英國漢字學校

校長論壇UKChineseSchoolsHeadteachers’Forum哈勞漢字學校HarlowChineseSchool八月九日09/08/1/26校長論壇

Headteachers’Forum歡迎

Welcome2/26論壇安排

Arrangements12noon-1pmLunch1pmto4pmDiscussChineseSchools4pmEnd3/26校長論壇

Headteachers’ForumOpeningSpeechPhilipLiHarlowChineseSchool4/26ObjectivesShort–termHighlightsomeoftheurgentneedsfacedbyChineseSchools.Exchangeofskillsandshareresources.Medium-termAssessthefutureofChineseSchoolsinthemediumtolongterm.OrganisetheChineseSchoolstobecomemoreunited.PlanningforthefuturetoimproveChineseSchools.Howtoimplementtheplan.5/26WhyaretheheadteachersofChineseSchoolsmeetingtoday?Currently,ChineseSchoolsintheUKarefacinganumberofchallenges:Shortagesoffund.Recruitingandretaininggoodteachingstaff.Rentingschoolclassrooms.6/26CurrentStatus-SchoolsThereareapproximately200ChineseSchoolsthroughouttheUK.Mostschoolsarerentingclassrooms.TwobodiesprovidingCurriculumandtextbooks:Cantonese–UKFCS英國漢字學校聯會Mandarin–APCE漢字教育促進會

Heavilydependentonvolunteersasstaff.Veryshortoffunds.Operateatweekendsonly.7/26CurrentStatus–SchoolIncomeStructureReliableincome:FeesIrregularincome:FundraisingSmalldonations–MHL,UKChineseEducationFoundationSmallfundingfromlocalcouncils8/26Challenges-BuildingsChineseschoolsmostlyrentclassroomsfromorganisationssuchaslocalschools,churches,andcommunitycentres.RentedbuildingsAdvantages:NomaintenanceEconomicalAppropriate–UsedinweekendsDisadvantages:HighrentsAccessrestrictionsPossibleproblemsfromstaffattheschool.Difficultforparents,pupilsandteacherstomeetsocially.9/26Whyareownedschoolbuildingssoimportant?Advantages:Regularlongtermplacefamiliartopupilsandparents.Aplacewhereteachers,pupilsandparentscanfeelthey“belong”to.Ameetingplaceforparents,pupilsandchildren.Theschoolandteacherscancreateanenvironmentconducivetolearning.Avoidtheproblemsassociatedwithrentingschoolclassrooms.Notpayingrent.Disadvantages:Costtoomuchtobuyandoperateabuildingtobeusedonlyattheweekend.Longtermhighmaintenancecosts.10/26Challenges-StaffNearlyallthestaffinChineseSchoolsarevolunteersAdvantagesDedicatedpeopleEconomicalLessred-tapeDisadvantagesWiderangeofteachingabilitiesandskillsNumberofqualifiedteachersmaybelow11/26Endofopeningspeech12/26MainSpeech13/26Whatcanwedo?14/26PlanGetasmanyschoolsonboardaspossiblewithinthenext3to6months.Formacompany,raisecapitalbysellingsharestoinvestors.Fundinginplace:Appointasmallnumberoffull-timestafftoruntheHeadteachers’Associationinsuitablepremises(Avoidvolunteersinthiscase).Headteachers’Associationtoworkwiththeprofessionalslistedbelow.Engageprofessionalpeopleonboardtoimplementtheplan.Surveyor–Responsibleforourbuildingneeds.UniversityEducationDepartmentTutor–ToadviseandtrainChineseteachersforourschoolneeds.CoordinateandpossiblyapplyforfundingonbehalfofschoolsandperhapsinitiatesomeformoflobbyworktolocalandcentralGovernmentsforfundingofChineseschools.Toworkwithmemberschoolstounderstandtheirneedsandthenbuildupaprofileofmemberschoolssothatappropriateresourcescanoffered.Presentprogressreporttoheadteachersofmemberschools15/26FormaHeadteachers’Association?DoweneedabodylikeaHeadteachers’Association?Itcando:UnitemostifnotalltheChineseSchoolsintheUK.Performschoolmanagementdutiessuchas:fundschools,maintainhighstandardsofteachingandlearning,provideschoolbuildings(bothownedandrented),fundteachertrainingtosupplyqualifiedteachersintoChineseSchools.Moreeffectiveuseofexistingresourcesandpersonnel.16/26UniteChineseSchoolsCurrentStateofSchoolsNearlyifnotallschoolsoperateindependently.Verylittlecommunicationorco-operationbetweenschools.Nocentrallyco-ordinatedpolicies,orstandardsofteachingandlearning.UnabletolobbyforanyfundingfromgovernmentsbecauseofthefragmentednatureofschoolsinUK.ReasonstouniteschoolsClosercommunicationsandco-operationbetweenschools.Lessfeelingofisolationandmoreofworkingforalargerorganisation.Sharingandexchangeofideasandresources.Centrallyco-ordinatedpoliciesmayhelptowardssmoothingoutunevenstandardsofteachingandlearning.Unitedschoolshavemorecloutwhenitcomestonegotiationandbargainingwithexternalorganisationssuchasgovernments,suppliers,etc.Economyofscale–cheaperbulkpurchases.17/26FundingChallengesNotcentrallyfunded.LackregularlocalcouncilfundingLimitedfundingfromChinesebusinesses.RestrictiononlevelofschoolfeesFundraising–thoseschoolswithgoodconnectionscanraisemoremoneythanotherschools.Whatarethesolutions?Proposals:FormaprivatecompanytoinvestthecapitalraisedtofundschoolsThecompanywillraisecapitalfrominvestorsbuyingsharesinthecompany.ApercentageoftheprofitwillbeusedtofundChineseSchoolsintheUK.Regularfundraisingactivities.Considerraisingschoolfeestomorerealisticlevels.UnitealltheChineseschoolssothatwecanlobbyforourfundingneedsfromlocalandcentralgovernment.18/26Solutions-BuildingsExploitthepossibilityofcheapercommercialpropertiesinthecurrenteconomicclimate,e.g.theChineseWorkersMutualAideAssociationinLondon.Buildingsareextremelyexpensiveatpresent,butwiththeanticipateddropinpricesforcommercialproperties,theremaybeopportunitiesto“buylow”nowandthen“sellhigh”inafewyearstime.TheprivatecompanyformedbyinvestorsinChineseEducationcaninvestinbuildingstogenerateincomebyrentingtheshoppartofthebuildingandthenopentheotherfloorstooperatetheschoolattheweekends.Rentalincomecanbeusedtofundotherschools.Advantages:Permanentbuildingforschoolsinareaswhichareattractivetobusinesses,e.g.abuildinglocatedincentralLondon,whererentalincomeishigh.Excessrentalincomecanbeusedtolookafterschoolsthatneedhelp.Possibletomortgagethepropertywhenpropertypricesrecoverinthefuturetofundtheacquisitionofotherschoolbuildings.ProvidelongtermsecurityforChineseschoolsbasedonthelongtermcommitmentoftheprivatecompanybackedbyassetsandincomefrompropertyrentals.Disadvantages:Schoolsinareasnotattractivetoinvestmentwillnotreceivethebenefitoftheirownbuilding.Theremaybea“fight”toobtainaschoolbuildingamongstschoolsincommercialareasuchasLondon.Adegreeofcommercialriskinvolvedinthepropertybusiness.19/26QualityteachersWorkwithUniversityEducationDepartmentTutor–ToadviseandtrainChineselanguageteachersforourschoolneeds,e.g.Goldsmiths,UniversityofLondon.ChooseteachercarefullyfortrainingEffectivelydeploythetrainedteachertomaximisebenefittoschool20/26InvestmentCompanyWhydoweneedaninvestmentcompany?Easiertoaskpeopletoinvestbecausetheycangetthe