Are you as curious about who’s shaping the young minds of our kids as we are? We’re sitting down with teachers and staff from Beijing’s vibrant international schools to learn more about their unique stories, experiences, and perspectives. From the challenges of adapting to a new culture to the joys of building connections across borders, these conversations will shine a light on those who make up our education community. Whether you’re part of an international school yourself or simply curious about life in Beijing’s globalized education hubs, join us as we get to know the people behind the classrooms, hallways, and campuses that shape this extraordinary world.

This week’s #BeijingEducators features Ms. Poppy Thompson, the newly appointed Assistant Head of Early Years at British School of Beijing (BSB) Sanlitun.

My name is Poppy Thompson, and I am excited to begin my role as the newly appointed Assistant Head of Early Years for the 2025/2026 academic year. I’m originally from a small town in Shropshire, and I moved to Beijing over six years ago in search of new challenges and to expand my experience of working with children by joining an international school. Since then, I have had the privilege of growing both professionally and personally within the vibrant and diverse community here in Beijing.

Let’s talk a bit about the school.

How do you define high-quality early years education, and how does it align with the mission and values of BSB Sanlitun?

For me, high-quality early years education is centered around creating an enriching and engaging environment where young children feel safe, valued, and inspired to learn. The children should be encouraged to explore, experiment, and express themselves in ways that promote curiosity and a lifelong love for learning.

At BSB Sanlitun, our mission and values are deeply aligned with this vision of early years education. We aim to provide a learning environment where each child is seen to be involved in their own learning journey, where they thrive academically but also emotionally and socially. Our values of respect, responsibility, and community play a role in shaping our approach.

How does BSB Sanlitun create a safe and inclusive environment for early years students?

BSB Sanlitun creates a safe and inclusive environment for our early years students by prioritizing their physical and emotional well-being and making our school a place where every child feels valued and respected. The school supports diversity and celebrates different cultures and backgrounds while adapting teaching strategies to meet individual needs. With a child-centered approach, the curriculum promotes social and emotional learning, encouraging kindness, cooperation, and positive relationships. Through strong partnerships with families and a commitment to safeguarding, BSB Sanlitun ensures that all children, regardless of ability or background, have the opportunity to grow and feel part of the community.

How does BSB Sanlitun support the social and emotional development of early years students, especially those who may be new to Beijing and the international school environment?

We support the social and emotional development of early years students, particularly those new to Beijing and the international school environment, by promoting a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that helps them feel secure and welcomed. Through our orientation, we get to know the children more. They can spend time in the classrooms getting to know other children and seeing a school day in action. The communication with parents is continued throughout their settling-in periods as we know how important it is for the parents to feel reassured as well as the children.

Now let’s get to know you a bit.

What will your new role as Assistant Head of Early Years entail?

As Assistant Head of Early Years, I will work closely with staff to continue to provide a collaborative, positive learning curriculum and environment for children to grow socially, emotionally, and academically. I will continue to build strong relationships with parents and ensure that all children receive the care and attention they need to thrive. I will also track student progress to ensure all children are supported and challenged to develop in all areas of the curriculum.

What inspired you to get into education?

What inspired me to get into education was my deep passion for helping children grow and develop. I’ve always been fascinated by how children learn and how those early experiences shape their future. The opportunity to make a meaningful impact during such an important time in a child’s life, guiding them not just academically but socially and emotionally, really motivated me.

What’s the best part of your day working at BSB Sanlitun?

The best part of a day comes from seeing moments of growth, such as a child achieving something they have been working hard to understand or developing social skills through play and collaboration. Building strong relationships with children, seeing their confidence grow, and listening to their stories – having those special conversations about life, and celebrating their achievements make this job worthwhile.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on these…

For children who show signs of advanced learning in certain areas, what are the best ways to nurture their talents without overloading them?

Differentiating activities and challenging children who show signs of advanced learning has to be done in a fun and engaging way. They need to be able to explore and be creative with their learning, without pushing them too much. Letting children work at their own pace, with room for choice and reflection ,will give them a sense of accomplishment. This keeps the children motivated but also doesn’t overload them so that they are able to enjoy their learning.

In your opinion, what are the emerging trends in early years education that international schools should pay attention to and incorporate into the curriculum?

There is an emphasis on emotional well-being and self-regulation within young children, and ensuring social and emotional skills are integrated into our curriculum such as resilience, communication, and resolving conflict are critical for their development. I also think recognizing that every child learns differently and that having an approach that will cater to all needs and interests is something that needs paying attention to, and having a play-based and children-led curriculum enables children to problem solve and encourages critical and independent thinking.

What role do you think technology should play in early years education? Do you have any advice on integrating technology into daily teaching effectively with young kids?

I think it is important that technology is included within early years, but we have to be mindful that technology is not a replacement for important interactions with adults. The use of whiteboards allows the children to work collaboratively with others, express themselves creatively, and for information to be presented. Devices for listening to stories, where a child can sit with headphones and get lost in a book or listen to music, [enable]them to dance, sing, and represent their own thoughts. We ensure a range of opportunities such as early coding strategies through programming a simple robot toy to develop these skills.

Can you tell us a bit about what to expect at the upcoming Open Morning on Mar 26?

At the Open Morning, parents will have the chance to meet our senior leadership team, learn more about our early years department, see a lesson in action, and have a tour around the early years building. I love to meet and make connections with our families, so I would be delighted to meet any new families who wish to visit.

Images: British School of Beijing, Sanlitun

I like to say that I grew up like Harry Potter. As a young boy, I was sent to an English boarding school, not because I was orphaned, but because my loving parents thought, rightly, that I would genuinely enjoy the experience – which I did! Now within Nord Anglia Education, we all work on creating the same positive and enjoyable experiences for our students.

I was put into a ‘house’, not unlike Gryffindor but not called Gryffindor; if memory serves, it was actually called Lyon House, probably named after some worthy old boy of the school. The school building was a rambling old mansion house set in over 200 acres of woodland and fields, with endless corridors and staircases that would swallow you up so that you felt that they would go on forever.

Our headmaster had that rare Dumbledore-esque quality of being simultaneously kind and yet also formidable. You knew that he had your best interests at heart but you wouldn’t want to cross him, and few did. The school prefects were given the responsibility of helping to run much of the day to day organization, which duties most took seriously and a few tried to use to their own personal advantage. We ate in a huge dining hall with the youngest pupils sitting closest to the teachers’ ‘top table’ and the most senior sitting farthest away, where they could not be seen smuggling out bread rolls, sausages, and bananas for an illegal midnight feast!

Our teachers were an eclectic mix of brilliant, eccentric and dull minds. The most popular teachers made lessons fun and interesting, giving us the opportunity to explore, discover and play with ideas in an atmosphere where mistakes were the best things you could make. A lot of deep learning went on in these lessons. These are the type of lessons we create for our children at The British School of Beijing Sanlitun, where we think beyond traditional education and put an extra effort in creating an engaging learning environment.

The least popular lessons were no more and no less than rote learning sessions, complete with a Gradgrindian approach to discipline. Severus Snape had nothing on these teachers. Little learning took place under these teachers, other than learning to dread going to the lessons.

Just as Quidditch takes pride of place in Hogwarts’ sporting program, so cricket and rugby did at our school. To be selected for a school team, to play in a real match against another school, was to be placed on the pedestal of pedestals, so far as the other pupils were concerned. The night before school matches, the master in charge of the team would post the list of those who had been selected on the school noticeboard and we would eagerly crowd around trying to see if our name was on the list. If it was, there was back-slapping and exaggerated shouts of ‘congrats’ were given all round; if not, one did the decent thing, and quietly slunk away into the background.

This is a tradition we maintain at BSB Sanlitun, where we take pride in our students’ achievements in handball, gymnastics, badminton, and a range of other sports.

Our boarding house was a busy, bustling place in which our kindly matron would encourage us to keep our dormitories tidy, pick up our clothes, clean our teeth properly, wash thoroughly and regularly, and generally behave like civilized human beings. On the whole, I think we were a fairly well-behaved bunch and life seemed to canter along smoothly.

Here in the BSB Sanlitun our atmosphere may be a little different for our children! However, we still strive to create well-behaved children who will love coming to school. We work with them to teach a true sense of global awareness and a mindset needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.

When I look back on those school days now, it brings home just how valuable and important they are in ways which are not always apparent when you are living through them. Developing ideas and thoughts, skills and capacities, confidence and creativity that will enable you to thrive and become the best version of yourself. Now, as a school Principal at BSB Sanlitun – and perhaps taking a small lead from Professor Dumbledore – I find myself in a position where I can strive to create the circumstances in which the seeds of possibility that exist in all my pupils, can flourish and grow and of course I want my kids to experience what I experienced as a child in terms of education, I have been looking at this accommodation in Southampton which I think will be the perfect fir for them. 

“Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus” 

This post is provided by BSB-Sanlitun
Photos courtesy of BSB-Sanlitun

Fundancia, Beijing’s first ever family-friendly ball, is almost upon us. The April 16th event, held at the Kerry Hotel Grand Ballroom, will feature an assortment of captivating performances, promising to be wholesome fun for all ages. Last week, we mentioned the details of our ticket giveaway to this fabulous event, and we’re now pleased to announce our list of winners.

Congratulations: Farina O’Hare, Kate Godde, Sabina Parra, and Sunny Kim!
(Each ticket, worth RMB 1,000, is good for one adult and one child.)

Thank you to all those who participated in our ticket giveaway; don’t grieve if you missed out, because there will be plenty of future prize picking opportunities exclusive to our readers. Follow our beijingkids Official Account to keep abreast of all the best our website has to offer. (Scan the QR code below for easy access to our Official Account.)

Tickets to Fundancia can still be purchased; importantly, each ticket bought directly benefits a worthy and charitable cause, the finalizing of a construction project in benefit of The Migrant Children’s Foundation. Tickets can be paid for in cash at the reception desk of The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun during school days between 9am and 3pm. The address is 5 Xiliujie, Sanlitun Road, Beijing (三里屯路西六街5号北京英国学校).
 

For more information, email fundancia@idiplomatic.net or click here. The deadline for registration and payment is April 12th.

Image: openclipart.org