With the fierce challenges and immense opportunities awaiting us in this new era, Ardingly College Zhongshan Primary School will provide a new and high quality educational starting point for a new generation of students. Through the integration of Eastern and Western culture and pedagogy, the development of individualised and distinctive student goals, and bringing together a group of outstanding educational talents, the future of our children is increasingly clear!
*The Primary School will open in September 2023
Ardingly College Zhongshan Primary School fully embodies the organic integration of Chinese and Western pedagogies, the core curriculum, which covers the national compulsory curriculum, adopts an inquiry-based approach to teaching, we focus not only on practice within a subject but also on engaging students enthusiasm for learning and supporting an in-depth exploration of all subjects. Additionally, learning is supported by ACZS’s extended and inquiry programme which seeks to provide additional breadth and depth across subjects throughout the Primary School.
With our innovative and academically robust curriculum, our multilingual learning environment, highly qualified teachers, personalised learning, and enrichment and pastoral provision, ACZS Primary School achieves all-round excellence, supporting each student in their creativity, and providing diversified opportunities and choices as students continue to develop in the future.
We are committed to cultivating our students to become global citizens who possess a profound sense of Chinese culture and national identity with the ability to understand and respect other cultures, and through positive aspirations become creators of the future world.
With a global vision, strong academic support, and abundant resources, Ardingly College Zhongshan seamlessly and deliberately integrates the essence of both Chinese and Western culture and aims to build a world-class modern holistic educational program with forward thinking characteristics and outstanding academic achievement.
'Personalised learning fosters lifelong learner’
At Ardingly College Zhongshan we know that no one can excel at everything, but every pupil can excel at something. We spend considerable effort to ensure that we find the interdiv of ‘TALENT’ and ‘INTEREST’ in every single student in our school, and help them to nurture, grow and refine those areas to support them in their continuous development towards excellence and being World Ready.
At ACZS Primary School, we strive excellence in everything we do. Through our three pillars, we are committed to helping students develop their strengths, achieve personal excellence and become the best version of themselves in all possible areas.
Distinctive features of technology, sports, and arts
Broad holistic curriculum
Clear language and differentiated features
The primary curriculum framework consists of four components: the National Core Curriculum, Higher Order Curriculum, Enrichment Curriculum and Pastoral Curriculum, and provides students a strong technological, sport and artistic identity, to complement the rigour of their academic study. The strong integrated curriculum increases students' basic understanding of subjects, develops higher-order academic thinking, enables them to develop new interests and potential talents, and fosters excellent social skills and the development of strong character traits, helping provide unlimited choice in their future studies.
Our signature ‘World Ready Programme’ is offered for all students in our primary school.
Here, children are able to develop their future global competence by enhancing their integrated knowledge and skills, solving complex social problems (such as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals from the United Nations), participating in exhibitions with international teachers, and undertaking Transdisciplinary Projects starting personally, then expanding locally, and finally globally.
Beyond the classroom there is another element in developing a holistic educational offering. Our Enrichment offering provides the opportunity for a student to further enrich their educational offering by further enhancing or developing a particular skill, interest or talent. Studies continue to show this enhances academic performance along with building key character and soft skills students will need in the future.
These enrichment programmes will consist of after-school extension activities (covering six areas: Academics, Sports & Fitness, Arts & Creativity, Science & Technology, Performing Arts and Social) and national and international competitions. Students can further develop their soft skills through these projects outside the classroom, while enriching their knowledge in different professional areas.
Deputy Head of Primary (Academics)
Master's degree in International Chinese Education
Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University
IB PYP workshop leader
Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction trainer certified by Lynn Erickson
More than 10 years of Teaching and Management experience in China and abroad
Has worked as the Academic Head of Primary and IB PYP Programme Coordinator in the Affiliated School of JNU for Hong Kong and Macao Students
Has led numbers of teachers’ trainings for many schools in and outside of China
Has presented a paper on "Selected Chinese Language Teaching Materials for Chinese Preschoolers" at the East Asia Academic Forum on Chinese Language Teaching held at Peking University, and gave a speech entitled "Soviet Discussion on Critical Curriculum Development" at the International Chinese Language Teachers' Forum
Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership
Juris Doctorate in International and Education Law
Holds an IB Head of School Certification
10 years of experience in bilingual education and management in China focusing on Kindergarten and Primary education
Specialising in the design and research of bilingual integrated programmes in K12 schools, helping more than 4,000 families and students gain admission to the world's top universities including Harvard, Cornell, NYU, Columbia, LSE, among others.
When we recruit teachers we look at several different things, first is the teacher's philosophy, a love of children and exploration are key attributes that every teachers must possess; in addition, teaching experience and personal professional background are of great interest to us. It is also important to ensure that the teacher understands the teaching methods of ACZS and are able to lead engaging lessons in an interdisciplinary way.
We began recruiting our teachers in April of 2022, a full 15 months before onboarding, and the rate of candidates submitting their CV to receiving an offer from us is about 5%.
A Bachelor’s Degree in the subject you wish to teach (or substantially related) from an accredited institution. (Essential)
Qualified teacher status or certified teaching licence permitting the individual to teach in her/his country’s national education system. (Essential)
Ability to pass a police clearance (Essential)
Full-time teaching experience. (Essential)
Experience teaching their subject in an international or Bilingual setting (or a top public school for key Core Subjects) (Essential)
Evidence of outstanding teaching (Essential)
Proven record of attaining top results through summative assessments or schemes of work (Essential)
Innovative, imaginative, and engaging approach to delivering and constructing lessons
A willingness to engage in school life beyond your own classroom to support the intellectual and socio-emotional development of students
Cultural understanding, sensitivity, and respect of diverse cultures
Pastoral care is central to our offering at Ardingly College Zhongshan; it affects and influences the educational journey a student experiences whilst at school. Our pastoral provision serves as the nurturing and developmental experience of the students in our care. Each child is unique, and each student has their own individual needs, potential, interest, limitations and opportunities.
This is the reason why we offer a well-established and comprehensive Pastoral Care programme (including Morning Pastoral Care, Well-being Classes and wrap-around Learning Support System) for all students at primary stage, is to help each child understand and utilise their own unique voice, choice and ownership.
Our pastoral programme focuses on always viewing and treating every child as an individual, in order to maximise the development of their potential. Our aim is to provide a transformative and supportive experience, fully developing each child’s strengths and ensuring they know and are confident in their values and identity, allowing them to thrive at school and enjoy happiness and fulfilment throughout their school experience.
The school aims to create an inclusive, safe learning community where all students and staff are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of individual differences including culture, beliefs, identity, gender, appearance, and personal capability. The purpose of our Pastoral Policy is to establish a caring, supportive, and safe environment, which values individuals for their unique talents and abilities, and in which all our students can learn and develop to their full potential.
Our pastoral provision is designed to meet the academic, social, counselling, boarding, safeguarding, and health needs of all students by integrating all aspects of the school experience to surround each young learner with total care. The health, safety, and well-being of every student is our number one priority.
With a unique understanding of international education and a deep insight into the future world and education, ACZS Primary School is actively working with a number of leading educational programmes and resources and is committed to providing an abundance of educational opportunities to families in the Greater Bay Area.
On Saturday 20th May, from 15:00 - 17:00, ACZS will be holding an Educational Seminar for families interested in our primary and middle school programme. If you share our educational philosophy or are interested in international education, please scan the QR code above to register!
One-Stop Interpretation of Educational Philosophy
Meet Our School Leadership Team
A Conversation About the 15-Year Growth Plan
