Cranleigh School has opened its first school in China, with 370 pupils attending in the first week.
The UK independent school has partnered with China’s Cogdel Education Group to open a number of schools across the territory. The first is located in the city of Changsha in Hunan Province.
Within a year of agreements being signed with local authorities and investors, the school has been built and all staff recruited, despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
The school will be led by Andrew Griffiths, who was formerly deputy head of the UK school. He has not been able to get to China yet owing to travel restrictions but expects to be there soon.
“I am very excited to be heading up this unique initiative,” said Griffiths. “It will provide a fantastic opportunity for our Chinese pupils to experience a broad education enabling them to be fully prepared for careers in the global economy and have fun at the same time.
It will provide a fantastic opportunity for our Chinese pupils to experience a broad education enabling them to be fully prepared for careers in the global economy – Andrew Griffiths, head, Cranleigh School Changsha
“The successful opening is testament to the incredible dedication, hard work and adaptability of our partners at Cogdel to whom we are very grateful.”
Changsha’s 374 pupils are in three entry year groups at the start of the primary, middle and high school phases of education. Pupils will follow a Chinese education model in the primary and middle school sections with a strong emphasis on English and the core values of a Cranleigh education.
This will be taken further in the high school phase with GCSE, A-level and IB courses being taught, designed to assist student passage to UK, US and other overseas universities.
Collaboration projects have already commenced between pupils in the UK and China school. The next school is scheduled to open in September 2021 in the city of Chengdu.
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