Leading early years figure embarks on new role in China
Nicole Weinstein
Thursday, August 20, 2020
Jan Dubiel, one of the UK’s experts in early education, is relocating to Hong Kong to take up a new role leading and supporting international schools in South East Asia.
He has been appointed Executive Principal of Harrow Little Lions Kindergartens, which is operated by Asia International Schools Ltd, part of the Harrow International Schools network.
Mr Dubiel, who was identified by the Times Educational Supplement as one of the ten most influential people in British education in 2018, will start his new role in October.
It comes after he left his position as head of national and international development at Early Excellence in April 2019.
Having spent the past three years working and training in kindergartens across China, Mr Dubiel is looking forward to taking up this new challenge.
He told Nursery World, ‘I am particularly excited about the potentials and challenges of working with a truly Kindergarten phase, as in two- to three-year-olds up to six-year-olds going into Year 1, and how we can extend the pedagogical principles of the EYFS to age six.
'I will be looking intensely at curriculum and how curriculum progression and continuity are ensured. There’s a lot of talk about how we should adopt a Kindergarten system in the UK but this will be a chance to implement it and look at how the progression works.’
He added, ‘I am both honoured and excited about the opportunity to work with Little Lions, Harrow schools and AISL to develop and support a truly successful and world class early childhood education. The opportunities and challenges that the future provides – both for us as the Harrow family, and indeed as society – will ask us questions, through which we will be able to ensure that future learners and citizens will be perfectly equipped to contribute to the world and continue to bring pride and further enhance the global reputation of this prestigious organisation.’
Mr Dubiel started his 30-year career in early education as a nursery, Reception and Year 1 teacher, having trained as an early years specialist. He has worked as an early years consultant and led on the management of the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile, with national responsibility for its implementation.
