Norwich Centre

Norwich School has always worked hard to ensure its important place within the educational and wider community in Norfolk – this Chinese Language Scheme brings us even closer to the community.

The Swire Chinese Language Centre which Norwich School leads in Norfolk is all about strengthening links between China and the UK by enabling schools to teach Chinese – Mandarin. But not just to teach Chinese – but to improve the teaching of Chinese and the reach of Chinese teaching into areas where people don’t necessarily have the option to study the language at present.

We are just in our first year of involvement but already we see a strong network of excellence and excitement being created by the scheme. We will have taught in excess of 1000 children of all ages some aspect of the Chinese Language or culture during the last academic year. Already we have a good number involved in HSK and GCSE examinations.

Collaborating with secondary and primary school/academies in Norfolk, we plan with the support of Swire to transform the language learning in the County.

Our five “lofty” ambitions are to:

1. Ensure we provide high quality teaching
2. Work to achieve wide social inclusion
3. Work with pupils to ensure progression and certification
4. Raise the profile of the Chinese language and culture with lots of enrichment activities
5. Build a successful Chinese exchange between Norfolk and Shanghai

We are as excited and enthused as our partner schools by this initiative from Swire. We feel our planning is strategic and pro-active and we believe that the hubs we are creating with groups of schools and organisations will ultimately lead to a sustainable future for the Chinese Language in Norfolk.