Top UK independent school has made learning Mandarin Chinese compulsory.

As so many of the boarders at Roedean now are Chinese, non-Chinese girls are being required to learn Mandarin Chinese from the age of 9. As the influence of China grows learning this language should help greater social understanding across the cultures.

What is the English Baccalaureate and its impact on learning Chinese in schools

Divided opinion: English Baccalaureate
English schools will now be measured on how many pupils achieve grades A*-C in five core subjects - maths, English, two science qualifications, a foreign language and either history or geography. The short Mandarin Chinese course with AQA or Edexcel might be an option?
http://www.thechinesestaffroom.com/articles/09-10-24/gcse-mandarin-chine...

The Chinese Staffroom reports on Ministry of Education Gove's new initiative for Chinese teachers

Education Secretary Michael Gove has announced a pioneering new partnership with China to train 1000 more Mandarin teachers for secondary schools in England. During a visit to China to build stronger education partnerships with the Chinese.

Mr Gove launched the joint programme between the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and Hanban (the Confucius Institute Headquarters). It is to run over the next five years.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=micheal+gove+teachers+china&rls=com.mic...

India too considers Mandarin Chinese important enought to make it work in their schools...

New Delhi: The Central Board of School Education (CBSE) will be introducing Chinese language in schools affiliated to it from April 2011 onwards.
In an official letter to principals of CBSE affiliated schools, Mr Vineet Joshi, IAS, Chairman of CBSE wrote “In view of China emerging as one of the major global economies and Mandarin being spoken by a large population of the world, the Board is set to launch Chinese in class VI from April 2011.”

Read more: ‘Ni Hao’, CBSE to launch Chinese language from 2011 | Bharat Chronicle http://www.bharatchronicle.com/ni-hao-cbse-to-launch-chinese-language-fr...

A Telegraph journalist wonders about the benefits and disadvantages of his children learning to live in China

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/7947932/Expat-life-Have-children-will-...

Follow the link to decide whether you agree with the journalits point of view.

With the new government in the UK wanting to introduce IGCSE's into schools. Will this work for Chinese?

These sites may help you:

Edexcel
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/igcse/igcse09/lang/chinese/Pages/default.as...

Cambridge
http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subject?as...

How does Mandarin Chinese link to the new Primary Area of Learning Understanding English communication and languages?

Learning Mandarin Chinese fits into 'Breadth of Learning' point 4.

d. By engaging with other languages (i), including, where appropriate, those used in their communities, children should:

1.look at the patterns, structures and origins of languages (i) in order to understand how language works

Mandarin Chinese is so very different from English, French, German and Spanish because of its origins and so lends itself to this outcome of understanding how language works. Ask us more to understand how to achieve this understanding of both English and Chinese when teaching Chinese.

2.listen to and join in with conversation in other languages and communicate about simple, everyday matters

Learning to speak Chinese especially working with a partner school in China fulfils this goal in a way that children engage so easily with. How can children start having conversations through understanding differences between the way the two languages work

3.understand how learning other languages can help them appreciate and understand other cultures as well as their own.

The potential for cultural work that spans the curriculum and which can be led by a non-native class teacher is huge. This is not 'educational tourism' but serious engagement with modern and ancient China. It is a very powerful way of making Mandarin Chinese belong to the whole school

Understanding English, Communication and Languages is the new area of learning relevant to Mandarin Chinese

http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/new-primary-curriculum/areas-of-learning/u...

Following the review of the Primary curriculum in the UK here is the new area into which Mandarin fits - go have a look!

Politicians Ed Balls and David Laws debate introduction of compulsory language lessons for 7-11 (KS2)....

Ministers have already announced the introduction of compulsory language lessons for seven- to 11-year-olds in 2011 to stimulate interest in the subject from a young age.

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: "Introducing compulsory languages teaching in primary schools will instil a love of language learning in young children and help to encourage them to continue studying it as they move up through school and beyond.

In line with Bamboo's development of a Scheme of Work in Mandarin Chinese for KS2..

Ed Balls will announce that pupils aged seven onwards will be able to learn languages including Mandarin and Arabic to meet the challenges of a globalised world. Officials cited CBI surveys showing that 52% of employers looking for language skills now want people with French, 43% with German and 38% with Mandarin/Cantonese. They said Labour was keen to prepare the next generation of workers for the new global economy.

Balls said yesterday: "In this new decade, our ties with emerging economies like China will become even more important and it's vital that young people are equipped with the skills they need. That's why we want all secondary pupils to have the opportunity to learn Mandarin if they choose, either at their own school or a nearby school or college."