weekends the Chinese group visited Oxford, Cambridge and London, as well as destinations in Norfolk. On the day of their departure, gifts and cards were exchanged between the Shenzhen and Reepham pupils, along with hugs and promises to stay in touch.
 
Qui Yue, aged 11, said: “This is a good school, a nice school.” She enjoyed making friends and during her time at school in Reepham enjoyed science lessons and English food, but fish and chips best of all.
 
Reepham High pupil Lucy Carlile, aged 13, said: “This has been an amazing experience, once in a lifetime. It has been great seeing the two cultures coming together. I would be really keen to visit China if the opportunity arose.”
 
Huang Hongxhue, aged 12, enjoyed maths and music while at Reepham High School, adding: “In China we sing in our music lessons, but in England we got to play the piano as well."
 
Nessie Everett, aged 14, has been taking part in Mandarin lessons with the visiting pupils and said she enjoyed learning Mandarin although it was difficult. She loved the chance to learn another language.
 

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