Tzu Chi Academy London (TCAL) is a Sunday Mandarin language school, operated by the Taiwan Buddhist Compassion Relief TZUCHI Foundation UK (TZUCHI Foundation UK) and located in Woodford, North East London. Currently, it is the only Tzu Chi Humanities School in both the United Kingdom and Europe.
TCAL was re-opened in September 2018 to promote the overseas education, aligning with one of the four major missions of Taiwan Tzu Chi Foundation. We combine humanistic education, cultural activities and Chinese language education to nurture children’s moral values and instil the Tzu Chi humanitarian spirit of “compassion, joy, giving, sincerity, integrity, and honesty.” Through the study of the Chinese language and participation in cultural activities, we aim to foster interest in both learning Chinese language and culture among second-generation overseas Chinese as well as those with no Chinese background.
With the core teachings of gratitude, respect, love, and compassion, TCAL aims to deliver a solid Mandarin language programme to its students, alongside “Jing Si Aphorisms” and humanistic education.
Our campus is located at Woodbridge High School, where our students and teachers enjoy their learning and teaching in a well-equipped modern learning environment.
The school offers nine classes, ranging from Reception to GCSE, as well as two adult classes funded by Taiwan OCAC, catering to the needs of students’ parents. Classes are held every Sunday morning during the academic year.
In January 2024, we launched the Taiwan Centre for Mandarin Learning (TCML) at Tzu Chi Academy London with sponsorship from Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), becoming the third institution in the UK.
The centre aims to promote Taiwanese culture and traditional Chinese written characters for adults (aged 18 and above) and non- Chinese speakers in Woodford and its surrounding areas. We hope to engage more people from British mainstream society and the local community, encouraging them to begin their Mandarin learning journey and discover more about Taiwan!
