BIEA’s 7th EYFS training has been successfully held in Hangzhou

From the 19th to 21st October, BIEA Early Years League (E-League) held its first British EYFS (0-3 years old) thematic training in Hangzhou. The teachers who participated in the training obtained BIEA Continual Professional Development (CPD) certificates. As the first EYFS training in China focusing on 0-3 year old children, teachers sharing a passion for EYFS from all over the country learnt a lot of fresh information from Angela Fedi, BIEA’s CPD Training and Quality Assurance Specialist.

The training focused on the educational content of 0-3 years old children in the UK and how one can effectively link this with EYFS. Its content included child observation, evaluation, teaching plans and the support provided by EYFS in developing positive relationships amongst the children — this received high attention from teachers. The teachers put forward some specific problems related to circumstances in their nurseries; Angela drew from her rich teaching management experience consequently to give instructive solutions to these issues.

In order to consolidate the EYFS knowledge of the teachers, Angela held an interactive game session that required teachers to classify different behaviours according to their own understanding. She divided the teachers into groups and asked them to design thematic activities for children aged 0-3. She then gave professional advice and guidance according to each group's design. In addition, Angela shared activity, weekly, and environmental plan examples for children based on the EYFS framework.

In the future, the BIEA E-League will expand the EYFS thematic training. Together with the BIEA Early Years League Qualification (ELQ) accreditation programmes, BIEA aims to bring the best support to teachers, providing more training in adapting EYFS, and more opportunities to visit excellent nurseries that will help E-League members improve the quality of education and establish authentic EYFS nurseries in their home countries.


The 6th EYFS training concluded successfully in Chengdu Station

On the 21st October, the BIEA Early Years League (E-League) successfully held a three-day EYFS training session in Chengdu. The teachers gained professional EYFS knowledge, as well as a deeper understanding of how nursery teachers in the UK work, with the help of BIEA CPD Training and Quality Assurance Specialist Angela Fedi. They were enthusiastic and expressed their excitement for next session’s agenda.

The EYFS training takes the interpretation of the early years education in the UK as a focus, and serialises the important contents of the key person system, teaching and learning methods, home education and child behaviour. Out of these, the teachers were most impressed with the contents of the key person system.

The key person system outlined in the British EYFS framework refers to the dedication of a staff member (teacher) in taking care of - and being responsible for - a group of children in nurseries. This makes the children feel safe and looked after, and the key person then assumes an important role in their growth. The implementation of this system is one of problems being encountered by Chinese nurseries.

After the training session, the teachers commented that they understood the importance of the key person system, which facilitates continuous evaluation in a child's growth, but were wary that the implementation of the system still requires adaptation to be successfully integrated into the Chinese nurseries. In addition, Angela further summarised the qualities that a key person should possess and the strategies they should master before visiting a child’s family. Teachers found the discursive element of the training to be valuable, as they could communicate with experienced British EYFS experts face to face.

On the last day of the training, Angela presented the Continual Professional Development (CPD) certificates to the teachers. With BIEA’s promotion of Early Years League Qualification (ELQ), its recognition in Chinese nurseries is getting higher.

In the UK, professionals like lawyers, doctors, or teachers must take a certain number of CPD courses per year in order to obtain a CPD certificate and upgrade their industry skills. BIEA ELQ also has the same requirements for the teachers of the accredited nurseries; this is also one of the factors determining whether the nurseries can achieve accreditation.


BIEA and Anhui Women's Federation reached a strategic cooperation

On 12th November 2019 the British International Education Association (BIEA) was pleased to welcome Wang Xijin, Vice President of the Anhui Women's Federation and delegates from the Anhui Province to its London headquarters. BIEA Secretary General Nikki Collins warmly welcomed their visitors. Together they discussed the promotion of British early years education globally, developments in STEM education, and international training and exchange programmes for female teachers, before signing a strategic cooperation agreement.

BIEA is a non-profit educational organisation that promotes British international education overseas, to meet the need for quality education in the international education market and to establish a direct dialogue with educators worldwide. BIEA’s early years education training and accreditation programme, which is based on the UK EYFS standard, has received global attention. The annual BIEA International STEM Youth Innovation Competition has also gained worldwide acclaim. The competition, which brings together technology, science and human ingenuity, has attracted enthusiastic responses from young people and teachers all over the world, with the 2019 event attracting participants from 34 countries and regions. Even more youth worldwide are set to take part in the 2020 competition, which addresses perhaps the most pertinent environmental issue that the world currently faces with its theme: “STEM (Stop) the Tide of Plastic Pollution”.

The Anhui Women's Federation is a leading force in the women’s movement in China. The organisation is responsible for promoting government policies on women and protecting women’s rights, including the livelihood and wellbeing of girls. It has made positive contributions to promoting economic and social development in Anhui Province and the progress of women's careers in China.

The partnership of these two organisations will address the demand for British-style models of both early years and STEM education in Anhui Province, as well as making a specific commitment to developing the skills of female teachers and students in the area.

The first phase of the two organisations’ work together will be the “BIEA Sino-British STEM Camp Project (Primary and Secondary School)” and the meeting this week involved detailed planning of this collaboration. During their visit, delegates also visited the esteemed British girls' school St Teresa's Effingham in Surrey and The Perse School in Cambridge, where they met with the principal of each school and spoke to teachers about their specific early years and STEM education programmes.

This new partnership marks a further strengthening of the connection between BIEA and China, following the recent announcement of BIEA’s partnership with Soong Ching Ling Science and Cultural Centre, which will lead on a regional version of the BIEA STEM competition, to be held in mainland China. The foundation of a promising relationship between BIEA and the Anhui Women's Federation has opened up new and important opportunities for students from Anhui Province to participate in STEM education. Through alliances like these, yet more young people across China will benefit from participating in this highly regarded international competition.


BIEA Representative Delivers Keynote Speech at International Plastics Recycling Conference "ChinaReplas2019"

The 2019 China International Plastics Recycling Exhibition and the 22nd China Plastics Recycling Conference (ChinaReplas2019) was held this week in Suzhou International Expo Centre on 7th - 8th November. The conference, which brought together over 130 exhibitors, was supported by the China Synthetic Resin Association, China Scrap Plastic Association, and the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisation. Alex Zhang, International Development Director of the British International Education Association (BIEA) was invited to attend and deliver a keynote speech entitled "STEM (Stop) the Tide of Plastic Pollution", alerting the audience to the theme of BIEA 2020 International STEM Youth Innovation Competition and BIEA 2020 STEM Conference.

In his speech, Alex referred to the technological revolution over a hundred years ago that resulted from the invention of synthetic plastics but he also highlighted how the revolution that was intended to benefit people has triggered today's environmental disaster. BIEA is committed to encouraging youth to use technology to find solutions to tackle contemporary social and environmental issues and recently announced the theme of the 2020 International STEM Youth Innovation Competition "STEM (Stop) the Tide of Plastic Pollution". The competition challenges young people to use science and technology to solve the problem of plastic waste in our oceans, in line with the rationale and ethos of "ChinaReplas2019".

The annual BIEA International STEM Youth Innovation Competition targets young people aged 9-21. Each year the competition has a different theme, which addresses a worldwide environmental or social issue. Competitors are required to use STEM to find solutions, integrating humanity with science and technology. The competition comprehensively trains and enhances STEM skills in young people through technical report writing, oral presentation, technical development, mission execution, evaluation and teamwork.

BIEA and China Synthetic Resin Association, the organiser of ChinaReplas2019 have recently begun a strategic partnership which aims to encourage young people to address the problem of plastic pollution via STEM. The two organisations will work together to promote the BIEA 2020 International STEM Youth Innovation Competition, jointly organising youth activities on the theme of plastics and establishing education exchange platforms and training in the field of plastics for young people, both in China and globally.