14/2/2025
During the past three weeks, Nottingham Confucius Institute (NCI) staff and student volunteers have been actively delivering Chinese language lessons and cultural workshops in local schools as part of their Chinese New Year celebrations. More than 1,800 pupils from nine primary and secondary schools participated in these engaging activities, learning about Chinese traditions and culture.
The schools involved in the celebrations included:
- Henry Whipple Primary School (30 January, Year 5 – 30 pupils)
- Florence Nightingale Primary School (30 January, Year 3 – 42 pupils)
- Nottingham High School (31 January, Year 3 & Year 4 – 100+ pupils)
- Middleton Primary School (6 February, Year 4 & Year 5 – 5 pupils)
- St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School (7 February, Reception to Year 6 – 420+ pupils)
- Haydn Primary School (10 February, Reception to Year 6 – 420+ pupils)
- Rushcliffe School (30 January–12 February, Year 8 to Year 11 – 80+ pupils)
- Alderman White School (30 January–12 February, Year 7 to Year 11 – 420+ pupils)
- Nottingham Chinese School (8 February, Reception to Year 6 – 300+ pupils)
Students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in various traditional Chinese arts and crafts, such as paper cutting, origami, calligraphy, brush painting, and dumpling making.
The response from both school staff and students was overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what they had to say about the experience:
“The children had the best time! Your staff were fabulous; calm and engaging. Our teachers were all so pleased with the wonderful session delivered in their classrooms – there was so much creativity and enjoyment. There was a real buzz around the whole building”
“I have even had a parent telling me about their child reciting stories in the bath tub of why the cat doesn’t have a year ! The children are so fortunate to have these valuable and enriching opportunities so please say thank you to the team for this! ”
‘I really enjoyed them teaching us the zodiac because I liked how they went through them one by one’
‘They were really kind and the activity we did was really fun’
‘I love my rainbow snake!’
‘I enjoyed watching the video of the cat to learn the animals.’
‘I liked finding out what year I was born in.’
‘It was fun making the snake from colourful paper.’
‘It was hard to remember them all but I liked learning some Chinese words for the different animals.’
~ENDS~
Posted on Friday 28th February 2025