Hi there!
I'm Angela, Head Teacher of Thames Chinese Club, a specialised Mandarin language school based in London. We cater to families who want their children to learn Mandarin, but lack the time, resources, or network to fully support this at home.
I was born in Taiwan and moved to London to study for my Masters degree. I met my husband, stayed and started a family, while working as a Chinese teacher in London Primary Schools.​When our children were young we split our time between Taipei and London, but as they grew up I worried they would lose their appreciation of the language and culture of my birth country. ​This led me to TCC and from early beginnings running a single class, we have steadily expanded and now teach across West and South-West London from Kingston to Kensington!
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Although we have a fabulous team of teachers I remain active as a teacher for TCC and am an accredited Teacher of Chinese as a Second Language (TCSOL).
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If you're interested in giving your child the gift of bilingualism, we'd love to show you how Thames Chinese Club can help!
Parents say it best
Most of our new learners come from referrals - we think that says it all, but don't just take our word for it, hear what some our TCC parents have to say!
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Belinda
What's changed for your child since starting lessons?
My son genuinely looks forward to his lessons - his teacher makes learning fun through activities rather than making it feel like a chore. The real proof has been on our travels to Chinese-speaking countries since he started: he’s grown so much more confident asking questions, reading characters, and even translating simple phrases for others in the family. It’s been wonderful to see the lessons come to life outside the classroom.
What would you tell another parent who's on the fence?
Just go for it! You’ll be amazed at how quickly children pick things up when learning feels enjoyable rather than forced. Give it a real chance and let your child surprise you.
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Hui-leng
My daughter ADORES her Chinese teacher, Iris. She incorporates singing and games into the lesson, making it fun and interactive. I can hear peals of laughter from downstairs most weeks. She is much braver about trying to speak some simple Chinese now.
April
What's changed for your child since starting lessons?
Since starting lessons with Angela, my children have become much more confident using Mandarin to communicate. My son also recently achieved a Grade 8 in his GCSE Chinese, which was a very pleasant surprise and something we are incredibly proud of! I would definitely recommend Angela to any parents looking for a Chinese teacher who can make learning enjoyable, engaging and rewarding.
What would you tell another parent who's on the fence?​​​
It’s never easy to encourage children living overseas to learn Chinese, as most parents will know! My children have been taking Chinese classes with Angela for several years, and they have always really enjoyed their lessons. Angela is incredibly encouraging and always finds creative ways to engage and interact with my children, making learning Chinese enjoyable rather than a chore. Compared with other classes we’ve attended, which were often very work-focused, Angela’s approach is different. She builds the children’s interest and confidence first, before gradually focusing on reading and writing.
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Janet
My kids are native English speakers and there is no way they would use Chinese in daily life. During the lessons, they learn Chinese words and also the culture and festivities. Angela is their favourite teacher, so patient and kind.
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​​Geraldine
What's changed for your child since starting lessons?
My son is able to understand spoken mandarin as well as written Chinese since starting the lessons. He recognises the Chinese characters and is able to write them.
What would you tell another parent who's on the fence?
The lessons are interactive, with the teacher speaking to all the children, and they take turns to respond to her. Sometimes the children play games to enhance their understanding of Chinese words learnt in the lessons.
Kelvin
What's changed for your child since starting lessons?
I still remember how frustrated and reluctant Caspar was to attend his first few Chinese lessons, despite the patient teaching from you and Miss Jessie. I persuaded him that it would take a year to catch up with the Chinese level of the others. Now, he thoroughly enjoys the group lessons.....You, Miss Jessie, and Ms Iris have patiently guided them to understand Traditional Chinese words and culture (such as "Be quick", "Eat First", "Delicious", and "Inexpensive and good"). He understands and processes the content well.
What would you tell another parent who's on the fence?
Arabic and Chinese are two of the most difficult languages for English speakers to learn. If you want your children to have a strong connection with Chinese in the future, you must expose them to it at a young age. Thames Chinese Club provides a well-structured syllabus and excellent learning materials to build that foundation. Furthermore, Angela and her team are completely devoted to teaching and supporting the children whenever they need it. The best moment to join is now, before that window of opportunity passes.
Sophia
My boy enjoys every class and is getting interested in Chinese gradually, a great sign for keeping learning going. Happy to hear him say he really likes his Chinese lessons!
Chia-Yih
Chinese lessons with TCC are fun! My children's vocabulary has improved a lot. Teachers keep them engaged with a variety of methods including songs and word games. I would highly recommend TCC.
Gwen
We are really lucky to find TCC and Angela! The teaching is interactive and tailored to my daughter's interests. She enjoys the lessons and has learnt so much about Chinese culture and festivals.
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Our Vision
At TCC our goal is to help children learn Mandarin Chinese in a supportive and inspiring environment so they can communicate with accuracy, flair and confidence.
We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn this globally important language, now more than ever.
Our Values
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We believe in Serious Fun
Children learn best when inspired and having fun, but this is not the same as ‘messing about’. If we all just did whatever we liked we wouldn’t progress towards our goals.
So, while we make our lessons as fun and engaging as possible, we also expect students to take their studies seriously and to make progress through our curriculum.
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We believe in Regular Lessons and Structure
We understand parents and carers lead busy lives and it can be tempting to opt for maximum flexibility when choosing extra-curriculur activities. However, we believe students benefit from structured, regular learning.
Of course, students may need to miss the occasional lesson, but we believe a 'drop-in' model is detrimental to progess. Hence, we follow a termly model of weekly lessons.
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We believe in Growth (not Fixed) mindset
Someone with a growth mindset views intelligence, abilities, and talents as learnable and capable of improvement through effort.
Learning another language can be challenging, but we strongly believe anyone can become proficient in Mandarin Chinese through regular, repeated effort in a supportive and encouraging environment.
Meet the team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
We're super lucky to work with some of the brightest (and nicest!) teachers in London. All of our language teachers are native speakers, and are all of our team are highly experienced in working with children.
Jessie - Chinese Tutor
A hugely experienced teacher of both Chinese and English Jessie has taught in schools and universities in Taiwan and here in London!​
Jessie also holds an MA in Applied Linguistics and a BA in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language as well as attending Mandarin Summer Camp at Saginaw State University in the USA.
Sylvia - Chinese Tutor
(Mandarin & Cantonese)
A native speaker with a Master's in Chinese Language and Literature from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sylvia brings over 10 years experience across schools in Hong Kong including IB schools. Trained in Positive Education and Social Emotional Learning, she takes a warm, student-centred approach to every lesson.
Jocelyn - Chinese Tutor
A native Mandarin speaker and accredited lecturer by Taiwan's Ministry of Education, Jocelyn holds an MBA in International Business and is currently completing her MSc at UCL. She brings a structured, analytical approach to teaching and is passionate about helping students build confidence and fluency.
Iris - Maths & Chinese
An experienced teacher of both Chinese and Mathematics, Iris specialises in creating supportive and engaging lessons for students of all ages and abilities.
In Maths she prepares students for 7+, 10+, and 11+ entrance exams, and she teaches Chinese with a patient, encouraging approach.
Sangeeth - Maths Tutor
A UCL Economics and Statistics graduate with A* in Maths and Further Maths, Sangeeth has been tutoring since 2020 and has helped students gain places at top Russell Group universities and grammar schools.
Sangeeth teaches Maths from KS3 to A-Level across all major exam boards.
Angela - Head Teacher
Born in Taiwan and educated in London, Angela took over running TCC to make high-quality Mandarin tuition accessible to families who want their children to grow up bilingual.
An accredited Teacher of Chinese as a Second Language (TCSOL), she remains active as a teacher alongside leading the TCC team.