Mandarin

In light of China's rise, there has never been a better time to learn Mandarin. Many pupils describe the subject as "different" - it adds freshness to school life as it offers an experience unlike anything else in the week. And studying Chinese is about a lot more than learning grammar and vocabulary, for every language is inextricably linked to its speakers' culture, social norms and ways of seeing. Our pupils have the opportunity to look beyond Chinese stereotypes and, in so doing, glimpse an alternative version of the world and human life.

Fourth Form (Year 9)

All pupils who join the school in Year 9 enjoy two periods of Mandarin a week. They begin by studying the major principles that underlie Chinese and that make it so different from European languages, such as the importance of tones, the structure of Chinese characters, and pinyin Romanisation. Our department believes in bringing the language to life through games, role plays and other fun-filled activities, and pupils will find themselves interacting in Chinese with their teachers and each other from the word go. These lively experiences are complemented by the calming practice of character writing. By the end of the Fourth Form, pupils can opt to continue the subject at GCSE.

Lower Fifth (Year 10)

For the GCSE in Mandarin we follow the AQA course (4670), with all assessment taking place in Year 11. In Year 10, pupils learn to communicate in speech and writing on a variety of new topics, such as what their home and local area are like; the weather; transport; interests and sports; school life and future plans; and the advantages and disadvantages of different professions. Compared with the younger years, there is greater emphasis on reading and writing, and the department offers extra sessions to all pupils who feel they need to practise their Chinese characters.  

Upper Fifth (Year 11)

Topics in Year 11 include shopping, fashion and the media; the environment; holidays; and healthy and unhealthy lifestyles. Pupils take four controlled assessments, two writing and two speaking, during the first two terms. In June they take one listening exam and one reading exam.

Trips/extracurricular

Lunar New Year celebrations, the Chinese Culture Club, departmental assemblies and our relationship with our partner school in Beijing all help ensure that Chinese language and culture permeate numerous facets of school life. Pupils from the Fourth and Fifth forms make up the largest group of people who go on our China trip, an invaluable experience that provides a meaningful context in which pupils can practise all that they have learned. Participants experience authentic Chinese home and school life firsthand by staying with the exchange pupils of our partner school, before the latter visit Brighton College later in the year. Other highlights of the trip include sampling local cuisines, watching Peking Opera and visits to the Great Wall, the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City.