Congratulations to the following schools whose students have been successful in reaching the finals of the Mandarin Speaking Competition!

	School Category   Brighton College, East Sussex Beginner Calday Grange Grammar School, Merseyside Beginner Dartford Grammar School, Kent Beginner Dean Close School, Gloucestershire Beginner George Heriot's School, Edinburgh Beginner Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College, London   Beginner Hillhead High School, Glasgow Beginner Leith Academy, Edinburgh Beginner Malvern College, Worcestershire Beginner Reading School, Berkshire Beginner St Paul's Girls' School, London Beginner The Queen's School, Cheshire Beginner Calday Grange Grammar School, Merseyside Intermediate George Heriot's School, Edinburgh Intermediate Heathfield School, Harrow Intermediate Lincoln Christ's Hospital School, Lincolnshire Intermediate New Hall School, Essex Intermediate Our Lady's Convent High School, London Intermediate Queen Mary's Grammar School, West Midlands Intermediate Royal Masonic School for Girls, Hertfordshire Intermediate St Paul's Girls' School, London Intermediate Wellington College, Berkshire Intermediate Wycombe Abbey School, Buckinghamshire Intermediate Calday Grange Grammar School, Merseyside Advanced Loreto Grammar School, Cheshire Advanced Malvern College, Worcestershire Advanced Brighton College, East Sussex Group Calday Grange Grammar School, Merseyside Group George Heriot's School, Edinburgh Group Grange Academy, East Ayreshire Group Heathfield School, Harrow Group Kingsford Community School, London Group Leith Academy, Edinburgh Group Madras College, Fife Group St Ninian's High School. Isle of Man Group St Paul's Girls' School, London Group Wellington College, Berkshire Group

Applications for the 2011/12 HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese Speaking Competition have now closed.

Take part in the HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese Speaking Competition and you could be heading off to Beijing in April 2012!

This competition gives you the chance to test your Mandarin Chinese speaking skills in front of an audience of schools from all over the UK and a panel of illustrious judges.  

The competition is for UK secondary school students* who are non-native speaking learners of Mandarin Chinese who have learnt the language from scratch with no advantage. For full details of eligibility, please read the Terms & Conditions.

*UK, Channel Island and Isle of Man secondary school students, sixth form and FE college students in years 7-13 (England, Wales, Channel Islands and Isle of Man), years S1-S6 (Scotland) and years 8-14 (N. Ireland).  Students in England in the equivalent of years 7-9 e.g. in preparatory or middle schools are also eligible to enter.

In the Individual Language Ability section, with the following categories: Beginner; Intermediate and Advanced, the judges are looking for real communication and presentation, not rehearsed performance.  The winner of each category will be someone who has really got to grips with the Mandarin language appropriate to their level of learning.   

In the Group Performance section, for five or six participants from at least two year groups of the same school or college, the judges are looking for a group drama performance which has all the participants joining in and using the language. For supporting information to schools entering the Group Performance section and using PowerPoint presentations, please click Group Performance Slide.  

Full details of what is involved in each section and category are in the Judging Criteria.

The prize of a week long cultural visit to Beijing (5-13 April 2012 inclusive) for the winning students is only a part of the attraction.  Winners and their teachers are clearly proud of their achievements and the kudos that winning brings, and everyone benefits from the rehearsals and presenting or performing in front of others. If you make it through the regional heats there is a whole day at the British Museum in London for the final, with extra activities provided to see Chinese exhibits and learn more about Chinese culture.

New school entrants are very welcome, even if you have only recently started to teach Mandarin on or off the curriculum.

Important dates

Final – 10 February 2012 at the British Museum

Winners’ trip to China – 5-13 April 2012

We are extremely grateful to Newcastle University and Routes Into Languages North East and to the British Museum for generously hosting the northern heat and competition final.  We would also like to thank the LSE Language Centre for their valued support in the holding of the London heat at the LSE.

Footage of last year’s competition

BBC News film

British Council film

Contact details

If you have any questions that are not answered by the information above please contact the British Council on:

Tel: 0161 957 7755; Email: chinaschools@britishcouncil.org