The uncertainty about future funding is having an inevitable effect on our plans for the future. Part of our vision for North Lincs young people is to increase the entitlement for them to learn about China by encouraging further new links. Ideally these would be targeted to give secondary schools with a strong commitment to Mandarin the chance to have their feeder primaries linked to the project. This would be easier to plan for if a further three year grant of some description was given.
We aim to carry out an honest evaluation of the strength of all the links and work on the weaker schools to either sever the link in negotiation with the Bureau or re-ignite it with help from other schools and the council.
North Lincolnshire's support for curriculum enrichment based on the assets of the Chinese education system is a new focus. Ideally we will have a programme of morning exercise combining east and western ideas for use in our schools. We also want to extend programmes for Mandarin and music tuition. Applications will be made to China Now to combine an area wide celebration of our links with placements from Chinese sport and music teachers to train staff and students linked to the ongoing PE and music projects.
Han Ban Centre: we continue to seek local funding to support the building of a centre. Staffing and resources will then be sought via a range of routes including Han Ban. We have the support of Leeds and Dalian Universities. Several schools are planning to take pupils to China in 2008.
Inclusion: The successful special school link is one we would wish to build on to enhance inclusion in North Lincolnshire and show what can be achieved with an international focus, but also to support the development of inclusion in China. There are training opportunities that we would wish to foster through a range of funding opportunities. The secondary special school will take the lead in this area.