TWO teachers have gone back to school as pupils to learn more about Chinese language and culture.

Gaynor Goodman teaches maths at Wyedean School in Sedbury and colleague Nic Fudge is a science teacher but on Wednesday evening they join local people taking part in free Mandarin lessons.

They spoke of their experience at a festival to mark Chinese New Year last week.

Mrs Fudge said: “It’s not just been learning the language. We’ve also been getting an insight into the culture which has been very interesting, and we have a lot of fun.

“It’s good for me to be on the receiving end — it’s been a long time since I was taught, and the fact that I find it difficult has been useful for me to recognise what it’s like for pupils.

Wyedean School in Sedbury has been working with the Confucius Institute in Cardiff, but it has brought in primary schools in both the Forest and Chepstow and hosts free Mandarin classes for the local community.

The festival, organised by modern languages leader Rebecca Simpson, included Chinese songs from pupils of Bream Primary School and Offa’s Mead Academy in Sedbury, demonstrations by the Chepstow Tae Kwon Do Academy and a traditional lion dance by students from Bristol University.

Wyedean’s headteacher Rob Ford said: “We know that Mandarin and looking at Chinese culture will be even more important as we go forward from 2016.

“We have been really fortunate to have this relationship with the Confucius Institute.

“We have Mandarin classes on Wednesdays between 6pm and 7pm for the community, we’re using Mandarin in schools and we’ve be able to work with primary schools on both sides of the border.

•See this week’s Review for more photographs.