The Ayrshire Confucius Hub was launched this week in the latest development of the Learning and Teaching Scotland-led Confucius Classrooms strategy to expand the study of Chinese languages and culture.
Based at Grange Academy in Kilmarnock, the hub will act as a link for teachers in East, North and South Ayrshire who are interested in teaching about China - whether it’s languages, history, culture or art across the curriculum. The school was selected because of its extensive work over recent years on China. Its teachers have been teaching Mandarin for the last few years and this year are offering it as an exam option for the first time; two groups of pupils have visited China on an exchange visit and representatives of the school hope to join Learning and Teaching Scotland on its next visit to China in March.
With considerable cross-curricular experience under their belts, Grange Academy teachers will be involved in outreach CPD work with other schools across the three Ayrshire authorities. The school has a teacher of Mandarin, a probationer teacher of Mandarin and a Chinese foreign language assistant on its staff.
