Chinese local authorities can jointly apply with their UK partners for the Connecting Classrooms fund for mutual visit in 2012. Click here for more details.

If the 100 Headteachers visit programme is considered as the very beginning of the District Link framework, a reciprocal visit should be the next step to effectively consolidate long-term cooperation based on school partnerships.

Supported and funded by the British Council, this programme enables the headteachers of the participating Chinese schools under the “Connecting Classroom” project to visit the UK schools for one week. During the week, the Chinese delegates will visit their British partner schools and have professional dialogues with their UK counterparts in the areas of education strategy planning, school management, teaching and learning methodology as well as best practices. The two parties are also encouraged to use this opportunity to plan future exchange or cooperation projects so as to lay a consolidated foundation to develop long-term, stable and sustainable joint-curriculum projects between the schools of the two districts.

“Though the UK headteacher introduced their school when he came to visit last year, what I’ve experienced for myself in the UK is more impressive. The reciprocal visit strengthened our trust and understanding and helped develop the cooperation action plan for the next year” (Headteacher from Chancheng District, Foshan who participated in the reciprocal visit to the UK in 2009)

“Though sometimes we also bend down to talk to our students, the teachers in the UK always kneel down to communicate with their students. So the students feel we are all equal, the teachers and students are equal with each other.” (Coordinator of the reciprocal visit to the UK)