Pupils from Cherry Tree Hill Primary and Portway Junior School in Derby have returned from the trip of a lifetime after embarking on an unforgettable educational visit to China.
The schools, who are part of the Odyssey Collaborative Trust, joined forces to take 22 Year 6 pupils on a week-long cultural exchange to Shanghai and Hefei in May, creating an experience to broaden horizons, develop life skills, and experience a different approach to education.
The experience was made possible through the schools’ partnership with the Global School Alliance, which connects schools around the world to promote international collaboration.
After visiting China as part of a headteachers’ delegation in 2024 and welcoming Chinese pupils to Derby, leaders at Cherry Tree and Portway worked with the Alliance to establish sister-school links and create the opportunity for their own pupils to experience Chinese culture and education first-hand.
More than 18 months of planning went into the project, with staff from both schools working side-by-side on everything from safeguarding and logistics to preparing pupils and their parents for time spent away from home.
Regular joint ‘China club’ sessions enabled the children to get to know one another before travelling, meaning they arrived in China not as two separate schools but as one united team.
During their visit, the children immersed themselves in Chinese culture by attending lessons in local schools, learning traditional calligraphy and martial arts, trying authentic cuisine, visiting historical sites via high-speed rail, and experiencing cutting-edge educational technology including robotics, drones and AI-powered interactive learning tools.
For many, it was their first time travelling so far from home.
Olivia Ball, age 11, who joined the trip as a pupil from Portway, said: “I was definitely really scared because I’ve always been scared of planes, but once we got there it was amazing. I’d tell anyone to take opportunities like this because you learn so much.”
Henry Cope, age 11, added: “The trip taught me that I can cope with being away from home and that trying new things is worth it.
The food was really different, and it was brilliant learning about another culture.”
One of the most memorable aspects for the children was the friendships they built with their Chinese buddies.
Jaxson Brazier, age 11, and a pupil at Cherry Tree Hill, said making friends across the world was one of his highlights: “It showed me that you can get along with people from different countries even if they speak another language.
“Everyone was so welcoming and kind, and we had so much fun together.”
Kaja Nasionkowska, age 10, particularly enjoyed the cultural activities: “Learning Chinese calligraphy and seeing how the schools were different was really exciting.
“It made me want to keep learning about other countries.”
Emma Wilkinson, headteacher at Portway Junior School, said: “This was so much more than a school trip.
“It gave our children experiences that simply cannot be recreated in a classroom and helped them develop resilience, independence and confidence.
“Watching them embrace every opportunity and return with a new perspective on the world has been incredibly rewarding.”
Paul Appleton, headteacher at Cherry Tree Hill Primary, said: “We wanted to inspire our pupils to dream big and understand that the world extends far beyond their own neighbourhoods.
“They returned more confident, more curious and with memories and friendships that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
Back in Derby, the impact of the trip is continuing to be felt. The pupils have brought home educational resources from their partner school, including mathematical puzzles to use in class, as well as fresh ideas and experiences they are eager to share with their classmates.
