Chinese
Mandarin was introduced to the school in 1997 and we were one of the first five schools in the UK to be granted a Confucius Classroom. Since its introduction, a growing number of students in Calday have taken the chance to learn the most-spoken Chinese language. We believe that by learning the language our students are equipped with a valuable tool for engaging with a nation that is re-shaping the world as we know it. Yet China's role in the past is equally important and being a student here also means developing an awareness of this land's immense cultural legacy.
In addition to providing stimulating language lessons, the Chinese department offers students of all ages a wide range of opportunities to improve their language skills and experience in Chinese culture. The China Exchange programme has been running for 13 years and it is still very popular. We also take part in a National speaking competition and have a very impressive winning record. On top of that Calday students solely represented UK in the biggest Chinese Speaking Competition held in China – ‘The China Bridge’ for the 4th time this Autumn, to compete with students from over one hundred schools across the globe. Mandarin is offered to all year groups.
In Year 7, with three periods per week devoted to Mandarin, it is not long before students confidently applying basic Chinese greetings and getting to grips with the linguistic peculiarities of the language that make it so exciting to learn.
These include the structure of Chinese characters, the phonetic alphabet ‘pinyin’ and the four tones of Mandarin. By the end of the year, students can write a range of characters and hold simple conversations.
In Year 8 students receive two periods a week, which allows them to deepen their character reading and writing skills. Through the introduction of new vocabulary they also gain greater confidence in their speaking ability and broaden the range of topics they can talk about. A rich variety of activities and resources ensures that different learning styles are catered for. By the time students move into Year 9 they will also have built up their knowledge about Chinese culture through various projects that punctuate the first two years of learning.
In Year 9 we offer three periods every fortnight to the subject. At the end of Year 9 students will be given the option to continue with Mandarin to GCSE level. The Year 9 course aims to provide a sound foundation for GCSE. The emphasis, therefore, is on spoken and written skills and using a wider range of sentence structures.
In Years 10 and 11 students will develop their language skills within topic areas such as tourism, media, careers and school life. We follow the AQA syllabus. Students complete controlled assessments in speaking and writing which take place during Years 10 and 11. In addition, students take the listening and reading examination in June of Year 11.
KEY STAGE 3
Year 7
Autumn Term
- Introduction
- Pronunciation
- Character writing
- Greetings
Spring Term
- Family and pets
- Hobbies
- Food and drink
Summer Term
- Hobbies and interests
- School
Year 8
Autumn Term
- School
Spring Term
- Holiday
- Weather
Summer Term
- Myself
- The place I live
Useful links and websites
Assessment Information
KEY STAGE 4
Year 9
Autumn Term
- Place we live
Spring Term
- Shopping
Summer Term
- Holidays
Year 10
Autumn Term
- Myself
- Hobbies and interest
- Free time and routine
Spring Term
- School and subjects
- Like and dislikes
- Opinion giving
- Free time and leisure
Summer Term
- Place I live
- Media and celebrity
Year 11
Autumn Term
- Media and celebrity
Spring Term
- Food and drink
- Holidays
- Lifestyle
Summer Term
- Environment
- Career
Useful links and websites
Assessment Information
AQA GCSE Chinese Specification 8673
Students complete Controlled Assessment for Speaking and Writing and take Listening and Reading examination.
KEY STAGE 5
Autumn Term
- Food, drink and diet
- Transport, travel and tourism
Spring Term
- Leisure
- Youth interest
- Chinese festival
Summer Term
- Education and employment