Students with previous Mandarin experience may be invited to an informal placement discussion or assessment so that they can join the most suitable level.

Students begin to recognise and use simple Mandarin in familiar classroom and everyday situations. 

Learning focuses on pronunciation, tones, greetings, numbers, family, classroom language and short sentences.

Students extend their vocabulary and sentence patterns. 

They practise talking about routines, likes and dislikes, people, places, time and simple activities while developing listening, speaking, reading and character recognition.

Students learn to understand and produce longer exchanges on familiar topics. 

Lessons develop reading fluency, sentence building, description, questions and answers, and practical communication for daily life.

Students work with broader vocabulary and more varied sentence structures. 

They develop the ability to describe experiences, express opinions simply, understand short texts and communicate in more situations.

Students strengthen their reading, listening, speaking and writing through longer texts and more detailed topics. 

They are encouraged to use Mandarin with greater independence in learning and everyday communication.

Students consolidate the six-book pathway and extend their ability to understand and communicate in Mandarin. 

Teachers review the student’s strengths and identify suitable next steps, which may include continued YCT-related learning, HSK preparation or a broader Mandarin class.

Some students may benefit from additional consolidation before moving to a higher level. This is a normal part of language learning.

• continue at their current level to strengthen their foundations;

• move to the next YCT book or class;

• receive additional support or consolidation work;

• be advised to consider YCT or HSK preparation when appropriate.

YCT and HSK examinations are not compulsory parts of our programme. Students can study Mandarin, develop communication skills and progress through the pathway without entering an examination.

When a student appears ready, a teacher may discuss examination options with the student and parent or carer. Any decision to enter an examination is voluntary and should reflect the learner’s readiness, wellbeing, learning goals and family preference.

YCT and HSK can give learners a formal record of their Chinese language ability. 

A result may help students, families and future teachers understand what a learner has studied and which skills have been developed.

HSK results may be relevant to some applications for study in China or to Chinese-language programmes. 

Requirements vary by institution, course and year, so students should always check the specific admissions information of the institution they are applying to.

Some Chinese-language study or scholarship opportunities may ask applicants to provide evidence of Chinese proficiency, and HSK results may be accepted for that purpose. 

This is not universal: each scholarship provider sets its own criteria, and holding a certificate does not guarantee an award.

Chinese language ability may be useful in some international, education, business, tourism, community and cultural roles. 

A YCT or HSK result can document language study, but employers consider many other factors and may require additional qualifications or practical experience.

Preparing for an optional examination can give some learners a clear goal and a sense of achievement. 

It can also help students identify areas for further practice. Other learners may prefer to focus on communication and cultural learning without taking an examination.

Learning Mandarin can help students communicate with more people, take part in Chinese cultural activities and engage more confidently with Chinese-speaking communities. 

Examination preparation can support this learning, but meaningful cultural exchange goes beyond test scores.