Bury’s schools to gain better links with China.

Date published: 07 November 2008

Nine Head teachers from schools across Bury will be jetting off on a fact finding trip to China as part of a project funded by the British and Chinese Governments.

The nine schools which will send representatives are Parrenthorn High School, Millwood Primary School, Hollins Grundy Primary School, Christ Church CE Primary School Walshaw, Guardian Angels RC Primary School, Our Lady of Grace RC Primary School, St. Luke’s CE Primary School, Radcliffe Hall CE/Methodist Primary School, St Paul’s CE Primary School.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families, will pay for the cost of travel to China and then the Office of Chinese Language Council International, known as the Hanban, will fund the cost of the visit whilst the teachers are in China.

The headteachers will travel to China at the end of November and spend two days in Beijing before travelling to Datong, an industrial city in Shanxi Province. The aim of the trip is to enhance or establish links between schools in China and Britain. The trip will allow head teachers to learn more about Chinese Culture and the Chinese education system. As part of the visit they will have to draw up an action plan as to how Bury’s schools can benefit from learning about China.

Helen Chadwick, Head teacher of Millwood School, said: “I hope that this trip will allow me to make links with a special school, especially given the superb positive messages given by the Beijing Paralympics over the summer, to promote the 'active' curriculum. Our school also has some pupils of Chinese heritage so it will be great to be able to find out more about the Chinese language so we can organise some special sessions when we are back in Bury”.

Councillor Diana Ashworth, Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: “ This is a fantastic opportunity for staff from some of Bury’s schools to get together and come up with some really good ideas about how school pupils can learn about China. By visiting the country they will gain a fascinating insight into the country and they can then tell the children they teach all about the things they have seen and experienced”.