英国中文学校校长论坛.ppt

英國中文學校 校長論壇,UK Chinese Schools Headteachers Forum,哈勞中文學校 Harlow Chinese School,二零零八年八月九日 09/08/2008,校長論壇 Headteachers Forum,歡迎 Welcome,論壇安排 Arrangements,12 noon - 1 pm Lunch 1 pm to 4 pm Discuss Chinese Schools 4 pm End,校長論壇 Headteachers Forum,Opening Speech Philip Li Harlow Chinese School,Objectives,Short term Highlight some of the urgent needs faced by Chinese Schools. Exchange of skills and share resources. Medium- term Assess the future of Chinese Schools in the medium to long term. Organise the Chinese Schools to become more united. Planning for the future to improve Chinese Schools. How to implement the plan.,Why are the headteachers of Chinese Schools meeting today?,Currently, Chinese Schools in the UK are facing a number of challenges: Shortages of fund. Recruiting and retaining good teaching staff. Renting school classrooms.,Current Status - Schools,There are approximately 200 Chinese Schools throughout the UK. Most schools are renting classrooms. Two bodies providing Curriculum and text books: Cantonese UKFCS 英國中文學校聯會 Mandarin APCE 中文教育促进会 Heavily dependent on volunteers as staff. Very short of funds. Operate at weekends only.,Current Status School Income Structure,Reliable income: Fees Irregular income: Fund raising Small donations MHL, UK Chinese Education Foundation Small funding from local councils,Challenges - Buildings,Chinese schools mostly rent classrooms from organisations such as local schools, churches, and community centres.,Rented buildings Advantages: No maintenance Economical Appropriate Used in weekends Disadvantages: High rents Access restrictions Possible problems from staff at the school. Difficult for parents, pupils and teachers to meet socially.,Why are owned school buildings so important?,Advantages: Regular long term place familiar to pupils and parents. A place where teachers, pupils and parents can feel they “belong” to. A meeting place for parents, pupils and children. The school and teachers can create an environment conducive to learning. Avoid the problems associated with renting school classrooms. Not paying rent.,Disadvantages: Cost too much to buy and operate a building to be used only at the weekend. Long term high maintenance costs.,Challenges - Staff,Nearly all the staff in Chinese Schools are volunteers,Advantages Dedicated people Economical Less red-tape Disadvantages Wide range of teaching abilities and skills Number of qualified teachers may be low,End of opening speech,Main Speech,What can we do?,Plan,Get as many schools on board as possible within the next 3 to 6 months. Form a company, raise capital by selling shares to investors. Funding in place: Appoint a small number of full-time staff to run the Headteachers Association in suitable premises (Avoid volunteers in this case). Headteachers Association to work with the professionals listed below. Engage professional people on board to implement the plan. Surveyor Responsible for our building needs. University Education Department Tutor To advise and train Chinese teachers for our school needs. Coordinate and possibly apply for funding on behalf of schools and perhaps initiate some form of lobby work to local and central Governments for funding of Chinese schools. To work with member schools to understand their needs and then build up a profile of member schools so that appropriate resources can offered. Present progress report to head teachers of member schools,Form a Headteachers Association?,Do we need a body like a Headteachers Association ? It can do: Unite most if not all the Chinese Schools in the UK. Perform school management duties such as: fund schools, maintain high standards of teaching and learning, provide school buildings (both owned and rented), fund teacher training to supply qualified teachers into Chinese Schools. More effective use of existing resources and personnel.,Unite Chinese Schools,Current State of Schools Nearly if not all schools operate independently. Very little communication or co-operation between schools. No centrally co-ordinated policies, or standards of teaching and learning. Unable to lobby for any funding from governments because of the fragmented nature of schools in UK.,Reasons to unite schools Closer communications and co-operation between schools. Less feeling of isolation and more of working for a larger organisation. Sharing and exchange of ideas and resources. Centrally co-ordinated policies may help towards smoothing out uneven standards of teaching and learning. United schools have more clout when it comes to negotiation and bargaining with external organisations such as governments, suppliers, etc. Economy of scale cheaper bulk purchases.,Funding,Challenges Not centrally funded. Lack regular local council funding Limited funding from Chinese businesses. Restriction on level of school fees Fund raising those schools with good connections can raise more money than other schools.,What are the solutions? Proposals: Form a private company to invest the capital raised to fund schools The company will raise capital from investors buying shares in the company. A percentage of the profit will be used to fund Chinese Schools in the UK. Regular fund raising activities. Consider raising school fees to more realistic levels. Unite all the Chinese schools so that we can lobby for our funding needs from local and central government.,Solutions - Buildings,Exploit the possibility of cheaper commercial properties in the current economic climate, e.g. the Chinese Workers Mutual Aide Association in London. Buildings are extremely expensive at present, but with the anticipated drop in prices for commercial properties, there may be opportunities to “buy low” now and then “sell high” in a few years time.,The private company formed by investors in Chinese Education can invest in buildings to generate income by renting the shop part of the building and then open the other floors to operate the school at the weekends. Rental income can be used to fund other schools. Advantages: Permanent building for schools in areas which are attractive to businesses, e.g. a building located in central London, where rental income is high. Excess rental income can be used to look after schools that need help. Possible to mortgage the property when property prices recover in the future to fund the acquisition of other school buildings. Provide long term security for Chinese schools based on the long term commitment of the private company backed by assets and income from property rentals. Disadvantages: Schools in areas not attractive to investment will not receive the benefit of their own building. There may be a “fight” to obtain a school building amongst schools in commercial area such as London. A degree of commercial risk involved in the property business.,Quality teachers,Work with University Education Department Tutor To advise and train Chinese language teachers for our school needs, e.g. Goldsmiths, University of London. Choose teacher carefully for training Effectively deploy the trained teacher to maximise benefit to school,Investment Company,Why do we need an investment company?,Easier to ask people to invest