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Win a year's free subscription to Mandarama, our website for children learning Mandarin Chinese, by visiting our stand at The Language Show.

Learn more about how to overcome the challenges of either introducing your school (or child) to Mandarin Chinese. If Mandarin already is a part of your school, then learn how to improve how you provide Mandarin Chinese learning opportunities to your children. Free advice - come for a chat as we are always keen to hear about people helping children learn Mandarin Chinese.

We are the experts. The only UK organization just to teach children Chinese.

Children aged 15-16 take first Mandarin access exam in Scotland.

Record numbers of children passed their Higher Grade exams. For the first year children ages 15-16 could take Mandarin at Access 3 level.Mandarin Chinese continues to be very active in schools in Scotland. In May 2008, the first Confucius classroom opened in St George's School Edinburgh. Scotland plans to have eight Confucius classrooms in a networked hub.

BBC journalist raises question as to whether testing primary school children is fruitful

Tests - do we still need them?

Do we still need national tests in primary schools in England?

I asked that question at the end of last week's column on the Sats fiasco and I want to return to it.

Judging by your responses, many of you think England should be like Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and simply have tests that are marked in schools by the children's own teachers.

These "teacher assessment" should then not be used for league tables.

Many see the current problems with marking of the Sats as symptomatic of an overloaded testing system.

The swell of opinion opposed to externally marked, national tests has been growing.

Learn about great Chinese food from the BBC. Great for children too.

The BBC launches a new TV programme on making Chinese food with Ching. Masterclases, Chinese Street, techniques, takeaway favourites, noodles and dim sum (meaning touch the heart), spicy Sichuan, Chinese cooking for family and friends.

Businesses invest in China at high end of value chain..

GlaxoSmithKline intends to double its R&D staff in China to 350 people in the next few years, reported Reuters.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) which currently has 170 R&D staff in China has plans to boost up its staff to 350 by the end of 2009. According to Carol Zhu, head of operation management and alliances in GSK's China R&D unit, the staff levels would remain static for three or four years after the increase, while the company will expand its facilities to accommodate further increases thereafter.

As part of its strategic plan to step up investment in biotech medicines, GSK has focused on China for furthering its R&D activities.

Women on top in a downturn - Are women company directors well placed to face a downturn in business?

But just in case there are any real cynics among you, who are still sceptical even now, perhaps this procession of casual generalisations will remove any lingering doubts: ‘Women are great at multi-tasking and very good at coping with stress’ (Jill Shepherd, Bamboo Learning); ‘There is less competitiveness amongst women and as such, we’re more open to sharing best practice and support each other’ (Lesley Lant, Perennial Marketing); ‘Women tend to grow their businesses organically rather than making testosterone-driven decisions on equity funding’ (Katherine Leopold, PA London).

Female business owners are more likely to survive a recession thanks to their slow and steady approach, according to a new study by Business Link in London. The support group, which says that it ‘helped’ over 28,000 female-owned businesses in the capital last year, says that women are better at planning ahead, taking advice, and sharing their experiences than men –and they’re not so obsessed with chasing a fast buck. All of which makes them the perfect choice for an economic crisis.

Ofsted and Ed Balls praise new initiative by top innovative schools teaching curriculum Mandarin Chinese.

The first and second schools to make Mandarin Chinese a compulsory part of the curriculum have been noticed once more for their innovation. This time the partnership between the schools has been praised by Ed Balls and Ofsted.

Pupils from Kingsford Community College in Beckton can win scholarships to top independent school Brighton College. Head teacher Ms Delandes and Mr Cairns Headmaster of Brighton College are sharing their educational expertise as governors on each other's school boards. Once an innovative school you continue to be innovative it seems.

The links between the schools have already won over one body more often noted for its trenchant criticisms of state schools – the aforementioned Ofsted. In a recent report on Kingsford, the inspectors declared: "The school has introduced a variety of initiatives that have raised the school's profile both locally and nationally. Some, such as the introduction of Mandarin and the link with an independent school to provide scholarships into their sixth-form, are highly innovative."

Part of China Now, 3000 children developing Chinese cross-curricula work have created a new Chinese opera.

350 students performed the new work alongside professional artists.This project was an initiative between the Hackney Music Development Trust (HMDT) and East Hackney Education Zone. 'Confucius says' is a new opera based on Chinese myths and legends written by Stephen Plaice and Richard Taylor for Hackney schools and children learning Chinese.

We share our experiences in teaching Mandarin Chinese young including Mandarama at the SSAT Chinese network conference

Please come and see us either at our exhibition stand or during our workshop. Get guest access to Mandarama at our stand and learn about how children learn languages young at our workshop. We are sharing our experience in teaching Chinese young and would like to hear your views too.

Children learning Chinese at Hove Park Primary School win competition..

Students' Mandarin leaves rivals red-faced
By Ruth Morgan
Argus Lite 26 May 2008

William Page, 12, shows off his Chinese skills at Hove Park School. Youngsters left their rivals tongue-tied to scoop a top prize at a national language competition.

While many students may turn pale at the difficult task of learning another language, students from Hove Park School showed off their skills to secure a prize at the National Chinese Mandarin Reading contest.

The event was held at the University of Westminster and was entered by more than 26 schools, colleges and universities from across the country.

The six competitors from Hove Park had only been learning the complex language for eight months but managed to beat off competition from 23 other institutions including a University of Sussex team to come third in the non-native speakers category.

The children read out poetry, prose and stories at the event to take home the coveted trophy.Of the 26 institutions that took part, only six were able to walk away with a prize.
In addition to Hove Park's success, pupil Nicola Burt, 14, added to the team triumph, winning a third place individual prize.