Nursery exchange practitioner from Singapore: 'Children are the same everywhere'

Nursery practitioners from Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Canada recently visited the UK as part of a talent exchange programme where 16 nursery workers shared knowledge about best practice from their native settings.

One nursery worker from Singapore, said that whilst there were some stark differences, for example, "many of their children leave nursery being bilingual", the children in both countries have the same “thirst for knowledge, and they love to explore”.

‘Outstanding’ nursery ‘very open to hearing ideas’

Ethel Chia is a curriculum specialist at a local preschool in Singapore called Odyssey The Global Preschool and has been an early years preschool teacher for five and a half years.

Her role at the pre-school involves curriculum planning, teaching and supporting community outreach. At the preschool there is an educational culture of collaboration, “focusing on the child as an active and competent learner, whilst celebrating the active role of the environment as the third teacher”.

Ms Chia says the early years setting has a vital training and development role too. She explains: “It also serves as a research and education hub for developing innovative and internationally acclaimed teaching curriculums to bring forth a unique Odyssey experience.”

The practitioner spent her exchange time in Busy Bees Derby Silvertrees, as part of the Busy Bees talent exchange programme. She says: “My nursery manager, Leanne Patrick, was very open to hearing ideas. We spent a lot of time sharing about our different cultures and experiences.”

Silvertrees was awarded ‘Outstanding’ in all areas at their most recent Ofsted inspection and the setting was singled out for the high quality of its professional development.

The Ofsted report said: “A well-targeted programme of professional development means that staff continually seek to improve their already excellent understanding of how children learn and of how to meet their individual needs. Staff are supported to develop their teaching practice to the highest level.”

In Singapore ‘children are grouped according to their birth year’

At the Derby Silvertrees Ms Chia was assigned to a class and it allowed her to interact and conduct mini activities with the children.

She noticed a different emphasis on subjects from what she was used to in Singapore and on age groupings.

For example, Ms Chia says in Singapore “the children are grouped according to their birth year - children who are born in in 2013 will all be in the same class”.

There is also a higher emphasis on gaining knowledge. Children are exposed to reading and writing in both English and Chinese. In most preschools, children learn two languages, English and Mandarin. Ms Chia says: “by the time they leave preschool, they are effectively bilingual.”

But the Singaporean also strongly believes that despite these differences of approach, young children are wonderful to teach because they have the same curiosity whatever country they live in.

She says: “Children are the same everywhere. They have a thirst for knowledge, and they love to explore. They have inquisitive minds and learn really fast!"

Global group shares ‘best practice from across the world’

Busy Bees Childcare held their Talent Exchange Programme in autumn last year when 16 childcare practitioners came together from Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Canada, where Busy Bees operate 214 settings.

The talent exchange program was designed to provide practitioners the opportunity to gain global exposure in their respective fields of expertise.

It provides its nursery practitioners with the unique opportunity to share best practice and experience, and over three weeks, the international guests visit Busy Bees nurseries across the UK and immerse themselves in the day-to-day running of each.

Simon Irons, Group chief executive, explains why he believes the exchange programme is such a valuable exercise. He says: “We felt it was important that all of Busy Bees’ senior management team were here today to welcome our international colleagues from our childcare settings across the world.

“As we’ve grown and expanded into new countries, it has given us the opportunity to explore similarities and differences in practice from across the world.”

click here for more details or to contact Busy Bees Nurseries Ltd