March 2016
17
I
n mid-February, FJA opened its new
early childhood education centre,
occupying the top floor of the Park
Commercial Centre in Tin Hau. FJA is
led by Head of School Dave McMaster
and Director of Learning Kathy Nutting
who together have over 60 years of
experience leading top schools in Hong
Kong, China and Canada. FJA’s inquiry
based programs reflect their thorough
understanding of education and their
passion for learning.
The programs at FJA are designed
for children from six months to four
years and are guided by the British
Columbia and Ontario (Canada) Early
Learning Frameworks, and the Early
Years Foundation Stage from the United
Kingdom. Teachers base their methods
on the Reggio Emilia inspired approach
to facilitate learning.
In this approach, the ‘environment’
is recognised for its potential to inspire
children to construct their own learning
becoming the ‘knowledge makers’. FJA
has created purpose-built classrooms
for children to experience the natural
elements of wood, water, sand, soil and
sunlight with floor-to-ceiling windows,
large aquarium\terrarium, vertical
garden, sand and water tables, a tree
house playground and a discovery loft.
Providing hands-on experiences with
real-life materials helps children develop
a respect for nature and a love of
learning.
Play is central to all FJA programs. Play
is a child’s work. It fosters creativity and
flexibility in thinking and solving problems,
which is key to academic development.
The brain is a pattern-seeking device
and finds patterns in nature, art, music,
movement, stories and mathematics. The
ability to find patterns in the everyday
world through play helps to build
foundational skills in critical thinking,
math, literacy, imagination and creative
problem solving.
FJA is the first step in the proposed
development of a Fairchild through-
train school system, Fairchild Canadian
Academy (FCA). FCA plans to include
kindergartens and primary to grade
12. FCA’s first kindergarten is proposed
to open in a purpose-built space in Sai
Ying Pun in September 2016, application
for which is still in progress for school
registration. Design and planning are well
underway.
FCA’s vision is that students may
start at Fairchild as early as six months
old and be part of a Fairchild school
until high school graduation. This
provides continuity for students and
for parents and alleviates the need for
multiple applications to playgroups,
kindergartens, primary schools and
secondary schools.
FCA has partnered with York House
and Saint George’s schools in Vancouver
and Bishop Strachan School in Toronto.
These partnerships provide opportunities
for shared professional development,
best practice in Early Childhood
Education, and benchmarking against
prestigious, high-ranking schools in
Canada.
Fairchild Junior Academy invites
prospective parents & children to an
open house or to register for a free trial
class through our website
academy. FJA
can be contacted at
Fairchild Junior Academy (FJA) cultivates curiosity, creativity and confidence
in every child with its inquiry-based learning and focus on play.
sponsored feature
Fairchild Junior Academy
