Their prize is a trip to China (From Gazette Series)

Their prize is a trip to China

A GROUP of six students from Katharine Lady Berkeley's School have won an all-expenses-paid trip to China after winning their category at the British Council 2004 Mandarin-speaking competition.

Ben Comber, year 12, Rachel Caldwell, Annie Watson, Emma Mullins, Rhian Davies, and Michela Garland, all year ten students, took part in the drama category, performing a scene from The Monkey King.

The play had to be relevant to China and included stick-fighting, dramatic movements and gymnastics. The team beat 14 schools to win the trip to Beijing from December 16 to 23.

The judges at the competition, held in Derby, commented on the professionalism and high standard of Mandarin from the group.

The school also had success in the speech category, where participants give a two minute speech, answered three questions on China and translated a passage into Mandarin Chinese. The final part of the competition was composing a story in Mandarin from a picture.

Jenny Jones, year ten, came third in the Key Stage Four category, while Lacey Timbrell came second in the Key Stage Five section.

Michelle Tate, head of Oriental languages, said, "The best thing is that this competition has involved students from different year groups and classes who study Chinese.

"The group really gelled together and are very grateful for the help they received from the drama department at school and their supportive parents. "I am proud of the self-motivation from the children to learn their lines in Mandarin. It was a real team effort. I am extremely impressed with Jenny and Lacey who prepared their own speeches in Mandarin and were confident enough to compete alone."

Headteacher Andrew Harris added: "This result is an acknowledgement of all of the hard work put into the event by the pupils and Mrs Tate. It puts Katharine Lady Berkeley's School at the top of the schools who teach Mandarin".

Later this month the school will be hosting a group of teachers and pupils from Shanghai as the preliminary stage of arranging an exchange between the schools. The visitors will be hosted by families and will spend their time either on visits or conducting workshops in school.