Billions of people in China and the rest of the world speak Mandarin, and in fact it’s believed to be the most widely-spoken language across the globe. This A level provides access in terms of communication and the ability to connect with people from all over the world; from a business point of view the advantages of being able to do so with anyone involved in Chinese markets, one of the richest cultures in the world, is clear. International businesses tend to hire people who speak more than one language; China’s economy is booming and business leaders are constantly searching for people who speak the language alongside English, and are able to appreciate and operate successfully in a Chinese cultural context. Mandarin A level also offers students the opportunity to learn about and appreciate the culture, values and beliefs of those speaking the language, and immersing themselves in the culture, literature and arts is as much a part of the course as learning the language itself. Learning a modern language at A level provides a greater depth of understanding of the language, grammatical competencies and broadens vocabulary to the point where students are able to converse and debate realworld issues.