OPEN MORNING | SATURDAY 11 OCTOBER 2025 - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
  • Homepage
  • Admissions
  • Stanfield Prep
  • Senior School
  • Sixth Form
  • Merchants+ Facility Hire and Children’s Activities
  • Calendar
  • Events
  • Latest News
  • Contact Us
  • Job Vacancies
  • Alumni & Development
  • SOCS Sports
  • Stanfield Prep
  • Seniors
  • Sixth Form
  • Menu Spacer ALWAYS KEEP IN MIDDLE
  • Admissions
  • Our Family
  • Merchants+

MENU

MTGS China Trip 2016

At the start of October half term 35 girls and staff headed off to China, on a much anticipated cultural trip to Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai. Only Mrs Blagbrough and a couple of our girls had been to China before so there was some trepidation about how well we would handle the language, food (not to mention the chopsticks) and cultural differences. But from the first day, after meeting our guides and consuming two Chinese banquets, we were reassured that the days ahead would be a living dream.

A walk in the hutong (narrow streets) neighbourhood around Houhai, followed by some recuperation at our hostel, gave us a gentle introduction to Beijing, before a walk on the second day in Tiananmen Square, a place of so much history, and on through the Forbidden City, a place of so much mystery, before looking down on it all from the heights of Jingshan Park.

china-8174c

 Those who thought our girls would follow the guides’ confident statements in the evening that the food sold at the market stalls was ‘for photos only’ were very much mistaken – even they were surprised at the enthusiasm with which scorpions, lizard and starfish were consumed!


china-8316

 On Monday the smog lifted right on cue, allowing us to witness the Great Wall of China in all its glory. Some visitors review their trip to the Wall as overcrowded and underwhelming, but our tour company’s decision to take us to a ‘private’ section that was almost deserted, quite immense and very beautiful, left us all in awe. We wanted longer there but there was a banquet to be eaten and an acrobatics show to see back in the city … then another banquet when Amber laid claim to the title of ‘Queen of Dumplings’.
china-8384

Trips the next day to the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace introduced us to more intriguing history and splendid architecture (and a lot of enthusiastic locals wanting their photos taken with us) before jumping on our night train to Xi’an.

china-8655

 Xi’an is a city not that well known outside China, but the Terracotta Warriors were found near the city and put Xi’an on the international (and tourist/cultural) map – this was our first port of call after noodles for breakfast. To think the sculptures of thousands of warriors were buried with China’s first emperor in 210–209 BC to protect the emperor in his afterlife and remained undiscovered until 1974, is truly amazing. Our day was completed with a wonderful Chinese Burger (a specialty of the area) then a wander in a street food-market where anything and everything is prepared in great quantities right in front of you.

china-8702

The following day we visited the Wild Goose Pagoda and tried our hand at Chinese calligraphy, before going for a bike ride on the mighty Xi’an City Wall – great fun and a great way to see the city.

china-8876

So on to our second overnight train, to the vibrant (and, for us, wet) city of Shanghai. A trip to Shanghai Museum helped keep us dry and showed us snippets of the long, fascinating history of this country, before leaving to make an early arrival at our hostel to dry out and recharge our batteries (both biologically and electronically).

china-9046

The following day we started with the purchase of a job lot of umbrellas to help fend off the relentless rain, before walking around Yuyuan gardens and attending a tea sampling session – it was really interesting trying different teas and hearing about their medicinal qualities. After lunch the rain stopped, just in time for our trip to Shanghai Zoo to see not just one, but two types of panda found in the country, the ‘red’ and the ‘giant’. Not everyone agrees with keeping animals in captivity but it’s fair to say that most of us were quite taken by these rare and beautiful animals.

china-9191

Our penultimate day was one of the busiest and best of the trip, starting with a visit to a silk factory and demonstration of silk production – it’s easy now to see why the cost of silk clothing is so high. Onwards and upwards (literally) as we went up the Shanghai World Financial Tower, where we got amazing views over this magical city at the height of 463 meters. Then on to a floating restaurant on the river, before walking on the Bund, a walkway by the river overlooking the plethora of skyscrapers. A bit of souvenir hunting (or should we say bartering – at which some of the girls were very good) was followed by an evening cruise on the river to see the light show that is Shanghai by night – a real highlight.

china-9486

So to the last day and a visit to Xiangshan High School. We didn’t quite know what to expect, however the school was modern and clean and, from what we saw, the pupils were very studious and well behaved. After an introductory meeting, when Vicky, Sophie, Lucy and Freya gave a well received address in Chinese, we looked at the school’s art gallery, tried our hand at pottery and, after our school dinner, played badminton in a 10-court hall dedicated to the sport. It is a school specialising in arts and sport and it was impressive, educational and fun.

china-9503

china-9687

We just had time for another banquet and to sing happy birthday to Caragh, before saying goodbye to our guides, Darren and Lee, and to China. It is a mystical country that, over 10 amazing days, unravelled a little of its mystery and opened our eyes to the magic of the Far East.

china-9802

Thank you to the staff for their time, organisation and friendship on the trip, and especially to Mrs Blagbrough for organising such an amazing experience. Thank you too, to our clothing sponsors for making sure we looked good and for making us stand out to the locals who were always so keen to have their photos taken with us. China may be gone from our daily lives but it will certainly not be forgotten!

SHARE:

Previous Post All News Next Post

Latest News

  • Merchant Taylors’ Pupils Celebrate Excellent GCSE Results
  • Pupils Celebrate A Level Success Across Merchant Taylors’ Sixth Form
  • Merchant Taylors’ Celebrates Speech Day 2025 at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
  • Acclaimed Musicians Lead Inspiring Music Masterclasses at Merchant Taylors’ School
  • Introducing Our New Pupil Leadership Team
View All News

Upcoming Events

  • Summer Holiday Club 2025 on August 26, 2025 8:30 am
  • Summer Football Camp 2025 on August 26, 2025 9:30 am
  • Summer Holiday Club 2025 on August 27, 2025 8:30 am
  • Summer Holiday Club 2025 on August 28, 2025 8:30 am
  • Summer Football Camp 2025 on August 28, 2025 9:30 am
View All Events

Join our family

admissions information sign up to our newsletter

SHARE:

Back to top

Instagram Feed

Congratulations once again to our pupils on yester Congratulations once again to our pupils on yesterday’s GCSE results! 

Here’s what our new Headmaster, Mr Phil Dearden, had to say about their success. 📚✨
Dedication. Commitment. Success. Our pupils’ GC Dedication. Commitment. Success.

Our pupils’ GCSE results say it all.

Take a look at the headline stats from Results Day 2025 and join us in celebrating their achievements! 🎉📚
Congratulations to all our GCSE pupils who receive Congratulations to all our GCSE pupils who received their results today! ✨

Well done to you all - from remarkable individual achievements to shared success across so many subjects, we couldn’t be prouder.

Full gallery of images available via our Facebook page 📸
🌟 Merchant Taylors’ pupils are celebrating af 🌟 Merchant Taylors’ pupils are celebrating after achieving excellent GCSE results once again. 🌟

This year’s cohort has been rewarded for their hard work and commitment, with results that reflect both individual success stories and collective achievement. 

11% of all grades awarded were at the top grade 9, and almost a quarter (24%) were at grades 9–8, underlining the ambition and academic strength of this year’s pupils. 

In addition, 45% of all grades achieved were at 9–7, while 14 pupils achieved a full set of grades solely between 9 and 7, a remarkable accomplishment.

Read more via the link in our bio ⤴️
We wish our wonderful GCSE pupils the very best of We wish our wonderful GCSE pupils the very best of luck as they collect their results tomorrow. 

You have shown real resilience and determination, and we are immensely proud of everything you have accomplished.

This day is a well-earned opportunity to acknowledge your hard work and achievements. 🌟
After last week’s fantastic A Level results day, After last week’s fantastic A Level results day, we’re now looking forward to celebrating with our GCSE pupils on Thursday! 📚✨ 

It’s always a special day filled with excitement and pride. Here’s a look back at some moments from previous years as we prepare to mark another milestone for our pupils.

Good luck to all of our GCSE candidates, we can’t wait to celebrate your achievements! 🙌
Through community partnerships, we foster empathy, Through community partnerships, we foster empathy, service, and social responsibility, making Merchant Taylors' a force for educational good. 

Discover more via the link in our bio.
We are building a future-ready school where innova We are building a future-ready school where innovation powers learning, preparing adaptable, critical thinkers to lead in a changing world. 

Learn more via the link in our bio.
Merchant Taylors' image

ADDITIONAL INFO
Disclaimer
Privacy
Cookie Usage
Terms & Conditions
Website Credits

LINKS
Intranet
iSAMS – Staff Portal
iSAMS – Student Portal
iSAMS – Parent Portal
SOCS Login
SOCS Calendar
Library

 
Contact
Join Our Team
Policies
Events
Governance

Admissions: 0151 949 9366
Prep School: 0151 924 1506
Senior School: 0151 928 3308
Sports Centre: 0151 949 9355

The Merchant Taylors’ School
Liverpool Road
Crosby
Liverpool
L23 0QP

Our social links

© The Merchant Taylors’ Schools, Crosby
Company No: 6654276
Registered Charity No: 1125485

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT