This week, our school community embraced the vibrant traditions of Lunar New Year. 

During their specialist weekly Mandarin sessions, our Nursery pupils learned about the Chinese Zodiac through storytelling. Mrs Adam explained the year of the horse in Chinese culture before guiding them through the different mandarin translations for each of the animals. 

Primary 1 pupils had a wonderful visit this week from the Confucius Institute Aberdeen who came to share their knowledge about Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated around the world. The children began with an engaging presentation where they learned how families celebrate Chinese New Year with special foods, decorations, and meaningful traditions. They discovered how to say “Happy New Year,” “Snake,” and “Horse” in Mandarin and enjoyed practicing their new words together. The learning continued with a creative activity, as everyone made a Horse craft to represent 2026, the Year of the Horse.

P1 and S1 pupils immersed themselves in Chinese culture as they enjoyed performances of traditional Lion Dances from Yee Hung Ga’s Ellon Branch. The children were captivated by the lions ‘Blaze’ and ‘Pepto’s’ energetic dancing before being covered in lettuce as good luck. 

Our Out of Hours Care team also welcomed staff from the Confucius Institute Aberdeen for after school creative crafting. The children enjoyed horse-themed activities, learning how to use chopsticks as well as learning the names of a variety of Chinese dishes.

Our S3 pupils played an even more active part in the week by participating in a Chinese Dance workshop. They enjoyed a hands-on experience, learning the choreography and developing their confidence along the way. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm as they embraced this important element of Chinese culture and had great fun dancing alongside their classmates.

S2-S6 pupils have been learning the art of Kung Fu with the help of Ian from Yee Hung Ga’s Ellon Branch. During the session, pupils were introduced to the fundamentals of the martial art and actively took part in activities designed to build their skills and try something new.

Mrs Adam, Teacher of Mandarin shared: “The pupils always think martial arts are very cool, some of them learned a little before, some of  them tried it for the first time, it is fantastic to see they are enjoying the workshop and learning about Chinese culture. “

Mr Campbell, Head of Languages said: “We are always pleased to give our pupils opportunities to celebrate important cultural traditions. Lunar New Year is a hugely important celebration for millions of people around the world, and marking it at the College offers a valuable chance for pupils to learn about different customs and to gain a wider understanding of the world beyond the classroom. It is always fantastic to see their interest and enjoyment throughout these activities.”