Two teachers from Asia will be visiting the Isle of Wight for ten days in June.  Huang Wei and Lin Xiaoyu, are both members of staff at the Chongqing Renmin Primary School in the Chongqing region of China, will start their Island School Tour on the 5th June 2007.

Huang Wei is the school’s Assistant Principle and Lin Xiauyo is the Deputy Director as well as an English teacher, they are coming to the Island between 5th – 14th June and during their tour they will visit four schools.

The teachers will visit Trinity Middle in Newport on June 5th, where they will be given a tour of the building and meet the staff and pupils.

On June 6th the two VIP’s will visit Sandown CE Primary where they will be introduced to the staff  and pupils.  The children intend putting on a performance of dancing and singing during a special assembly before the special visitors join in lessons.  This will include teaching the pupils parts of the Chinese language and also showing them how to draw Mandarin symbols.

Dianne Christopher from Sandown CE Primary who organised the trip said:

“I am really looking forward to meeting our Chinese guests. The school they are from is one of excellence, especially in the Arts, and I know all the pupils and staff at the schools they will visit can’t wait to meet them and hear about the cultural differences between our two countries”.

The ten day programme for the visit will also include visits to Arch Bishop King and Trinity middle schools and Newport CE Primary School where they will be given a similar welcome and tour to that at Sandown Primary.

Ms Wei & Xiaoyu will also be given a tour of the catchment areas of each school. They will meet with representatives from Isle of Wight Council on 11th June and a tour of the Island’s main tourist attractions – such as The Needles and Carisbrooke Castle – is also on the agenda.

Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet Member for Schools Leadership & Governance Patrick Joyce said:

“International links between schools are a great way to learn the cultural differences between education here and across the world. I look forward to meeting Huang Wei and Lin Xiaoyu who I am sure will be very impressed by the schools they will visit as well as the sights of our Island.”

Simon Butler
Media & Communications Officer
Isle of Wight Council
Island Pulse