WELCOME BACK!

We are off to a great start here at Wellington College Bilingual Shanghai and life in early years is as busy as ever. Over 200 pupils joined our family this month, ready to start their exciting play-based learning journey. We have welcomed an expanded team of early years’ practitioners and the setting is alive with children’s voices. This week was all about settling in and gave the pupils a chance to familiarise themselves with their classroom, the staff and the wider team around them. Even those children who were returning pupils need a chance to adjust and this opportunity is crucial in making the transition from the holidays into the new term. Please be reminded that next week we advise parents to drop their children off at the classroom, say ‘goodbye’ with a big smile and leave the premises swiftly – this is our time to help the children settle and a parent loitering is often an emotional trigger which makes settling much harder. All parents are requested to be on standby, should a child need to leave the setting early. Every child is different, some take longer than others to settle and whilst we will do all we can to support the transition from home to the setting, there does come a time when a child needs to be back with their family. This is important – young children have little concept of time and need to learn that after being left at the setting, their family will return for them. We judge each child individually and parents are reminded that this is not a race, it is a unique journey for every child. From August 29th, the children will start the curriculum and each group has a special theme:

• EY1 A World of Colours and Shapes
• EY2 Me and My World
• EY3 Being Me

A theme-based newsletter will be sent to parents, so that you can support your child’s learning at home. You can consider similar activities to those at the setting, or simply use the concepts explored for discussion, reading and singing – you can be as imaginative and creative as you’d like (the more, the better)! The importance of language acquisition is key to our curriculum here at Wellington College and ‘learning through song’ will remain a key feature of our daily routine – we want the children to become comfortable with singing and acting out songs so that their confidence in the public forum grows steadily. By the end of September, we hope to be able to show you just how much language has been learned through singing; who knows what surprises lay ahead! We are hosting our first Parent Information Session on Monday 12th September. Nurse Sophia will lead the session on child health and all interested parents / family members are invited. The session will start at 09:00 – please meet in Reception.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Contact Information: Please ensure that you update your contact information, should it change throughout the academic year. Susan Wang (EA to the Master) is situated next to the Master’s office and Deputy Headmaster’s office and will happily update your information at any time necessary. Not receiving anything from us? Please check your junk mail – we are sending information to the email addresses provided on the application form and cannot hold responsibility should this be incorrect. Parent Representatives: We will look to appoint Parent Representatives over the coming weeks. Once the selection process is complete, we will provide details to all parents about the representative for their class, the role of the representative and how to communicate with them. Interested?? Please let your class teacher know. PLEASE REMEMBER…… We are a no-smoking setting and parents, staff and visitors are requested not to smoke anywhere near the building. We have an obligation to protect the health of all on site and must reiterate to all that should anyone be caught smoking on the premises, that they will be excluded from the setting. We ask that you ensure all family representatives are aware of this.