As the CEO of the group, what initiatives have you undertaken to enhance learning outcomes for pupils?
I believe in constantly questioning the status quo and finding ways to push ourselves further, as well as having the mindset to auto renew and upgrade.
Two best practices that I am proud to share with you are: First, the revamping and modernisation of our Early Year Foundation Stage curriculum. I wanted us to be the first in the region to modernise the EYFS framework the way it is currently being used in Europe. This involved extensive staff trainings to ensure successful delivery of this modernised way of learning.
And secondly, we have upgraded and changed the look of many of our centres by reducing clutter and giving them a natural look that is not overstimulating but offers an enabling environment, allowing the little ones to call it their home.
Could you tell us a bit about Blossom nurseries by Babilou Education and its operations in the UAE?
Babilou Family, Europe’s leading Childcare provider, has over 650 nurseries across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia. Ever since the group acquired Blossom, it has helped with the expansion — from six nurseries in 2017 to 12 branches in 2020.
Today, Babilou group Middle East is present in 12 locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and owns three brands: Modern EYFS Blossom, French Babilou and Modern EYFS Seashells, which we acquired last September.
In September 2020, Blossom nursery will open two new branches in Dubai Hills Estate and Panorama Greens.
What, according to you, are the biggest achievements of Blossom since the nursery was launched?
The biggest achievement of Blossom is being able to stay true to our mission.
Our global mission is to build a better world by providing a strong and qualitative education programme to future generations through three developmental axes:
Self-confidence and self-esteem
Language and strong basic learnings
Positive relationship and openness to the world
Every day, I remind the teams that our mission is growing future leaders by preparing them for a future as we wish for it to be for them, one that is based on notions of peacefulness, equality, and an eco-friendly mindset — all of which are underpinned into the foundation of our education.
On a business level, since Babilou Group acquired Blossom in 2017, it had a significant impact on the growth of this chain in knowledge and expertise as well as scaling up in the UAE and, soon, regionally.
Early years set a strong foundation for children, helping them acquire essential life skills. It is my responsibility to make this knowledge practically useful and as a team, we need to educate people on what children will be missing out on if they are not exposed to safe and stimulating environments.
How do you maintain an edge over other nurseries in the UAE’s competitive early education space?
We maintain an edge over other nurseries by staying true to our values. These include kindness, commitment, quality, diversity and team spirit.
We always put the child first in all our decisions and actions. It is equally important for us to value our staff whose job is the most sensitive and difficult. As leaders, it is our responsibility to help them spread positive vibes.
Therefore as a team, we are doing all it takes to continuously empower them with knowledge and motivate them.
Why do we need to invest in high-quality early childhood education and care?
There are many reasons why we believe investing in high-quality early childhood education and care is extremely important in the modern world.
Early years set a strong foundation for children, helping them acquire essential life skills.
More specifically, recent research on neuroscience demonstrates the plasticity of the brain as being at its most rapid during early childhood when the brain is most sensitive to environmental factors.
It is my responsibility to make this knowledge practically useful and as a team, we need to educate people on what children will be missing out on if they are not exposed to safe and stimulating environments.
Our role extends beyond childcare services. We are parents’ top partner and have their child’s best interests at heart.
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