Click to read the Primary National Curriculum for MFL
Click to read the Curriculum overview for MFL
At New City, our pupils learn one of the oldest and most widely spoken language in the world: Mandarin Chinese. They will be taught by native, Chinese-speaking teachers, or 老 师 (Lǎoshī). During lessons, students will not only learn the language, but also become immersed in one of the world's oldest and richest cultures throughout each term. Each year group will focus on a new and dynamic topic each term. In year 5, the children will demonstrate their knowledge by taking the internationally recognised exam: the Youth Chinese Test (YCT).
Every year, children will also participate in traditional Chinese festivals such as Chinese New Year in the Spring term. They will learn about China and other Chinese speaking areas around the world. Being given the opportunity to communicate through both oral conversations and written tasks in Mandarin Chinese will allow our pupils to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese.
Throughout their education, children will learn to read and write over 3000 Chinese characters, known as ‘hanzi’, as well as the written pronunciation called ‘pinyin’. As children become more familiar with these symbols, they will become more capable in visual communication and visual art skills, as well as developing these skills, practising writing these symbols can help children to improve their fine motor skills and spatial recognition.
Mandarin is one of the most spoken languages in the world, and the language that most of the world’s business is conducted in. We want to set our students up for success and give them the opportunity to broaden cultural relationships and students' cultural capital. We actively encourage children to open their minds to dynamic and exciting cultures.
