Let education happen naturally!

Chengdu-based Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden joins the BIEA E-League

Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden is the latest member to link up with the BIEA E-League. The nursery has successfully integrated the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) teaching system alongside Chinese culture and the Taiwanese conservation system.

Each nursery member that has joined the BIEA E-League has developed teaching characteristics based on the Early Years Foundation Stage concept in the British schooling curriculum.

Development is key

Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden is located in Chengdu, Sichuan province. It covers an area of 9,112 square metres, with a garden area covering 7,400 square metres, giving Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden a reputation of being a true ecological education nursery. The nursery provides professional and standard childcare services for children aged 0-5, bridging classes for children aged 5-6 and natural camp activities for children aged 6-12. The educational concept of “Let education happen naturally” is fully reflected in the teaching services of the entire nursery.

“'Development is Important' is a key theme at the school – and encompasses the seven major areas which increase enthusiasm within the classroom and enable an understanding, creating a favourable environment for EYFS education to flourish.’’

The early years education system in the UK is centred on children - and advocates children's learning and development through the use of games. Childrens' early years education learning goals are achieved through the EYFS teaching cycle and the EYFS key person system, with the BIEA E-League being one of the main projects of the British International Education Association that promotes British style education overseas. Since Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden became a member of the BIEA E-League, the nursery has adapted the EYFS system in order to meet their own needs, by operating a system that integrates EYFS with Chinese culture.

Main Focus

Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden’s main focus is the education of children aged 0-5, however the nursery provides education activities in tandem with nature, tied in with Anglo-Sino integration, for older age groups. The nursery also provides sensory experiences and natural art activities for children aged 3-5, natural life and science activities for children aged 6-8, natural development and physical training for children aged 9-10, and wilderness survival and forest challenge activities for children aged 10-12.

The setting of these thematic activities are closely related to British wildlife education, which is reflected in the EYFS teaching methods. Additionally, Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden sent a key teacher to participate in the BIEA E-League EYFS training in Guangzhou, Guangdong province to equip themselves with EYFS training methods.

Accreditation and training achievements for teachers

At present, Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden's teachers have obtained the nationally recognised nursery teacher certificates. It is anticipated that with a highly skilled team of teachers trained in the BIEA E-League EYFS setting, a rich curriculum resources, and the support of British experts and resources, it will become a highly recognised and outstanding international education centre.

ELQ certification and professional teaching standards

Furthermore, Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden is working towards gaining ELQ certification, while early years institutions working with the EYFS system are eligible for ELQ accreditation from the BIEA. ELQ accreditation works alongside four core standards: an education programme, inclusivity, organisation and management, and children’s well-being. All four core standards are based on a number of key factors, with accreditation taking up to 12 months to complete, subject to an on-site review and assessment.

The BIEA E-League expects Inbay Starson Nature Education Garden to achieve international recognition and a professional ELQ certification in the near future, with professional teaching standards and school quality adhering to the British curriculum.

 


Preliminary ELQ Inspection of the Yubei Royal Care International Kindergarten

Sharron Fogarty, the head of British International Education Association E-League, carried out an initial review of the Royal Care Kindergarten on August the 20th.

Sharron’s initial review examined all aspects of the nurseries procedures – teaching planning, observation record keeping as well as management procedures and teaching methods etc – with reference to Early Years Qualification (ELQ) standards.

Sharron had interviews and discussions with the Director and teaching staff after observing the methods used in the classes.

After this initial review Sharron expressed the expectation that the nursery would become the first EYFS nursery in China to obtain an ELQ.


African Teens STEM Award – Conservation of endangered African wild dogs with drones

On September 3rd 2019, the British International Education Association was delighted to present the ‘Best Participation Award’ to Team Eagles from CEDEC International Secondary School Nigeria for their impressive effort at the annual BIEA International STEM Youth Innovation Competition. The team missed the grand final due to a string of passport and visa issues, but they were determined to make it to London.

In the hour-long session at the historical Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum, 11th Grader Phebe Joshua, Ekene Umegakwe and Abraham Aniekwe gave a presentation of their research project on the Conservation of African Wild Dogs in front of BIEA’s STEM Chairman David Hanson, Sarah Castle, Vernon Creek from the RAF Museum, and Nigerian High Commissioner His Excellency Ambassador George Adesola Oguntade.

The audience learnt about the conservation challenges facing Africa wild dogs and how the team proposes to deal with the issue. Only an estimated 6600 African wild dogs, including 1400 mature specimens, still exist in the wild, in countries such as South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Chad, Benin, Central Africa Republic, and Namibia. The species has already gone extinct in Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, and Burundi.

David commented that the young students' performance showed ‘a level of great maturity and consideration to the current ecological issue facing the world’. The High Commissioner was equally impressed and congratulated the team on their achievement, ‘At these young ages, you’ve already mapped a niche for yourself, I have no doubt that you will become celebrities in no distant time.’

The registration is now open for the BIEA 2020 International STEM Youth Innovation Competition. Please sign up on https://bieacompetition.org.uk/register-your-interest/


Early years teachers fully enjoyed and appreciated the BIEA UK summer study tour

The BIEA summer school on early years education ended on August 19th after nine days of activity. The studying teachers had many discussions with British nursery teachers and principals. They gained an understanding of the curriculum and management practice applied  in British nurseries.

EYFS expert, Claire Berridge, gave a talk on early years British educational practices concerning children under the age of three.

British outdoor education practitioner, Ingrid Chen, gave a lecture regarding the delivery of the curriculum to the study group, with many questions about outdoor education proposed. How do teachers perform risk assessments in outdoor venues prior to a forest themed class? What rules should there be when holding outdoor classes? Is there a classic game related to outdoor education practice?

The teachers attended an outdoor class at London’s Lion Square Park to help them understand what problems could be encountered when delivering such a class.

The study tour has given the teachers a better understanding of the internationally recognised British early years education system and its integration within the EYFS framework. The teachers visited The Little Angel Nursery, a very well-resourced establishment, where they learnt how UK nurseries deal with child accidents and mishaps. At the well-respected Willow Children’s Centre, the study group experienced organising and developing outdoor activities for children. The teachers also had an interview with the Holland Park Pre-Prep Nursery bursar, Phil Chilling, and were given examples of documenting the learning and development details of a child’s growth.

Study abroad enhances a teacher’s understanding of any advances concerning the development of education practice internationally; the British educational framework is one of the most recognised early years educational systems. The BIEA has been organising UK tours for overseas early years educators, which has enabled them to be at the front of current British educational practice. The BIEA anticipates that more visits to British nurseries will be organised to inspire early years teachers from around the world to develop new teaching methods and to support overseas nurseries in implementing the British EYFS framework in meeting BIEA’s Early Years Learning Qualification (ELQ) standards.


A group of Chinese early years teachers were awarded British CPD Certificates after BIEA training

Early years teachers from all over China obtained British Continuing Professional Development (CPD) certificates at a BIEA training course on August 15th 2019.

Sharron Fogarty, BIEA's head of EYFS teaching, delivered the training based on three modules – observation, evaluation, and planning.

The teachers were divided into teams and asked to watch videos of the activities of some children in a nursery. Referring to the publication's “EYFS Aims” and “Development is Important”, the teachers observed the effective learning characteristics of the children and recorded those observations.

Sharron reviewed the observations, then explained and clarified any key points that the teachers had failed to note. Sharron found that the teachers were unfamiliar in linking the EYFS observation record switch the EYFS child development records, she then explained how to link this with the development goals.

Sharron believes that: “This kind of simulation teaching method can quickly test the teachers’ understanding of EYFS related knowledge and help to place that EYFS content closer to the actual teaching needs as well as supporting the Chinese teachers in integrating EYFS methods into their teaching.” Sharron also explained real-time planning for EYFS teaching methods.

The BIEA E-League EYFS themed training conforms to the British CPD standard. Each participating teacher earns CPD credits to prove the depth of understanding of the British EYFS framework that they have achieved. It is important that nurseries with CPD certified teachers advance to take part in the Early Years League Qualification (ELQ) accreditation that is developed by the BIEA.

With the extensive promotion of BIEA accredited nurseries, more teachers will participate in EYFS training and obtain the CPD qualification. BIEA E-League will continue to improve the course content of the EYFS training, thereby enabling more early years teachers to obtain certification, and more nurseries to become ELQ compliant.

The teachers involved in the training also visited the Beijing Royal Care International Kindergarten.