Impact

The full impact of the Programme will take a generation to realise. In the meantime, monitoring its progress through qualitative and quantitative analysis has been a critical part of the Foundation’s work.

There will be a lasting impact for Swire Chinese Language Programme students, particularly those that visited China and those from socioeconomically deprived areas.

These students’ eyes have been opened to an important world that is very different to their own; they have studied something few of their peers have studied; and they have gained in confidence. Those that have struggled with other subjects have experienced the value of engaging with at least one subject where there has been no experience of failure, which has in turn often impacted positively on their performance in other subjects. Students’ aspirations and opportunities have expanded.

Through the teaching of Mandarin Chinese to the upcoming generation, we are helping build the foundations for a stronger engagement with China which continues to be of increasing importance.

Watch our film

In June 2025, the Harris Federation made a film in partnership with the Swire Chinese Language Federation and Swire Chinese Language Centre London focusing on their work to shape the provision of Mandarin teaching in UK state schools. You can view the film below.

A selection of reports on some of the Swire Chinese Language Centres’ recent school trips to China can be reviewed here:

Throughout the duration of the programme, Mandarin has continued to be taught to a high standard to an increasing number of pupils within the curriculum. 58,000 state school children have benefited from exposure to an important language and culture that they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to study.