Nurturing Our Youngsters

 

This week I was quite shocked to learn that there are 260 million children around the world who are not in any form of education and 175 million who are not enrolled in any form of pre-primary education.

An interview piece in the TES with Sarah Brown, the founder and chair of global education charity Theirworld, talks about the importance of teachers. Ms Brown says, "I don’t think there’s a person who has success in their lives that doesn’t credit some of that back to a teacher." 

The first two weeks of this academic year have been such a pleasure in school as I have breathed in the joy that your children create on a daily basis with their thirst for learning and their willingness to embrace all the experiences each day.  However, I would like to add to what Ms Brown states and say that,  "I don’t think there’s a person who has success in their lives that doesn’t credit some of that back to a member of the school staff team." 

As parents you have chosen St. Helen’s College as your child’s school, investing in your child’s future, and for this we are most grateful. However, the success of your children is also testament to the support you give them at home and to every adult who interacts with them as part of the St. Helen’s College family. Many of our pupils have been with us since they were aged 2 or 3, enjoying the best possible start in life with a wide range of experiences.

The research from ‘Theirworld’ includes these observations:

• 90% of a child’s brain development takes place between birth and the age of five. 

• This is why the five elements of nurturing care – health, nutrition, play, learning and protection – are so important for early childhood education and development.

• Early years education and development can help identify a child’s learning needs early on, improve their socialisation and set them on the road to reaching their full potential. 

Your children are fortunate to have incredibly supportive families and a team of staff who nurture them on a daily basis. The relationship between home and school is crucial.  This is why we enlighten parents about how you can support your children in their development in regular meetings throughout the year. 

The EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) is called such for a reason - it lays the foundation of development for your children to enable them to thrive. The social and emotional aspect is the most important area of learning in very young children and creates the pathway for future learning and development.

Some of you may also have viewed some of our ‘Teddy Talks’ on our ‘Pre-School Parenting’ tab on our school website. They are there to help families with common aspects of raising your children.  Our staff have a diverse range of expertise in many areas and sharing this is helpful to our current and prospective parents.  If you have never visited our Pre-Parenting area then please do so - you may find some of it very helpful.

I am proud to be the Head of St. Helen’s College and to have such an incredibly skilled and committed staff who all have the best interests of your children at the heart of all that they do, whether that be the teaching or support staff.  The relationship between home and school is key and it is this unique partnership which creates the haven of harmony for your children to thrive each and every day.
 

Ms Drummond