Are you feeling Curious about our Curiosity Approach Journey?
At the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year we announced that Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi is the first school in China to embark on the Curiosity Approach accreditation journey. Since then, a lot has been happening around our community and our classrooms as we make our way through this process. Are you feeling curious about our Curiosity Approach journey? Read on as Mrs Stanton looks back at the busy term that has passed, and the progress we have made.
Gemma Stanton
Deputy Head of Primary, Early Years
Our Accreditation Journey So Far
It is hard to believe that we are reaching the end of what has been a truly phenomenal term in every sense of the word. Working alongside our talented and dedicated teachers on our journey to gaining the Curiosity Approach accreditation has been an absolute delight, and observing the changes in our learning environments has been equally pleasing.
Ms Kate Kelly
Toddler Lead Teacher
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The new environment, full of natural materials and authentic resources, has really inspired the children to be much more creative and imaginative in their play.
Over the term we have been working hard on developing our Early Years environments, fostering the key ingredients of Curiosity Approach, which are the use of natural, authentic and recycled materials where possible and loose parts. Evaluating our already purposeful and beautiful settings offered a starting point for us a team. Imagining what the spaces look and feel like through the eyes of a two-, three- or four-year-old child by getting down on the floor offered the team a great starting point. Our teams completed environmental audits, followed by action plans detailing clear next steps to create outstanding enabling environments both indoors and outdoors.
Ms Liz Kerr
Reception Lead Teacher
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Completing the Curiosity Approach accreditation modules has made us reflect more deeply on the children’s voices and interests within all learning spaces including outdoors. We now include natural resources such as leaves, twigs and seeds within our art studio. The children enjoyed creating aboriginal line and dot art on autumnal leaves as part of our Winter Ball Art project. Reception children now enjoy forest school activities such as, building dens and making magical fairy wands as part of their outdoor provision.
What defines a high-quality enabling environment for our youngest learners? At Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi we refer to our learning environments as the ‘third teacher’ by creating flexible and interactive learning spaces which supports our children’s wellbeing, agency and learning behaviours. The materials and resources that are provided provoke curiosity, awe and wonder, promote thinking, independence and challenge and encourage questioning and communication.
Ms Gaynor Britten
Nursery Lead Teacher
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Since embarking on our accreditation journey, we have been constantly reflecting on our practice, increasing our skills and understanding, and making adjustments to our environments. It has been a joy to observe our children exploring, experimenting, and creating for themselves, in a way that’s different every time and for every child.
Encouraging our families to understand our journey has been instrumental. Through articles and parent workshops, we have shared the many benefits of the Curiosity Approach and how playing with loose parts and open-ended resources benefits our children. “Curiosity Approach settings are full of eclectic resources, items which create elements of exquisite opportunities for awe and wonder and promote a sense of curiosity for children to investigate and explore.” We have been extremely grateful for all curiosity themed resources that have been offered and will continue to welcome more community contributions in the new term.
