To begin with, could you give us a brief introduction and tell us what motivated you to dedicate yourself to the world of early childhood education?
Teaching children has always been one of my passions. It is true that I started my career in a different way, but every time I saw children playing, I felt a lot of curiosity and a real connection with them. This prompted me to change my profession and train as an early childhood educator.
Passing on a love of learning, creating a safe and nurturing space, and helping young children develop the fundamental skills they need to succeed in adulthood quickly became my world, and I was drawn to the firm belief that all children should have the best possible start in life.
Early years childhood education
Can you tell us about the Elian’s approach to early childhood education?
Elian’s British School’s main aim is to consistently implement best practice in early childhood education, taking a holistic approach to child development based on the idea that social, emotional and cognitive growth are closely linked.
We focus on these key areas, while also seeking effective learning to give our young pupils a solid foundation in the early years of their education.
Even the youngest children enjoy immersion in English from day one. It is an effective approach that is highly beneficial for the development of their language skills, especially in multilingual environments.
The curriculum is divided into different areas including physical development, personal, social and emotional development, and communication and language. These areas are fundamental to a child’s growth and overall readiness for more advanced learning.
In addition, our curriculum also focuses on the three “Pillars of Effective Learning”, which form the foundation of our students’ learning process:
- Play and exploration
- Active learning
- Creative and critical thinking
The top priorities for parents when looking for a new school for their children are safety and happiness. How does Elian’s School create a safe and welcoming environment for children?
Creating a safe and nurturing environment is essential for children in the early years, and we know that parents prioritise these when looking for a school for their children. With that in mind, Elian’s has developed a number of strategies and practices:
Highly qualified teaching staff: our teachers are qualified in early childhood education, so they are trained to understand the developmental needs of young children and how to create a nurturing learning environment where children feel supported on an ongoing basis.
Safe facilities: It is also essential to ensure the safety of the physical environment. At Elian’s, our learning spaces are specially designed with children’s needs in mind. They are equipped with age-appropriate furniture, safe exits and access points, and regular assessments of equipment, resources and play areas are carried out.
- Supervision: Active supervision is key, especially as we are committed to outdoor learning and activities whenever we have the opportunity.
- Health and wellbeing: It is crucial to promote the health and wellbeing of the children. This includes preparing meals in our kitchen, encouraging physical activity and providing medical care from our nursing staff.
- Emotional support: Our early childhood teachers provide emotional support to our young learners, creating a space where they feel comfortable and can freely express their feelings and needs.
- Engaging curriculum: At Elian’s we have a well-designed curriculum where structured learning is combined with play-based activities that help to complement children’s needs and contribute to their happiness. When children feel ownership of their own learning and are challenged in a developmentally appropriate way, they are more likely to enjoy their school experience.
What are the characteristics and qualities that Elian’s values most in its early childhood teachers?
At Elian’s School, our teaching staff possess many qualities that we consider essential for the education of our youngest children. Passion for Early Childhood Education is essential, but our staff also show a commitment and dedication to helping children learn, empathy and patience towards the needs of our youngest learners, the ability to adapt to the individual needs of each child, and clear and positive communication skills to support our children and their parents and carers.
How does Elian’s approach attachment in the early years?
Elian’s main aim is to create a warm and supportive learning environment where children not only do well academically, but also thrive emotionally.
Such positive experiences during a child’s early years have been shown to have a lasting impact on a child’s emotional development and overall well-being. Our primary focus is on fostering emotional security and creating healthy attachment relationships.
Our school is acutely aware of the importance of these early attachments for a child’s emotional well-being and their academic progress. This involves actively listening to, supporting and valuing children’s emotions to help them feel secure and loved in the school environment.
Can you tell us how these needs are addressed at Elian’s?
- Strong emotional bonds: teachers actively work to build close and caring relationships with each pupil. This not only builds trust, but also makes them feel secure. It is key to the development of strong caring relationships.
- Safe and predictable environment: children work best when routines and environments are consistent, providing them with a sense of security. In this sense, Elian’s School strives to create an appealing academic environment with a strong routine.
- Quality time: teachers dedicate quality time and personal attention to each student, which allows them to know their needs and preferences, thus strengthening their rapport with the child.
- Emotional care: Elian’s team of teachers are always attentive to the emotional signals and needs of each student to create an environment where children feel valued and listened to.
- Consistency in caregivers: We have a fantastic group of caregivers at our centre with whom our students can forge strong and lasting bonds.
Is there a holistic development programme for children in Early Years Education at Elian’s? What skills do pupils acquire?
Elian’s holistic approach is designed to ensure that children receive a comprehensive education that addresses all aspects of their growth and development. We focus primarily on cognitive, social, emotional and physical development to equip pupils with a solid foundation for future academic and personal success.
- Cognitive development:
- Language skills: pupils develop language skills through listening, speaking and early literacy activities. They learn to communicate effectively and build a strong vocabulary.
- Mathematics: basic mathematical concepts are introduced, encouraging skills such as counting, recognising shapes and understanding simple patterns.
- Problem solving: we encourage problem solving skills through puzzles, games and open-ended activities that stimulate critical thinking.
- Social development:
- Social skills: children learn to interact with peers and adults: they learn to share with one another, wait their turn, and cooperate.
- Empathy: teachers encourage empathy and understanding, helping children to manage their feelings and their relationships with others.
- Conflict resolution: pupils develop conflict resolution skills, essential for fostering healthy relationships.
- Emotional development:
- Emotional literacy: we teach pupils to identify and express their emotions appropriately, leading to better self-awareness and emotional control.
- Self-esteem: an enriching environment fosters self-esteem and self-confidence, allowing children to face challenges with a more positive attitude.
- Physical development:
- Gross motor skills: children engage in activities that develop gross motor skills, such as running, jumping and balancing.
- Fine motor skills: activities such as drawing, colouring and using scissors improve fine motor skills, which are important for writing and other tasks.
- Creativity and love of learning:
- A love of learning, exploration and creativity are encouraged through art, music, and imaginative play.
What types of play are used at Elian’s in the Infant and Primary stages and how is motor development encouraged?
At Elian’s School we adopt an educational approach that integrates the development of motor skills with creative and educational activities to provide a complete learning experience.
This involves a combination of expressive arts, creative play, outdoor activities and educational resources to spark the children’s imagination and encourage active learning. In this way, our children not only have fun, but also acquire fundamental skills for their physical, cognitive and social development. It’s an approach that makes learning an enjoyable and active process.
Parents are naturally interested in their children’s progress — how is the relationship with parents at Elian’s, and how do you facilitate communication?
At Elian’s we highly value the relationship with our families, maintaining open and constant communication so they are continuously informed about their children’s progress, not only through termly summaries, but also through daily conversations and interactions.
In addition to announcements and newsletters, we also organise regular parent-teacher meetings where it is possible to discuss children’s progress, and where parents and carers can ask questions and receive feedback from teachers.
In cases where a child may need additional support or flexibility, we work closely with parents to develop an individual plan tailored to the child’s needs.
By prioritising cooperation and effective communication, we aim to build a strong relationship between the school and our students’ parents. Ultimately, this has a positive impact on the child’s overall development and academic success. A partnership approach ensures that parents are well informed and actively involved in their child’s educational development.
Can you tell us about the facilities for younger pupils at Elian’s, including the classrooms, outdoor play areas and materials used?
At Elian’s, the facilities for young learners, including infants, are carefully designed to provide a safe and stimulating environment for children’s growth and development.
Our classrooms are equipped with age-appropriate furniture and resources and are designed to be comfortable, welcoming and conducive to learning.
Our outdoor play areas serve the dual purpose of play and learning. These spaces offer children opportunities for physical activity, exploration and social interaction.
We have a wide range of materials and resources to promote a child’s development in a variety of settings. We have a range of carefully selected materials to support the process of learning and discovery at every stage. These include educational toys to encourage fine motor and cognitive development; art materials like crayons, markers and paints to encourage creativity and self-expression; and musical instruments and props for musical and movement activities.
In short, Elian’s School’s main aim is to create an enriching and stimulating environment for our young pupils. That’s why all our facilities, outdoor play areas and materials are geared towards providing a holistic educational experience that favours children’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional development.
Our Early Years educational model is for children between 3 and 5 years old. The Early Years Foundation Stage is where linguistic immersion is favoured from day one, so the youngest children can quickly and naturally learn English (or Spanish) to ultimately become bilingual adults and develop other skills, such as improved memory, concentration, and increased self-confidence.
Our Early Years environment is a setting where each child is provided with a level of learning, well-being and an exceptional environment in which they can give the best of themselves and contribute to a world that is committed to peace, respect and understanding.
