Chase High pupils visit China on Nanjing exchange

Ten Year 10 pupils from Chase High recently took part in a 10-day cultural and educational visit to China as part of the Nanjing Sister Cities Students Camp Programme.

The visit provided pupils with a unique opportunity to experience Chinese culture, history, education and technology, while strengthening the relationship between Southend and its sister city, Nanjing.

During their time in Nanjing, the pupils visited their sister school, where they took part in traditional lantern-making and experienced the school’s innovative rooftop farm. They also explored key cultural and historical sites, including the Confucius Temple, Purple Mountain Observatory, Sun Yatsen Mausoleum and Nanjing Museum.

A particularly significant part of the visit was a trip to the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, giving pupils the opportunity to reflect on the impact of war and learn more about an important period in history.

The group also gained an insight into China’s rapidly developing technology sector, visiting the Nanjing AI Agent Distribution Centre to see robotics and AI-assisted technology in action. In Shanghai, they visited the Shanghai Museum and explored the famous Bund.

As part of the exchange programme, pupils represented Southend by delivering group presentations to representatives from the Nanjing Municipal Education Bureau and partner schools, as well as sharing aspects of their own culture and local history.

The trip offered pupils an enriching experience beyond the classroom, helping them to develop their understanding of another culture, build international connections and gain new perspectives on history, education and the world around them.