Hanoi International Kindergarten (HIK) is the first fully registered kindergarten in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was started by Leah Ingles who employed Australian philosophy and methodology to impart early education to children aged between 14 months and seven years. It has since been developed by Chung Gilliland. HIK offers international learning facilities with learning facilitated through imagination, creativity and play. It strives to offer quality education based on moral, ethical, societal and environmental values. Children from over 20 countries are enrolled in the school at present.
HIK’s curriculum is designed around the guidelines of the British curriculum for early years. It includes activities like music, dance, drama, cooking and gardening.
It focusses on six areas of development which include personal and emotional development, social development, physical development, creative development, language and literacy development, and knowledge and reasoning.
It lays focus on interactive learning system that includes use of computers. Care givers in the school are trained to create a warm, nurturing and inviting atmosphere conducive to holistic development of the children.
The school’s language and literacy development programme is designed to ensure that children’s skills develop in oral language, phonological awareness, print awareness and alphabetical knowledge.
The school has state-of-the-art infrastructure with spacious and bright classrooms and large indoor/outdoor play area. Children are provided nutritious food with emphasis on organic and natural food.
Hanoi’s teachers are well-qualified with substantial teaching experience and receive on-the-job training with regular peer coaching lessons. All the teachers hold first-aid certificates and receive training from the Hanoi Fire Service.
It runs various after-school clubs on the following lines – English, Vietnamese, creative arts, music & movement, yoga, weekly play groups and babies groups.
The school endeavours to rear children who are strong, healthy, skilful and competent.
It is committed to assisting children in preparing themselves for further education in cosmopolitan environments.
