A day of small beginnings
A day of small beginnings
The British Vietnamese International School Hanoi (BVIS Hanoi) will launch a new Fundinotots education programme for children from their earliest days up to 36 months old from March this year.
This programme enables parents and children to familiarise themselves with the school environment and is a friendly place to meet other families with young children.
The programme will also provide the ideal environment for children that have perhaps never attended formal education before and a perfect opportunity for parents to consider making the transition from home to education. The preparation offered helps children adapt and prepare for life in the Early Years programme provided by the school.
With longer-term capacity aimed at four mornings per week, parents and carers will have an opportunity to bring their children to a safe and well-resourced school, staffed by well-trained teachers. The English National Curriculum provides the foundation of the programme, focusing on seven key developmental areas: personal, social and emotional development; communication and language; physical development; literacy development; mathematics; expressive arts; and understanding the world.
This UK-based programme has been many years in the making and forms the framework in which the various activities are structured. Children will learn through a range of age-appropriate activities: painting, physical movement in the soft play area, investigation in the covered sand pit and on larger play apparatus, through water play, music and dance, through time in the library surrounded by attractively illustrated books, and in storytelling. Throughout this range of activities, parents will be able to see the significance of this framework in assisting the development of the individual child.
While children are engaged in the stimulating activities in informal play sessions specifically designed with the children in mind, parents and carers can meet and discuss issues relating to the raising of their children and to wider educational issues, such as the fundamentals of child development, socialisation and communication. For parents, who will also be able to sit in on the children’s activities, this is an ideal time to share any concerns they may have and to talk through strategies with trained and experienced professionals. This transition phase in a very young person’s life can be a daunting prospect for new parents and so the programme is designed not only to engage the children but also provide a support network in the role of child rearing, how to educate and care in a rapidly changing world, and to instill the values necessary for 21st century living. Refreshments are offered to students, parents and carers during these morning sessions.
When former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education and Training, Pro. and Dr Tran Quang Quy, attended the official opening of BVIS Hanoi in April last year, he spoke briefly but very persuasively about the role of education in the development of the nation. There is, he declared, no better vehicle for affecting positive change than good education.
He also expressed a clear opinion that the education provided by BVIS Hanoi, with its strong focus on bilingualism, soft skills and pastoral care was something that had long been awaited in Hanoi. And so it appears to resonate with parents here. The school has seen notable growth for a new venture, as discerning parents weigh up options and select schools for their children. Student numbers this year alone have seen an impressive 80 per cent increase across the whole school.
The transition for very young children from home to school can often be a time of uncertainty and potential anxiety, so the introductory sessions are aimed at providing a smoother transition into school life for both children and parents. When this is structured within a safe and secure environment, with a programme of activities designed to help young children gently and purposefully explore their world, it offers an ideal and attractive option.
