Specialist Led Bespoke Programmes of Learning in the Early Years
In addition to providing an academically rigorous pathway from 2 years old to university (2toU), at Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi we believe in providing a truly holistic education for all our children, helping them develop not only academically, but also socially, emotionally and physically. In this article, Deputy Head of Primary, Tony Pickhaver, explains our Bespoke Programmes of Learning and how our dedicated specialists in Early Years deliver high-quality teaching and learning opportunities to the children in our care.
At Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi, we have a holistic view of how children develop and understand that children’s development is complex.
Our Early Years Bespoke Programmes of Learning provide all our students with specialist teaching and learning opportunities that compliment our Core Programmes of Learning.
These Bespoke Programmes of Learning are delivered by specialist practitioners, who have a deep knowledge of the skills children need to develop from 2 to 18 years old in their field of expertise.
They provide high-quality teaching and learning opportunities using a wide range of strategies that are engaging, challenging and support each child’s individual needs.
All children from Toddler upwards take part in specialist swimming, PE, music and library lessons, where highly-skilled specialist teachers deliver high-quality, focused sessions.
Our sports programmes not only develop children’s physical skills, but also support their all-round development, including social skills, resilience, teamwork and sense of pride. Our PE and swimming programmes are taught through a games-based approach.
In their PE lessons, our children develop their foundational skills in Gymnastics, Dance, and Ball Skills and at the end of the year, they have the opportunity to showcase their skills in our Early Years’ Sports Day events.
Our DUCKS Swimming programme develops children’s confidence and enjoyment in the water, teaching them how to move through the water in different ways and about water safety.
Our Music programme is taught through four key aspects; ‘Hearing and Listening’, ‘Vocalising and Singing’, ‘Moving and Dancing’, and ‘Exploring and Playing’. The skills children develop, supports their reading, communication and language, creativity and expressive arts and design.
In their specialist Library sessions, children develop their love of reading through choosing and sharing books, listening to stories and select books to borrow and take home. Our children are taught about how to use the library and these library sessions support reading, story-telling for writing, and communication and language.
Our specialist practitioners work closely alongside our classroom teachers to ensure our children all make good progress and support their individual needs and interests.