We chat with Brit REBECCA FINDLAY, Head of Kellettโs Kowloon Bay Preparatory School, about the elements of an ideal early learning environment for children.
First of all, tell us about your time so far as Head of Kowloon Bay Prep
Since joining Kellett School in August 2024, Iโve had the privilege of witnessing daily the wonderful curiosity and energy that our youngest students bring to school. As a UK-trained teacher with experience across the UK, Malaysia and the Netherlands, I believe that early childhood education is most powerful when it blends structure with play and high expectations with warm, consistent relationships. At Kellett, this balance is at the core of everything we do in Reception.
Give us an insight into the Early Years curriculum at the school.
Children join Reception at age four, entering the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the UKโs framework for early learning. While our curriculum is rooted in the British system, we enrich it with elements from Reggio Emilia, Montessori and other child-centred pedagogies. These approaches help us provide the seven EYFS areas of learning.
The three prime areas โ Communication and Language, Physical Development, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development โ form the foundation of every childโs progress. These are supported by Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts, ensuring a balanced and inspiring early education.
Both Kellett campuses โ Pok Fu Lam on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Bay, welcome Reception children and each offers its own unique character. Pok Fu Lam hosts three Reception classes and its campus is solely for primary-aged students. Kowloon Bay Prep, where I am based, is slightly smaller with two Reception classes and shares a campus with the Senior School. Many of our children begin their Kellett journey at age four and remain with us through to Sixth Form. This continuity fosters good relationships and a strong sense of belonging.
What sets Kellett apart for young learners?
A notable aspect of Reception education at Kellett is our emphasis on independence. Children explore learning environments designed specifically for four- and five year-olds. Classrooms and shared spaces are equipped with a wide range of resources that encourage curiosity, creativity and problem-solving.
We apply a โcontinuous provisionโ approach to using the spaces. This means planning the layout and resources of the environment so that children always have access to meaningful and engaging activities. They can choose their own challenges, select resources and practise skills at their own pace. Teachers adapt these spaces regularly to reflect class themes, stories, and emerging interests from the children themselves.
How do you balance this approach with regular school routines?
While play is essential, structure gives children the confidence to thrive. Our days follow routines that children quickly understand and trust. Visual timetables, familiar adults, and predictable routines help them feel secure and ready to learn. Daily circle time encourages conversation. Regular stories, phonics lessons, finemotor activities and movement sessions provide valuable opportunities for focused learning. This blend of child-initiated play and adult guided teaching supports both independence and academic readiness.
How do families get involved at Kellett?
Parent partnership is part of the Kellett community culture. We work to ensure families feel informed, welcomed, and involved. From open days and workshops to special events, performances and school trips, parents can be active participants in school life.
A word from a parent
Ai, mother of a Year 2 student at Kellettโs Kowloon Bay campus.
“Iโm originally from Japan, and Hong Kong has been my home for the past 18 years. My partner is from England, and heโs also lived here for many years, so Hong Kong truly feels like home for our whole family. Our son is six years old and has been at Kellett for three years now. He loves school, especially lunchtime, playtime with friends, and, most of all, thematic learning. Each half term, his class explores a new Humanities or Science topic, and he gets to dive into it through writing, art and hands-on experiments. This year, heโs also been very excited to use the Sky Pitch during breaks, something children start doing in Year 2. He loves heading up there to run around and enjoy time with his friends.
One of the things I value most as a parent is how many opportunities there are to get involved in school life. This year alone, Iโve helped with Teacher Appreciation Day, Diwali celebrations, a field trip, Sports Day, and Feeling at Home Day โ an event that celebrates the many cultures in our community. Volunteering has been such a lovely way to meet other parents and feel connected to the school.
Because Kowloon Bay Prep has only two classes per year, the campus feels warm and close; everyone knows each other. The buddy system with older students is another highlight โ itโs amazing to see the friendships that form across ages as every child is assigned a buddy from Reception. And every teacher weโve had has been observant and communicative, sharing small details about our sonโs day that help us feel confident and reassured.
As for our sonโs future? Heโs an animal lover, so he talks a lot about becoming a researcher or zoologist. But heโs also fascinated by aviation, so being a pilot is definitely on his list too.”
What else is happening at Kellett?
The schoolโs new university-styled Sixth Form Centre will open in August 2026, offering state-of the-art facilities to Year 12-13 students, while the Pok Fu Lam Prep campus will begin its next major refurbishment project this April. You can find out more about these projects on the Kellett website.
Kowloon Bay Prep and Senior
7 Lam Hing Street, Kowloon Bay
3120 0700 | kellettschool.com
This article first appeared in Expat Living magazine in Hong Kong. You canย buy the latest issueย or an annual subscription or read theย digital version freeย now.
