Beaconhouse Newlands Early Years, U-Thant Ampang

Beaconhouse Newlands Early Years, U-Thant Ampang has all the hallmarks of a high-quality international preschool–from stellar facilities and a conducive learning environment to a strong curriculum and dedicated teaching staff.

Nestled within a spacious double-storey bungalow, the school provides a homely and cosy environment for children aged 18 months to six years old, where they can look forward to fun and engaging experiences with their peers and teachers every day.

Head of School Catherine Anthony, who has spent over two decades in the education field, radiates joy and a passion for teaching children–qualities echoed by her staff of professionally trained and certified teachers.

“A child’s work is to play and discover the world around them. They learn experientially when they are in ‘play mode’,” Ms. Catherine (pictured above) explains. “This is why hands-on learning is a crucial part of our programmes. It’s how we instil in children a lifelong love for learning, which is essential for them to succeed in life and become responsible global citizens.”

High-quality English curriculum that emphasises learning through play

BNEY U-Thant, Ampang offers an authentic Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) programme for pupils up to the age of five, and the Cambridge Primary curriculum for its six-year-old pupils.

The EYFS is an English curriculum that is used as a national standard in the UK’s education system. It is known for its holistic approach that targets multiple areas of a child’s development, spanning seven learning areas:

• Personal, social, and emotional development
• Physical development
• Communication and language
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

Each classroom at BNEY U-Thant, Ampang, is equipped with learning corners to support these areas. Since each child is unique and may have different styles of learning, teachers are trained to conduct observations to gauge a child’s strengths or areas of improvement. The goal is to help the child achieve their developmental milestones by age and ready them for the next level.

“If a child is struggling to write, the teacher may prepare the literacy or physical development area where they (the child) can practise working their finger muscles. The materials could be pencil and paper, it could be sorting materials, or even clay for kneading and squeezing, to help enhance the child’s grip,” Ms. Catherine elaborates. A small teacher-to-student ratio ensures that each child is given personalised attention.

At BNEY U-Thant Ampang, learning is crafted to nurture a combination of skills, knowledge, and critical thinking.For example, in ‘World Recycling Day‘, children explored themes of sustainability and the environment through a plethora of engaging activities.

To engage parents in their child’s learning journey, the school organised a parent-child project, where parents and their children worked together to create animal figures out of recycled materials. “The children were very proud of their work! We also had a parent who came to the school and gave an insightful talk on consumption and recycling,” Ms. Catherine says, beaming.

This dynamic approach to learning, coupled with strong parental support and engagement, provides an enriching environment where a child’s learning never stops, even beyond the classroom. Also integrated into the timetable are subjects such as Mandarin, speech and drama, gym, and music, which are also part of the curriculum’s seven learning areas.

Readying pupils for the next stage

The EYFS and Cambridge Primary are UK-based curricula, so the children have an easier time transitioning when they move on to the six-year-old age group.

The latter provides a more structured framework to prepare the children for primary schooling, but they are still engaged through project-based work.

One of these projects that Kiddy123 found particularly intriguing was the ‘pet project’ – a literal pet project where the children take care of the school’s resident pets, which comprise several fish and hamsters.

“We have children with special needs or behavioural issues. We find that pets can help address these issues and benefit the child’s overall development. They were very excited when the pups (hamsters) were born, even giving them names and counting how many pups there were,” says Catherine, adding that such projects were in line with Beaconhouse’s unique learner profiles of nurturing empathetic and inquisitive individuals.

BNEY U-Thant Ampang provides half-day and full-day services. Daycare services are also available during term breaks. To further enrich the child’s educational experience, the school offers a variety of enrichment activities such as robotics, Kiddy Groove (modern dance), and Taekwondo, on top of field trips and annual concerts.

Peace of mind for parents

With its top-notch facilities, BNEY U-Thant, Ampang offers a conducive and safe environment for children. 

Aside from an outdoor playground and a water play area, which will be unveiled soon, there is also a beautiful swathe of green at the back of the building, where children can enjoy nature walks. Indoor facilities include a library, a S.T.E.M. room, a music and movement room, a kitchenette for cooking classes with a child-friendly counter, and a sick bay.

The school adheres to the highest standards of safety and cleanliness. BNEY’s teachers are degree-qualified, while those assisting in the nursery group must have a childcare certificate (KAP).

School materials are sanitised daily, while nutritious meals are sent from a central kitchen to maintain freshness and hygiene. There is an on-site guard and CCTVs in the common areas. Safeguarding training is also conducted as frequently as possible.