The opening of the Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre was hailed a resounding success.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre held a grand opening. Picture: Supplied by the centreThe Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre held a grand opening. Picture: Supplied by the centre (Image: Archant)

The Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre is based at Howlands Baptist Church in The Commons and will provide Mandarin, Korean and Japanese courses for beginners, intermediate and advance levels for learners.

The goal is for the school to become an official GCSE and A-level Mandarin test centre in the next few years.

Managing director Chunping Bush said: “The community expressed a tremendous gratitude for our opening.

“Some said this is a Chinese school that they can call their very own at last.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre held a grand opening. Picture: Supplied by the centreThe Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre held a grand opening. Picture: Supplied by the centre (Image: Archant)

“We have the full support of the community, who wish our school every success so that local people do not need to travel to London in order for their children to learn Chinese.

“We have also had some people enquire about the Korean language for travelling.

“We aim to serve the growing Asian community in the Welwyn Hatfield area and local people who what to have the advantage of having a good command of Asian languages for their business and travel.”

The school is officially affiliated with the London Confucius Institute as an official test Centre for Mandarin proficiency test (HSK), Youth Chinese Test (YCT), Business Chinese Test (BCT).

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre held a grand opening. Picture: Supplied by the centreThe Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre held a grand opening. Picture: Supplied by the centre (Image: Archant)

The institute is a non-profit organisation that aims to promote Chinese language learning and teaching.

Chunping said: “Undoubtedly, there are challenges lying ahead to achieve this goal [becoming a GCSE/A-level test centre], but we are confident that the link with the London Confucius Institute should make our dream a step closer.”

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre held a grand opening. Picture: Supplied by the centreThe Welwyn Garden City Language and Tuition Centre held a grand opening. Picture: Supplied by the centre (Image: Archant)