The British School Jakarta (BSJ) is serious about letting its youngest pupils have fun, and the parents endorse the approach 100 per cent! The feedback from the children to their parents about how much they like going to school really was heartwarming. NOW! Jakarta’s Alistair Speirs went to visit and met two parents who entrusted their children to start their learning journey in the school and let them talk about their genuine satisfaction about this award-winning facility.
Mrs. Doris Alexandra Soewardjan
Alistair: Is your child enjoying the experience in BSJ?
Doris:My son is 4 years old and he is in KG2. And yes, he loves coming to school every day and he looks forward to it. And he has become more sociable, more independent and more disciplined.
Alistair: What do you think about with the facilities at BSJ?
Doris: From day one we were really impressed with the facilities. The play area is huge, open, and it is a good balance between outdoor and indoor spaces. And you see that the classrooms are always very versatile, they are always changing with different activities in different areas.
Alistair: Tell us a little about with the teachers?
Doris: The teachers are very experienced and very dedicated to what they do. And the fact that they are very attentive and they are accessible, so we are as parents enjoying having ongoing discussions with them. And this can be on a daily basis. We can start from the child’s behavior, his progress and all the challenges we need to work on.
Alistair: How about the curriculum which is based on the British system?
Doris: First, my husband and I, we were educated in the British system so we are very comfortable with what we see. And the fact that the school is located in Jakarta, In Indonesia but with a whole variety of cultures and so many different nationalities, we are very comfortable that it will be a good background, a good starting point for our child.
Alistair: And what are your long term expectations?
Doris: We expect to continue all the way to IB, and along the way we expect him to be accustomed to playing, to learning, to socializing with different cultures, it is such a melting pot and this is a perfect start for him.
Mrs. Evellyn Singgih
Alistair: What were the deciding factors that decided you to place your child in BSJ
Evellyn: I think BSJ has the best facilities for kindergarten and primary and they have a very good reputation and of course for the curriculum they are following is to British standards. And that is why we choose BSJ as school for our kids. The first one is already here and now she is in year 2 and my experience with the teachers is of very high standards, and the facilities are marvelous. And for the second one, my boy, he is just entering KG2 and we look at the facilities that they build and they are amazing. They made indoor and outdoor play areas and all the boards, the music, they all are good quality. And the teachers and the assistant teachers are also amazing. I know one teacher, Lara Small, she is really good and kind-hearted and who handles children and young kids very well. She could be the best teacher ever!
Alistair: Did you look at other schools before deciding on BSJ?
Evellyn: Of course, we have a lot of considerations, looking for other schools like primary schools and kindergartens, there are so many choices in Jakarta. As parents we want the best for our children and BSJ is one of the first options that we choose for our kids. Besides the facilities and curriculum and of course the teachers with high standard that makes BSJ as the first option.
Alistair: What do you expect for your kids in long term?
Evellyn: We have an experienced source with our niece and nephew accepted in the high “Ivy League’ Universities in Britain, for example, in Imperial college and Durham, which has a very good reputation in UK. So what we aim as a parent after they graduate from BSJ, is that they can achieve a much higher education in UK.
British School Jakarta
Bintaro Jaya Sektor 9
Jalan Raya Jombang – Ciledug, Pondok Aren
Tangerang 15427, Jakarta
T: +62 21 745 1670
IG: @britishschooljkt
FB: @BritishSchoolJakarta
www.bsj.sch.id