King's College School Alicante: Adrian Hickman on Early Years Education
Adrian Hickman, Head of Primary at King's College Alicante, explains the ins and outs of Early Years Education
King's College Alicante is a bilingual school in Spain's
Alicante province that follows the UK teaching curriculum for students aged from 2 years old all the way up to 18. Adrian Hickman, Head of Primary at the school (left), delves into the important questions parents want answered about sending their young children to the British school:
How does King's College Alicante implement early childhood education?
At King's College Alicante, children in Early Years follow the British Early Years Curriculum and learning is based around the seven areas listed below:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Literacy (Reading and Writing)
- Maths
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
Pupils in the Early Years participate in adult led, independent and child initiated learning both indoors and outdoors to support their development. We work systematically to develop the whole child and believe that embracing the unique child, providing an enabling environment with positive relationships are the key success factors to academic success. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, we like children to be independent and confident learners. Therefore, our timetables give students the opportunity to choose what activities they want to complete as well as having skills taught and modelled by our teachers. In addition, during the summer of 2024, the Early Years building here at KCA will undergo an exciting refurbishment resulting in a new structure, new classrooms, furniture and resources. This is an example of one of the many things we do at KCA to highlight the importance of Early Learning and to ensure we continue to provide outstanding experiences and learning for our children.
How does early years education contribute to a child's overall development and what are the long term benefits in Early Years Education?
Early Learning is crucial for all children as it provides the foundation for their development and future academic success. During the first years of a child's life, his or her brain develops rapidly and is receptive to new experiences and information. Quality early childhood education provides opportunities for children to develop essential social, emotional, cognitive and motor skills. In addition, the Early Years curriculum we have at King's College teaches children to foster curiosity, creativity and a love of learning, something that can last a lifetime. Research shows that children who receive high quality early learning experiences are more likely to achieve better results, possess higher levels of social competence and exhibit fewer behavioural problems.
In what ways does early years education promote social and emotional skills?
Early Years education promotes social and emotional skills as it provides a structured environment for pupils to interact with other children and adults, facilitating the development of empathy, cooperation and communication. The Early Years environment that we provide gives children opportunities to develop relationships, learn from each other, resolve conflicts, regulate emotions etc. Forming positive relationships with staff also helps develop a child's self esteem and how to manage emotions.
How does early childhood education support parents in their role as primary educators?
Early Years education provides extra support and guidance to parents. Thanks to the constant communication between home and school, parents have a stronger understanding of what to expect when and how they can help their child on their personalised learning journey too.
Use the contact details below to talk to King's College today and find out about how your children could benefit from their Early Years Education programme:
article_detail |