CARISBROOKE STUDENTS EXPLORE THE FAR EAST!

30 students from Carisbrooke College and the Island VI Form recently returned home from a cultural and linguistic journey into the heart of Asia, travelling across China on a once in a lifetime MFL trip. The students, who all studied Mandarin Chinese at Carisbrooke, spent 11 days in October travelling overland to four Chinese cities via key cultural and historical sites along the way. After arriving among the modern, bustling skyscrapers of Shanghai, they soon left to visit the Terracotta Warriors in the ancient city of Xi'an, headed off the beaten track to the old communist stronghold of Yan'an before finally ending up in the capital Beijing, exploring the Great Wall of China. While in the country, all travelling was done using coaches and overnight sleeper trains to increase exposure to the language.

Mandarin teacher and trip leader, Mr Briscoe said:

"This was very much an educational experience and gave learners as many opportunities as possible to use their language skills, experience the culture up close and develop their confidence and independence. Watching students grow on a trip like this can be a really satisfying experience for a teacher, and although the scale and scope of it can be incredibly daunting for them, once again every single person grabbed the opportunity with both hands, pushed themselves to the limit and were hopefully rewarded by a truly life-changing experience. I’m really proud of every single young person and incredibly grateful for the awesome team of Carisbrooke staff that made it a reality!"

Although the trip was primarily designed to ensure learners used their Mandarin skills to communicate, it was also carefully constructed to offer a range of life experiences and provide first-hand knowledge to complement topics in history, geography and RE.

Tali Jones, who is currently studying for a GCSE in Mandarin at Carisbrooke College said:

"This trip has only boosted my desire to see the world even more. I think that after coming back from seeing a new place like this I feel better educated, more aware, more understanding and a lot more mature."

Student Leo Clack said:

"While the culture was very different from ours at times, it was easy to adjust to and I was made to feel part of something very inclusive and friendly . Now that I have visited China, I am far more open to travelling to other places across the world - something that I was more reluctant to do before this trip. "

While in Beijing, Mr Briscoe arranged for two of Carisbrooke's previous Chinese Language classroom assistants to meet up with them to help students with their language and accompany them on some of their excursions. He said:

"I think those reunions were really important to show the students that the world isn't such a big place, friendships can last and that you can sometimes find a friendly, familiar face in the most surprising of places".

Student Sophie Sanders said: "

From this once-in-a-lifetime trip I have gained so much; the confidence to speak to people (especially in the Chinese markets and to the locals) as well as an eagerness to travel the world. China was so eye-opening for me and just highlighted that there is so much more of the world to see. I can’t wait to travel some more".

Student Molly-Nora Harwood said:

"I loved being surprised by myself. I really hope that I can continue travelling as this has been one of the best weeks of my life."

Carisbrooke College, which last year won the School Travel Organiser's My Best School Trip award along with £2000 prize money for their history trip to Vietnam, prides itself on offering life-changing experiences for students both inside and outside the classroom.

CARISBROOKE STUDENTS EXPLORE THE FAR EAST!

China Trip 2025