In this interview, Harry talks about teacher training, the induction process, and what makes Hangzhou DSAS a great place to develop and grow your education career.

1. What are some features of the school that make it unique?

The International School is easily one of the warmest environments I’ve worked in. Our staff have plenty of time to plan and deliver their lessons, which means we have high quality learning happening right across the school.

We’ve got very small class sizes with, on average, about 10 students per class. As a result of this smaller community, we have a very close relationship with our parents. Teachers know them by name and communicate with them on a regular basis.

This intimacy, warmth and congeniality is a palpable feeling that you can feel in your interactions with people.

This is also reflected in the student work that is displayed on walls in staff offices, classrooms, and corridors. We have a genuinely pleasant environment in which to work here.

2. In terms of teacher training, what are some areas that you find teachers need the most help with?

An area that keeps coming up is EAL provision. As we are a bilingual school, the level of English is quite diverse. While we have a big chunk of native level speakers, we also have students whose English is less advanced.

A big part of the professional life of our teachers is getting better at helping those students with the language support they need. This is an area that we continue to place time and attention on.

Finally, we have a twilight session program. During the first couple of weeks, when you are hearing about systems and policies, it can be quite overwhelming. For this reason, we have optional sessions that new teachers can attend in the latter two thirds of the first semester.

Staff can come and sit in on a very informal 45-minute presentation about the systems and operations that we have in the school. This is designed to consolidate any new information or instructions that new teachers may have missed out on in those opening couple of weeks.

4. How do you transition from induction to professional development? 

During the first half of semester, the focus for new staff, from their leadership, should be to not burden them with too much scrutiny or punitive monitoring.

Of course, if there is a major red flag, you can’t just sweep it under the table. But our teaching cohort is very solid this year – we are lucky to have some superb teachers here both in the International section and also in the school as a whole.

The approach that I advocate is to give new teachers every opportunity to get their feet under the table, to feel comfortable and at home. More often than not, that will be the biggest conduit to helping them do well in the classroom.

It is not always easy to transition into a new position in a school. Parents often compare the incoming teacher to the previous teacher, and sometimes that can create unreasonable expectations.

We want new teachers to feel supported by their managers through challenges like this. That can be a powerful message for the rest of the staff, and really permeate the culture of the school.

Feeling trusted and supported can really help teachers to adapt to their new work environment in the best possible way.

5. Why should a teacher in China choose to move to Hangzhou to work at Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Science?

Hangzhou itself is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in China. In addition to this, our campus is young enough to still feel state of the art.

Another advantage is our relative maturity. As we enter our fifth year, we’ve gone through those teething problems that a lot of the new startup schools often have. We have gotten to the stage where we have established practices, and established routines.

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

The staff and school community here is very warm and congenial. Many of our expat staff have not been home for the best part of three years. As a leadership team, and as a school, to try to fill that void a little bit.

Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Science has a comprehensive welfare program. This includes flexible half days a couple of times a semester. We also have a social calendar that has two social functions for the whole staff to attend every month.

We are always trying to create the feeling of “a home away from home” as best we can.

Finally, continuing education is an important part of the school’s culture. I’m just about to finish an NPQH, which the school have supported me in. Other people in the school are doing Masters or PGCEs. In many cases that have been assisted financially in completing these courses.

We invite great teachers to join us, and we want them to grow with us. We want them to enjoy working at this wonderful school, and become the best they can be with us.

The post Professional Life at Kings appeared first on Dipont Education.

Presented by Stephen Keown, Executive Principal, the theme of the event is “Welcome to Our Learning Community”. Representatives from the school’s leadership team will cover topics such as the pursuit of academic excellence, professional development, and what it’s really like to live and work in Hangzhou, the jewel of the Yangtse delta.

The event promises to be a great opportunity for you get direct insights about teaching and learning at Hangzhou DSAS, while also having the chance to speak directly with key representatives from the school.

Speakers at the event include the following:

Stephen Keown, Executive Principal

Stephen, who has worked in education for over 20 years, knows that the effectiveness of any school is related to the quality of its teachers.

In his keynote address, Stephen will share his belief that to truly unlock the potential of every student they must feel valued individually. High quality teachers embody this belief.

Celia Zhang, Head of Finance and Administration

Celia and Harry bring a wealth of international and Chinese education experience to their respective roles.

Harry Roberts, Head of International School, Student Support, and Pastoral Care

In a presentation on professional life at King’s They will share a fascinating overview on how the school supports the professional development of staff, including orientation, well-being and continuing professional development.

Thomas Merchant, Head of Mathematics

Tom and Jasmine are experienced members of our learning community.

Jasmine Wilkinson, Head of Grade 5,

 They will share their experience of living in Hangzhou, the jewel of the Yangtse delta. They will also share their perspectives on working in Dipont Hangzhou School of Arts and Science.

School Leadership Q & A

After the presentations, you will have the chance to ask questions about employment at our school. These will be answered directly by the school leadership group. Led by Stephen Keown, Executive Principal, representatives from the executive committee welcome the chance to communicate directly with quality teachers who are interested in joining their team.

Meet the Subject Leaders

Subject Leaders from a range of disciplines, including English, Maths, and Science, and specialist courses such as drama, will attend. They will be available to field your queries about joining our learning community that aspires to excellence.

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Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Science was founded through partnership between world class schools. These include the RDFZ group, The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China (commonly known as RDFZ) and King’s College School, Wimbledon (KCS). The mission of Dipont Hangzhou School of Arts and Science is to create a learning community which integrates the best of international and Chinese education.

We welcome education professional across all disciplines and grade levels. Join us in the great work we are doing In education in China.

To register for the Hangzhou Dipont School Online Teacher Recruitment Open Day, click here.

Places are limited. Register soon to avoid disappointment!

Learn more about Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Science here.

The post Welcome to our learning community. appeared first on Dipont Education.

Ahead of presenting at the Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science Online Recruitment Open Day on Saturday, November 5 , we spoke with Amy about how early years education can change the world for the better.

1. What first attracted you to the field of early years education?

I studied to be a music teacher and, during my studies, I had an experience that really shaped my future direction.

I had a placement in an outreach program for young offenders. That was challenging, inspiring, and also a little confronting.

It was inspiring because there was just so much talent and energy in the room. But it was also confronting to be working with these young lads, 18-21 year olds, and realizing that my music class really wasn’t going to make a big difference to them, to their lives, and to the world.

They enjoyed the class, but there was little chance that it was going to make a real difference to the cycle of reoffending and bad choices that had put these unfortunate guys in this position.

That is really what turned me on to early year’s education. I did some research and realized that it’s in the early years that important skills like self-regulation really develop.

If you can help children to understand who they are and what their strengths are, and how they can understand themselves and others better, then you can really make a huge difference to their lives and improve their chances of success in adulthood.

2. Is self-regulation just about stopping yourself from doing bad things, or is there more to it than that?

It is a lot more than that. It includes how you think about yourself, how you manage yourself, and how you control yourself.

You might have to perform a task that you don’t like. How do you apply yourself to tasks like that? Can you say to yourself, “Come on, let’s just do this, it needs to be done”? Sometimes you’ve got choices, and sometimes you haven’t got choices.

Another example is when you are placed in situations that you don’t like. Are you able to get yourself out of it? Do you throw a tantrum, or are you able to control your response?

Self-regulation means something different in every space, and in every different age phase.

A lot of our high school students are good examples of what happens when good habits of self-regulation have been instilled at a young age.

Often if they do well on exams, it’s not just because they’re naturally wildly gifted. It’s because they work hard and manage how much time they spend on their study.

Self-regulation just trickles up into so many things.

In every six months of your life, it will be relevant in a very different way. You develop the foundation for this in your early years.

3. How does working in early years here compare to working in early years in the UK?

I think early years programs here are often a lot bigger, particularly if you’re in a local environment. Our early years department here has 300 students, which is way more than you would expect to find in the UK.

The best part about that is that our building is so beautifully designed that you almost don’t notice that there are so many kids in it.

There are also about 50% of parents who are really fixated on the academic assessment of their children, and then you’ve got the parents who are just like, well, it’s just playing, and it really doesn’t matter.

I think that’s more common in parents in the UK. They tend to be more relaxed about it. The ideal is somewhere in between, with parents realizing the importance of early year’s education while at the same time not being so over-zealous about strictly academic results.

Looking ahead, China is working hard to incorporate more experiential learning and active learning in schools, which is great.

It’s about students from a young age learning about working together and controlling their own destiny. These are exciting times to be working in early year’s education in China.

4. What are the characteristics you need to be a successful early years teacher at Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science? 

I think you need to have a fairly open mind. I don’t think there’s anybody in our school who is doing everything the way that they would have done it in a previous environment.

We are not here to colonize as international teachers. Neither are we here to do things exactly the same way that a large majority of local kindergartens would do it.

What we do as a department is find the approach that we think is developmentally appropriate for our students. That takes a lot of conversation.

People don’t always agree with each other, but it’s really interesting to watch people have these conversations, then step away from them, and then go back to them with a totally different mindset about the issue.

5. What do you find most satisfying about your work?

I think hearing that kids you taught before are going well. It’s great to see that what you are doing is making a difference.

I recently had a grandmother of one of my former students call me to say that her granddaughter got Star of the Week. She was really excited about that. It was just so nice that she thought to share her excitement with me.

I’ve also been contacted with news that a former student had been successful at a high school fencing tournament, or big life events like the first day of university. When parents share these important moments with you, you realise how much your work is valued by them. More than that, though, you realise the difference your efforts have made to improving your student’s lives.

As an early year’s teacher, it’s important to try and find meaningful ways to connect with the whole school. We do what we do so that everything that comes later is easier for these children.  I think that’s just really fulfilling.

You see our students having a great time. You see their parents feeling comfortable and safe. And then you watch them go on in their studies and continue to have a great time. That’s all you need, isn’t it?

The post Exciting Times for Early Years appeared first on Dipont Education.

Here Jenny Stones, English Subject Leader talks about cross cultural collaboration, meeting parent needs, and the challenges and opportunities of developing a fusion of Western and Chinese pedagogies.

Moving to China during the height of COVID was a pretty bold move. What was your inspiration?

The bold move was moving to Russia after being a teacher for 13 years in the UK. When the opportunity arose to move to China, having spent two years in Russia I thought, why not!

Jenny, seen here enjoying the Northern Lights in the Murmansk region, worked as Deputy Head of School in Russia for two years before moving to China in 2021.

What have you learnt about collaborating across cultures through your time in Russia and now China?

I really enjoy meeting new people, and learning about the norms and values of others. Part of this has been learning that it is important to take into account cultural variation when it comes to education and national curriculums. I have had to adapt my perception of pedagogy and expectations of education to meet the needs of very different communities.

A big part of Jenny’s job is taking into consideration the needs of all stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers and school administrators.

By speaking to local people and other teachers cross-collaboratively I am always enriching my own knowledge. That’s what I felt in Russia, and that’s what I feel here.

What are some of the challenges of developing and implementing a fusion of Western and Chinese pedagogies?

The challenge for teachers trained in a Western context is that Chinese children learn differently. They prefer lessons as lectures, reading for information and completing textbooks. Teachers from the UK often use a range of strategies to cater for different learning styles, have very creative approaches and enjoy a lot more hands on practical teaching. Not all children in China enjoy that, or are used to it, or can adapt to that.

Small changes to the learning environment, including flexible seating and supportive working walls, lead to positive outcomes and pupil progress. An example of flexible seating is seen here in a class taught by Natasa Francis, head of Grade 1 -3 English at Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Sciences.

The challenge for a teacher can be that mind shift from working as creatively as they did before to working in a more structured style. The challenge is to come up with a new, innovative way of teaching, using a textbook, while integrating their own personality into that.

Parents in China can be particularly attentive about learning outcomes for their children. How does this factor in to your work?

You need to try to explain to parents that teaching is a reflective and reactive process. By having clear learning objectives and rigorous assessment procedures, you are teaching the whole child, not just a curriculum. Being clear and transparent about what is being taught, how it is assessed and what will be done to help children progress allows parents to trust the process. They need to know that their child is a part of that process and will get there eventually.

Visiting schools to discuss and strategize ways to support students using the new curriculum while earning the trust of their parents has been a significant part of the CCC’s team work over the past six months.

Here in China we’ve got children at different levels of English, and parents with high expectations. They want their child in the top set. However,  if they don’t have the language ability and you put them in the top set, they can’t actually access the content.

The solution is to create a rigorous, effective curriculum that can be understood by prospective parents. This is what can gain their trust. A written framework that explains what to expect is important in that process.

How do you see the effect of this curriculum project on student well-being?

I can’t speak for all parents, but most parents who send their children to private schools are wanting the best outcomes for their children and, in some cases, children are being pushed far too much. The government is trying to stop this pressure on children by putting policies in place to improve pupil well-being. That includes the closure of many after school cram centres, for example.

In some of our schools, we set pupils and in some there are mixed ability classes. Setting is a contentious issue. Depending on which side of the fence you sit, it can be successful or the opposite.

Observing classes, such as this example from Hangzhou Dipont School of Arts and Sciences, helps Jenny’s team to notice and integrate the ideas, skills and techniques of Dipont teachers into the curricula they are developing.

What can you do to best manage your classes if there are these differences in language ability?

In the UK, setting children is rare, because you end up with a class of children who are low ability or disruptive. With this in mind, you try and distribute children evenly. In China you often find that children have got very different language abilities in one class. In this case it’s not that you are separating pupils because of their cognitive ability. Instead, there’s a need to organize your lessons based on ability to access the curriculum. Academic language that is pitched too high can move some pupils forward while holding others back – a balance is needed.

Close attention to individual student needs, and embedding the capacity to adjust curriculum delivery to accommodate variance in English ability, has been a delicate but vital part of the curriculum development process.

You need to support students in their learning by making sure that they’ve got the language foundation they need. In a lot of ways this lies at the heart of our work. How can we improve the communicative ability of our children so that they make the most progress with the curriculum?

How do you go about encouraging teachers to use the new curriculum?

We spent a lot of time in schools prior to the writing of the schemes of work. This was when we were getting to understand everybody, so we could try to meet everyone’s needs. The launch was just before the start of this academic year. Now we are going into schools to do follow up observations and check on how the curriculum is being used.

Leanne Grundy, Director of Education for the Dipont Schools Programme, leads a teacher workshop at Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science.

We came away from our first visit really positive. When we first introduced this idea of working from a textbook, we were met with a lot of resistance. But the feedback that we’ve had is that there are creative opportunities in the enrichment that we have provided. We have also been told that the new schemes of work are exciting for the children. It gives the children a formula that they can trust and feel safe using.

As we work closely with schools, we encourage feedback and integrate the professional experience and suggestions of teachers. This way we keep improving on our work – making it fit for purpose. That’s what our team is all about: going in and finding out what’s needed.

What would you say to encourage other curriculum experts to join your team?

I really like it here. I enjoy working with my colleagues. They are always willing to help, and we support each other. I’m working with Chinese, English, Canadians, and people from all around the world. The scope of the collaboration is tremendous. It’s a great environment to work on a project as challenging and impactful as ours.

The post Developing cutting edge curriculum in China appeared first on Dipont Education.

After graduating with a Masters Degree in International Business in 2019, Damon had dreams of becoming a high-flying businessman, living a James Bond life of travel, high stakes, and make or break conversations.

Then he became a businessman.

Here Damon talks about how he is learning again, after making the journey from university to the classroom, and how Dipont’s Teaching Fellows program gave him a new perspective on his career potential.\

1. What made you change your career direction from business to education?

After I graduated I went to a job fair and got a lot of offers from companies. I also got an invite from Dipont Huayao Collegiate School, Kunshan.

I wasn’t sure about being a teacher at that point. So I joined a Chinese top 500 company in Ningbo, as a businessman.

When I started in the company, I found that it can be a really dull life. I had thought that being a businessman would be very fun. I could travel the world, meet lots of interesting people, and earn a lot of money. It wasn’t like that.

You just do orders, and go to factories. Besides that, during the pandemic it was really hard to do international trips. So I decided to change my career plan.

2. How has your life changed from being a student to being a teacher?

As a student you always think about yourself. You have fun, and then you have a class, then go and have fun again. But a teacher has more responsibility.

You have to always think about your students. You have to think about how to make your lesson plan more attractive, and about if you should be stricter with your students, or less strict. Even during weekends and holidays I find myself thinking about how to improve my classes. The students take up your life!

3. What are some things that you have learnt from the Teaching Fellows (TF) program?

The TF program is really good to start off your career as a teacher. You don’t have to do much lesson planning, but you can learn from the teachers. You have the chance to observe their classes, and how they plan their lessons.

You also spend a lot of time with your students, so you learn a lot about how to manage their behavior, as well as your relationship with them. It is a bit the same with parents and colleagues. You learn a lot about working with others.

4. What subjects do you teach now that you are a full-time teacher?

For English Maths I teach grade 1 5. For Chinese students I teach grade 1 to 3. It’s not so difficult, as elementary level maths is quite basic, but some questions can be tricky.

When you are doing your lesson plan, actually, you are learning again, because you need to refresh your memory about the topics, and you have a different perspective. Previously, as a student, you just learnt the knowledge. As a teacher, you need to think about how you can help your kids gain the knowledge.

5. What has been your biggest achievement at this early stage in your teaching career?

I have improved a lot in how I deliver my lessons. I am more confident now. The first time I stood up to teach I was very nervous. Actually I had the textbook, but I didn’t know which activities I should do with my students. It was really scary.

Now I am very confident. Even though I have a broader range of classes this year, like Grade 1, or Grade 4, I’m not scared. I can think about the activities I need to use, and I know what reactions to expect. I am a more sophisticated teacher now.

6. What advice would you give to someone else starting out in their teaching career?

You need to have a very clear career plan. You need to have the confidence to ask questions, as you will find most other teachers are very happy to help. Most importantly, don’t wait for someone to push you. You need to push yourself.

The post Teaching Fellows Program: Learning Again appeared first on Dipont Education.

For more than 30 years, Dipont Education has been deeply committed to introducing modern education resources to China. Be it through exploring the integration of eastern and western education, or through building bridges for cultural exchange between Chinese and overseas schools, the consistent theme has always been aspiring for excellence. The company’s mission has always been to empower students to become innovative, collaborative and equipped with a comprehensive worldview and the skills to shape, make and operate on the national and international stage.

There have been many milestones in this journey, from the introduction of international curriculum centers into established high schools across China in 2004 to the launch of our own independent schools in 2018. The Dipont story is one of evolution, growth, and stability in changing times.

Change is in the wind once again and, once more, Dipont Education is ready to meet the challenge and opportunity that change brings.

New names, same high-quality education

In May 2021, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued a document containing a suite of guidelines aimed at reform of the private education industry in China. One such requirement was that the name of private compulsory education schools should not contain certain words, such as China, Chinese, national, world or global. In addition, names should not contain names or abbreviations of public schools, transliterated words, or foreign countries, places, or education institutions.

As a result, two of Dipont Education’s independent schools will change their names moving forward:

• Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi will now be known as Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science
• Shanghai Huaer Collegiate School Kunshan will now be known as Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan.

Despite the name changes, these schools will maintain their strong founding partnerships. Top British school King’s College School, Wimbledon, will continue to be a committed partner in the ongoing development of Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science. At Dipont Huayao Collegiate School Kunshan, the academic partner remains the No. 2 High School of East China Normal University, one of the best public high schools in Shanghai.

Since 2018, Dipont Education has opened four independent schools. Local government support for all four schools is as strong as ever, with Education Bureaus overseeing and approving the name changes.

Dipont’s original mission for the schools will endure as the new names become synonymous with the quality and excellence our independent schools have become known for.

We have vacancies for experienced international educators in our expanding network of independent schools in Hangzhou, Wuxi, Kunshan and Chengdu. Visit our careers section to see our latest jobs.

The post Name changes for Dipont independent schools appeared first on Dipont Education.

Before coming to China, she worked as Head of Early Years at Sarum Hall School, in London and taught pupils of all ages for five years at the British International School, Cairo. Ms Brookes’ educational philosophy is one of research-based, child-centered practice and a commitment to providing an inclusive, welcoming and supportive environment in which all children can learn successfully and fulfill their potential.

Here, she talks to us about the primary school at our latest independent school in China.

How is the primary school curriculum set up?

We are a 12-year school with a curriculum based on the Chinese National Curriculum with modern educational elements, teaching resources and methods. We place a strong emphasis on subjects such as performing arts and sports and have Chinese and foreign teachers who have strong educational backgrounds and experience.

“I want to embed a belief in pupils taking personal responsibility for their learning and behavior as well as the development of well-rounded individuals. We seek to prepare pupils for modern life and work, whilst staying true to the traditional values of good manners, independence and resilience.”

Who are some of the outstanding teachers in the primary section?

Mr Miki Devitt is a British primary school and boarding specialist who boasts an enviable track record of supporting pupils with entrance examination success to some of the most prestigious schools in the United Kingdom. He sets equally high standards when coaching rugby, having refereed this popular British sport at a national level. Mr Devitt joins King’s Chengdu from the much-celebrated Oundle School, which is widely regarded as one of Britain’s leading co-educational day and boarding schools.

King’s Chengdu is delighted to have appointed Mr Andrew Nesbit to our English and EAL department. Such is his talent for making the apparently intangible tangible that he has amassed over 6,000 subscribers as the host of a popular YouTube channel for English teachers.

There are, of course, too many talented teachers from China and the UK who teach at KCS Chengdu that I can’t mention them all! We want our pupils to really thrive in a cultural environment that is both eastern and western.

What is a typical day at KCS Chengdu Primary School?

Pupils begin their day with their form tutor or class teacher before beginning their lessons at 8.45am. Lower Primary pupils stay mainly in their own classroom while Upper Primary pupils move around to specialist lessons.

Students will have lessons until 4.05pm after which time they go on to extracurricular activities. Friday afternoons from 2.20pm are given over to co-curricular activities and house competitions.

How does the school meet the needs of children with different educational backgrounds?

Teachers with the correct support and training should always be able to meet the needs of a diverse range of pupils. An important part of teacher training in the UK centers around the need to differentiate within a class to meet individual needs.

This means that when teachers plan their lessons they do not just use one exercise or one textbook, but take resources from a range of areas. They will also use a range of different teaching activities to engage different kinds of learners. In addition, where possible and where necessary, we will also stream a class (group pupils into similar levels) in order to provide more directed learning in that subject.

How does KCS assess pupils’ progress and development?

At KCS Chengdu we aim for rigor whilst also making lessons interesting, engaging and collaborative. As with all schools in the UK, we put emphasis on pupils doing things for themselves, as in the long term this is much more beneficial than being taught by rote. However, we also understand that parents want regular indications of their child’s progress and that’s why we send a monthly data report detailing various aspects such as effort and analysis of performance in all subjects.

Are there many children in the school who take extra lessons outside of the classroom?

I believe that the only extra classes any pupil should take are those that interest them or for the chance to try something new. I love to talk to pupils who have a real passion for something they do outside of school. However, when pupils take too many outside classes it can have a detrimental effect on their learning in school as they are often too tired to engage properly.

We believe that a pupil-centered school will produce outstanding pupils. On the KCS Chengdu campus, you won’t see studying machines with their heads in the sand, you will see radiant learners who are also artists, actors, directors, singers, computer specialists and runners. They are just like the British pupils I have worked with and even more remarkable because they have been immersed in a more international and bilingual environment from an early age.

The post “We aim for rigor whilst making lessons interesting & engaging” appeared first on Dipont Education.

Sophia Morling is Assistant Head of Primary (Pastoral) at Dipont independent school, Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi.

She shares her professional background and how she has found the last three of working at the school.

What is your educational philosophy?

I believe that all children are unique and that they should have the opportunity to learn in a stimulating and fun educational environment that is safe and nurturing.

My early experiences in education focused on delivering learning opportunities targeted towards a variety of ‘intelligences’ as described by Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. As I have developed as a practitioner, I have utilized multiple intelligences in my teaching philosophy and this theory is now integrated into my practice.

My desire is to create a primary school where all our students can flourish and meet their full potential.

I also believe that wellbeing, teaching, education and personal achievements are all interconnected. I think through promoting the importance of mental and physical health within a school, can help students to develop self-efficacy, motivation, self-fulfillment and resilience.

What motivated you to become an educator?

I was born into a teaching family in London. My mother was a headteacher for challenging inner London schools, while my brother is a secondary school robotics engineering teacher.

I graduated from the University of Leeds in 1999. My first job was working in television as an operation assistant in the programming and operations department at BBC White City.

After I had my first child, I moved to Dubai with my family. I found I was always observing and reflecting on how my children learned. I decided that it was the right time for me to move into education. While my son was in nursery, I studied to be an early years educator.

My first teaching job was working with younger children in a nursery environment.

A few years later, we moved to the south of France. Keeping in line with my children’s developmental stage, I decided to continue my learning journey. I studied a masters-level postgraduate certificate in education with the University of Buckingham. I then held a primary teacher post for a few years at an international bilingual French and English school, where I developed the English and music curriculum.

Why did you decide to move to China?

As a mother to ‘third-culture kids’, who have lived in London, Dubai and France, learning English, Arabic, and French, I involved my children in making the decision about where to move to next. My son suggested that he would like to go to China, as he had completed a school project and wanted to see the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army!

I investigated this idea and interviewed for a few different schools. I was delighted when I was offered a position to work at this fantastic school. My husband’s father went to King’s College School in Wimbledon, so there is a family connection.

You’re now in your third year at NKCS, how have you found the experience so far?

I am really enjoying observing students’ development. This year, I am teaching some of the same students that I taught two years ago. It is heartwarming to see how they have progressed and developed in character and academically – their English skills, in particular, have really improved.

Our teachers work together as a team to nurture and support our students. It’s a pleasure to go to work every day and to be able to work in the beautiful campus surroundings.

Seeing all the children happy in the morning, greeting me at the gate with a high five and showing me something that they have made at home is so meaningful. Meanwhile, it is rewarding to see parents at the gate at the end of the day offering their feedback on things we can improve or are doing well. All these moments make my experience as an educator rewarding.

What differentiates NKCS from other bilingual primary schools?

NKCS is a well-organized school with a lot of dedicated, hard-working professionals. It is a very different operation from my previous school, mostly due to the size of the campus and the number of students. This brings different challenges, as collaboration and communication are crucial for classes to stay aligned and the quality of teaching and learning remain consistent.

The culture in the primary school is extremely positive as everyone is friendly and collaborative.

Our school offers a lot of subjects and co-curricular activities (CCAs) led by staff and external companies. In addition, Spanish is now being added to the curriculum. We also have outstanding facilities. There is a fantastic drama department and auditorium for school productions, while the sports facilities include an amazing swimming pool, running track and a fencing academy.

An aspect that is unique to China is the use of WeChat for communication with parents and school staff. In other countries, it is rare to use such a platform, but parents here can keep up to date with news and activities.

How does our primary school put into practice the school’s core values (respect, compassion, honesty, collaboration and personal responsibility)?

This year, I have developed a pastoral curriculum that has been rolled out across primary. This is delivered by the homeroom teachers every morning.

On Monday morning, for example, the children will have a ‘welcome to school’ discussion to talk about their weekends and find out what interesting things they did. They might also discuss emotions so that teachers are able to understand how they’re feeling. In addition, every morning begins with a pastoral-led session covering topics such as ‘being mentally healthy’ ‘building positive relationships’ and ‘how to deal with conflict’. Students also focus on exploring the school’s core values.

What advice do you have for parents?

We expect parents to act as role models for their children, inquire after their wellbeing and make time to talk with their children. Simple questions such as ‘How was your day?’, ‘What did you have for lunch?’, ‘Who did you play with today?’, ‘What was the best part of your day?’ all contribute to a child’s wellbeing and development. It is important for parents to encourage their children to talk about their emotions. They should teach them to find support and speak to their teachers if they are unhappy, concerned or anxious. Children need to learn that they can always ask for help.

Everyone in our school is responsible for pastoral care and always available to offer support to any student.

Parents can make an appointment to see their child’s homeroom teacher at any time and discuss concerns, whether academic or pastoral. I encourage parents to always speak to their homeroom teacher if there are any concerns, rather than talking amongst other parents. Communication and collaboration amongst parents, students and staff will contribute towards a connected, successful and positive learning environment for the whole school community.

Please note that since January 2022, Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi has been known as Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science.

The post “I want to create a primary school where all pupils flourish” appeared first on Dipont Education.

Taking over from current principal Dr John Kennard, Peter will lead the school as it begins its fourth year. He joins the school from Dipont, where he has served as Director of Education since 2019. He will continue to maintain oversight of Dipont’s Education Team.

Peter is a leader with a passion for educational reform. Over the past 40 years, he has led several schools in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, Dubai, and other countries, to become leading local and even global educational institutions.

Dipont: Congratulations on your appointment Peter. What attracted you to join NKCS?

Peter: I must congratulate the leaders and all the staff and students and parents because what they’ve done in establishing this school is simply miraculous. Everybody just does such an amazing job. Founding a new school is difficult and it’s made more complex because NKCS is a bilingual school with a mixture of cultures. Not to mention the challenges that covid has brought to school life.

I have huge respect for everybody and my view is that NKCS will continue to grow to be one of the best schools in China.

So why would I not want to join such a great school? I love being a principal and being involved in schools and school communities. I just couldn’t resist this opportunity! Dr John leaves big shoes to fill, he’s done a great job but I’ll follow and do my best!

I am so excited about working together with the community. Whenever I’ve visited in the past, I’ve always felt incredibly welcome – all that attracted me to this position.

D: What are your ambitions for NKCS?

P: We are hoping to be the best school in China with a dynamic learning community that nurtures and inspires everyone to be the best they can be. We aspire to create a community where we’re learning and following our passions. Children who study with us will be confident and able to communicate and speak confidently.

If, as a school, we can help students to become lifelong learners, they will go on to achieve their goals. We need to nurture and inspire students to take responsibility for their own learning journey, to be collaborative and creative and take those skills beyond school. We need to teach them that you continually grow throughout your whole life.

D: As a school offering A-level and IBDP courses, what are your expectations and goals for NKCS in this new phase?

P: What I would be very keen to see in this school is that children have life experiences as well as academic experiences. So if students do A-levels, they also need to have other experiences in their curriculum to give a well-rounded approach to their growth. We need to provide care and counseling to help them deal with the pressure and stress that they’re under and we need to support parents so that they know how to support their children during these important years.

With the international baccalaureate, there is a broader experience and it forces you to take subjects outside of your favorites. It makes you think about knowledge, where it’s come from, and how what you’re doing fits into it. But it’s difficult because the academic challenge is very, very high, and there’s not a lot of space for other things. So, we will have to be very creative with the timetable and the balance of subjects and skills in order for children to be healthy in mind and body.

I would also hope that all children, whether they do A-level or IB, will have a community, action and service aspect to their lives to develop good habits and commitment.

D: What would you most like to say to NKCS students and parents?

P: If I only had one word, it would be “congratulations” because I’m coming to a school that is so well established and has already achieved great things. But it has also potential to grow and develop and be even better. And I think ‘Aspiring to Excellence’ is exactly the right approach.

Please note that since January 2022, Nanwai King’s College School Wuxi has been known as Wuxi Dipont School of Arts and Science.

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