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ST GEORGES SCHOOL MEDIA RELEASE

FRIDAY 18th MARCH 2011

EDUCATION SECRETARY MICHAEL GOVE RECOGNISES HARPENDEN SCHOOL’S WORK WITH CHINA

‘CONFUCIOUS COMES TO HARPENDEN’

SCHOOL AWARDED $10,000 TO

FURTHER CHINA LINKS AND STUDIES

Harpenden’s St. George’s School congratulated at a special ceremony when over 20 schools in the UK received official endorsement of a new status.

 Conferring Confucius Status on the 1300 strong Sun Lane school Michael Gove complimented St George’s for its pioneering work with two schools in China and for developing the study of Mandarin.

 Since 2008 St George’s has worked with an elite academy in Beijing and a school in Shandan in the remote north west of the country near the Gobi Desert.

 Headmaster Norman Hoare and International Education Co-ordinator Barbara Gerwein have visited the schools twice with Deputy Chair of Governors Mrs Susan Fairbairn and a group of students and teachers.

 Thirty members of staff will have visited China by the end of this summer when the school’s Scott Willis, its second teacher to win a scholarship returns from a year’s study at Beijing University to strengthen St George’s Mandarin speaking staff.

Deputy Head Helen Barton (pictured right) receiving the commendation from Michael Gove at the London ceremony, was delighted to hear how St George’s work had been recognised at all levels and spoke of developments at St George’s:

 “ Mandarin and China studies are exciting and well established at St George’s.

 Our fourth summer camp party of sixth formers are preparing for a visit to Beijing.

 In addition 18 students are off on a three week expedition with World Challenge to Shandan in Gansu Province.

 We have an historic link with the province through the heroic work of Harpendonian and Old Georgian George Hogg which motivates all those who come across his story.

 Every pupil is introduced to his fascinating story in Chapels, assemblies and History lessons, and the exciting feature film ‘The Children of Huang Shi’ soon to be shown in the Public Halls courtesy of Harpenden Film Society.

 Money from the Chinese Government has enabled us to buy lots of resources and we expect to host our first exchange teacher from mainland China in September.”

The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust awarded the School Language Specialism three years ago and St George’s will once again contribute to their Annual Conference on China Studies for British schools at the Royal Academy in May.