Xin Zhong School in East Java, Indonesia has been a Cambridge International School since 2012, offering a trilingual curriculum to 1800 students from age 2 to 19.
Jecky Right, Head of Cambridge at the school, explains why they chose Cambridge Early Years and how they will blend the programme with Chinese and Indonesia national curricula.
‘Our school follows the Cambridge curriculum to educate students to become future Asian leaders,’ explains Jecky Right, Head of Cambridge. ‘As we have been a Cambridge school since 2012, the Cambridge Early Years curriculum is a perfect fit! It smoothly prepares children for primary school, regardless of whether they continue with Cambridge Primary or another programme.’
Xin Zhong School plans to introduce Cambridge Early Years in the 2024/25 school year to around 270 children. ‘We're working on developing a comprehensive Xin Zhong Curriculum that blends Cambridge Early Years, Chinese, and Indonesian national curricula’, says Jecky. ‘The programme is expected to be ready by October 2024.’
Developing a love of learning
As well as the flexibility of Cambridge Early Years, Jecky says its play-based approach is another reason why the school chose the programme: ‘The Cambridge programme makes learning fun by letting kids explore and imagine through play. This not only keeps them engaged, but also opens their eyes to the wider world by introducing them to different ideas and topics. It's like an exciting adventure that sparks their curiosity about everything around them.
‘Our goal is to equip our young learners with a solid foundation for lifelong learning. This Cambridge Early Years curriculum fosters a love of learning through play-based activities and encourages curiosity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
‘Young children's brains are like sponges, soaking up new things quickly. High-quality learning experiences during the early years help them develop important skills like thinking for themselves, solving problems and remembering things well.
‘These skills are like building blocks that help them succeed in school later and make them feel proud of what they can achieve.’
Comprehensive support for teachers
Jecky also values the resources that have been specifically designed to support the programme: ‘Cambridge provides teachers with age-specific assessment tools and top-notch teaching resources, allowing them to personalise learning for each child's needs.
‘Throughout our preparations to launch the Cambridge Early Years programme, Cambridge has been a great partner. They have provided us with special teaching materials and activity ideas specifically designed for young learners. Additionally, they have offered workshops to train our teachers on the programme’s approach, teaching methods and how to assess children's progress.’