45 LANGUAGE learners from Carisbrooke College enjoyed a completely free educational event in London last week when they attended a Mandarin Study Day at the BFI Southbank - the home of film and cinema academia in the UK. 

Carisbrooke College - which received a £2,000 cash prize from School Travel Organiser Magazine after winning the top award in the national Best School Trip category for their history trip to Vietnam - decided to use the winnings to fund this MFL trip in full, making the event completely free for all 45 students.

A selection of KS3 students from Years 7, 8 and 9 travelled up to the banks of the Thames for a full day of immersive learning focused on Mandarin and Chinese culture. The visit began with a morning session exploring GCSE themes of culture and family, followed by a series of engaging activities using key vocabulary from the GCSE Mandarin specification. Through analysing film clips by acclaimed Chinese directors such as Zhang Yimou and Jia Zhangke, students were challenged to develop their understanding of grammar and translation, before confidently contributing spoken responses in an auditorium filled with hundreds of Mandarin learners from across the country.

The world-class facilities of the British Film Institute were then used to their full extent during the afternoon session when a screening of Lulu Wang’s award winning film ‘The Farewell’ took place on the big screen. The movie, which revisited the importance of family, left students with a lot of questions regarding the differences in culture and the ethical implications of the story ignited many discussions on the coach journey back home. 

Jacob, studying Mandarin in year 8, said: "It was a long, exciting journey up to London and in the end it was 100% worth it because it broadened our Chinese knowledge by analysing scenes from a range of Chinese movies. The great thing was that the trip was completely free for us which is surprising as it was a long way to go and not the type of event we really get to attend here on the island very often. It has made me want to take Mandarin as a GCSE and use my language skills to travel more in the future."

Year 7 Mandarin student Jess said: “It's important for us to learn outside the classroom like this because we can meet other people who may be even better at it than we are. This whole event and seeing the other students there has inspired me to continue taking Mandarin as a subject at GCSE level”

Phoebe, who is also studying Mandarin in year 7 and spoke in front of hundreds of other students at the event said: "I was taking the event very seriously because I enjoy learning Mandarin so much and love discovering the culture. We got to hear people speaking the language while experiencing the film clips. I also liked being involved in the activities because I was able to show my teachers just how much I enjoy studying the language. I was really happy that the trip was free as it meant that not only was I definitely able to attend, but I did so purely because I've been doing well in lessons. When I am older, having these language skills will help with getting jobs."

Carisbrooke Mandarin teacher and Educational Visits Coordinator for the college Joe Briscoe said: “It was really refreshing to be able to invite so many students who have shown either talent or dedication towards their studies in Chinese up to this national event. The fact that we were able to use the winnings from a really successful earlier trip to provide yet another worthwhile learning experience outside of the classroom for our younger students is also particularly satisfying. Thank you to School Travel Organiser Magazine for ensuring that so many of our students could benefit from this inspiring opportunity. We find at Carisbrooke that when students have well planned, enjoyable, educational experiences beyond the classroom, it always increases enthusiasm and attainment back at school. Despite language learning in the UK being far behind other countries in terms of numbers, Carisbrooke students have shown through their focus, engagement and behaviour that the popularity of languages here and their enthusiasm for Mandarin in particular has never been more impressive."

Keeley Rodgers - editor of School Travel Organiser Magazine, who awarded the money to Carisbooke said: "I’m so pleased to hear that the Mandarin Study Day was a success – what an incredible experience for the students to have. Not only has this trip created long lasting memories for those involved but has also massively enhanced their studies – it could certainly not have been replicated just in a classroom. Congratulations again to Carisbrooke College on their ‘My Best School Trip’ Award win and here’s to even more adventures ahead!”

Carisbrooke College is part of the HISP Multi-Academy Trust and prides itself on offering world class, life changing experiences for students both inside and outside the classroom. Students at the college are currently preparing for a skiing trip to Austria, a journey around South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique later this year as well as another epic Mandarin adventure - this time around Taiwan - planned for 2027.