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Bringing Chinese New Year to Life at Bohunt School Worthing

Published: 2026-02-11 00:00:00
 Performers dressed in red and white traditional-style outfits hold red fans on a stage beneath a large screen reading “Brave,” with festival decorations behind them. The scene is part of a cultural celebration in an auditorium.

From 2 to 7 February 2026, Bohunt School Worthing, in partnership with the Confucius Institute at the University of Southampton, hosted a series of Chinese New Year celebrations. The programme was designed to deepen students’ understanding of Chinese culture through engaging and interactive experiences.

During school assemblies, students showcased dragon dance and Chinese fan dance performances, followed by introductions to the traditions and customs of the Spring Festival. Beyond the assemblies, a range of cultural activities took place both during lunchtime and throughout the week. At lunchtime, the school’s main hall hosted interactive workshops, including Hanfu try-ons, calligraphy practice, chopsticks games and traditional throwing-pitch activities. In addition, a series of week-long activities were organised across the campus, such as students receiving red envelopes from faculty and staff in exchange for New Year’s greetings, as well as a Chinese New Year–themed treasure hunt that encouraged wider participation and festive engagement.

The celebrations also reached beyond the school community. Students were invited to perform the Chinese fan dance at a Chinese New Year gala organised by CEDP in Brighton. The event was attended by Mayor Amanda Grimshaw BEM, and the performance was met with warm and enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Students wearing colourful traditional-style clothing pose together in a classroom decorated for a celebration. In the lower image, three students hold a red festive frame that reads “Happy New Year.” A school entrance is decorated with red lanterns, hanging ornaments, and a decorative dragon for a Lunar New Year celebration. Inside, a display features a bright dragon head and large letters spelling “BSW.” A group of performers in red skirts and white tops hold large red fans above their heads while dancing in a school gym. Students seated on the floor watch the performance. Students in a school hall watch a vibrant dragon dance performance, with performers in yellow costumes holding a long red and orange dragon. The dragon winds across the room as the audience sits on the floor observing.

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