The human brain grows more in the first few years of life than at any other time, with 90% of brain development taking place before the age of five. It’s therefore crucial that parents capitalise on this rapid phase of development in order to give their children the best possible chance of future academic success. Opting for early years education, at a school that provides high-quality learning, is key to this.
Hannah Tait, Head of EYFS and Primary at Discovery Bay International School (DBIS), says the nurture, care and education children receive in the early years is fundamental.
“Qualified early childhood teachers have an in-depth understanding of child development. This professional knowledge and understanding is essential in ensuring the setting and learning experience are tailored to each child’s individual starting point and are planned to support the children in building firm foundations for later learning.
“Through a quality early childhood education experience, children will engage with communication and language, which is essential for literacy development. In fact, the most recent research from the UK’s Department for Education (2025) found that those who are behind in communication, language and literacy development at age five are less than half as likely to achieve grade 4 or higher in GCSE English Language than those who are at the expected level.
“Skilled practitioners who understand child development and the skills required to engage with more subject-specific or formal learning later on have the expertise to ensure that early childhood settings are places where firm foundations and strong dispositions for learning are formed. Their focus will be far more on the process of learning rather than outcomes; this supports children in becoming curious, engaging with problem-solving, and developing self-regulation and meta-cognitive skills.
“Missing this essential period in a child’s educational journey can have a lasting impact on their chances later in life. As documented by gov.uk in 2024, research shows that ‘children who attended pre-school provision, of any kind, attained higher total GCSE scores than those who did not. The higher the quality of the pre-school provision, the higher the GCSE scores.’”
The lesson from this? Pre-school of any kind will have a positive impact, but a pre-school experience led by highly qualified, expert educators who can apply their knowledge of child development to the learning and development of individual children will have an even greater impact on them achieving their potential.
Discovery Bay International School
Discovery Bay, Hong Kong
Tel: 2987 7331
Email: dbis@dbis.edu.hk
Website: www.dbis.edu.hk
