Education and training services

Tender description

Background: China is a country of huge strategic importance to the UK and education plays a key role in developing that wider relationship with important economic, educational and diplomatic benefits. The Government firmly believes that learning other languages is important in our globalised economy, as well as helping pupils to prepare for life in modern Britain. On 22 September the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced funding of 10 000 000 GBP for at least 5 000 additional pupils to be taught Mandarin in schools in England by 2020. Brief description of service. The purpose of the programme is to deliver a minimum of 5 000 speakers of Mandarin on their way to a high level (HSK level IV, V, Chinese GCSE and A Level) of fluency by 2020. This does not include native Mandarin speakers. A key requirement of the programme is to implement a rigorous programme of study to the most able students. Schools must also be equipped with the resources and teaching expertise to provide this with confidence. The contract will include break clauses at the end of each year and an option to extend. The programme will: — start in September 2016 with year 7 pupils, be demanding and intensive and focus on a relatively small number of schools; — be rigorous and involve the study of Mandarin by the most able and motivated pupils for eight hours a week made up of a combination of class-time teaching, after school teaching and self- study; — supply a sufficient number of teachers that are recruited and trained centrally; — embed effective, sustainable teaching practices that will continue to increase Mandarin teaching beyond the funding of this project. — give pupils an experience of China through visits and/or online contact; and Estimated value: DfE estimate the contract value to be 10 000 000 GBP (including VAT) over 4 years. The contract will include break clauses at the end of each year and an option to extend. Length of contract: A period of 4 years (ending 31 March 2020), including break clauses (related to KPIs) at the end of each year and the option to extend for up to a further two years at the end of the contract. The scope of this contract may be extended following future, as yet unknown, developments which fall within the scope of the original contract aims, up to a further value of 20 % of the original contract value without the need to tender. Any such changes including revised costs would be agreed with the contractor.