Here is why you Should Choose Harrods International Academy for your child’s Montessori Education.

As a parent, you naturally want the very best for your children. A part of that is seeking out the best educational opportunities available in the capital city of Phnom Penh, as a solid academic grounding works to ensure the child’s future for positive personal growth and success. Naturally, this city has a lot of choices when it comes to private schools in Phnom Penh and it is easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure of which educational choice is best for your family. Here at Harrods International Academy, we believe our team has crafted something special and that our students offer each other something special. The following is a look at what we offer and why you should consider enrolling your child at our prestigious school Harrods International Academy (HIA).

Who We Are and What HIA Has to Offer

Harrods International Academy, as a Cambodian institution, operates five unique campuses nationwide. This greater educator family has proudly been educating local and international children since 2014, and the Harrods International Academy in Phnom Penh is proud to join this legacy and excited to invite families like yours to kick off our inaugural year.

Modern Facilities And Resources

At Harrods International Academy in Phnom Penh, our team has invested in becoming the best early years school available to parents. Our newly designed international primary school features state-of-the-art facilities that include innovative classrooms set up for interactive learning and a covered playground and pool so that our young scholars can use their energy no matter how deep into the rainy season we get.

Qualified and Experienced Teachers

Having a premier physical structure is the first step to forming a top English international school in Cambodia. The next is securing the right talent, ensuring the most innovative and knowledgeable educators are leading classes and that passionate, ambitious administrators are behind the wheel and eager to take the school to even new heights. Harrods International Academy is proud to usher in this new year with the best talent, eager to challenge and assist students as they grow in academics and personal character.

Focus on English Language Acquisition and Proficiency

As with many international schools in Cambodia, Harrods International Academy conducts courses in English as this is the lingua franca of commerce, science, medicine and business. Getting young children accustomed to hearing and speaking English from as early an age as possible via English schools in Cambodia, especially when it is not their native tongue, helps to set them up for a more seamless transition into what will be a more globalised world tomorrow.

Multicultural Environment

Inside our walls, we may speak English and facilitate an internationally based curriculum, but that is not done at the expense of the community. Our team at Harrods International Academy values multiculturalism and is proud to have already attracted students from an array of backgrounds. Furthermore, we work on the community level to bring in local influences that will encourage collaboration, compassion and understanding among our students hailing from international backgrounds.

Expatriate Community Support

If your family has moved to Phnom Penh for work or other reasons, our international school can offer you a strong, supportive community base. You and your children can meet and spend time with other expatriate families as they pursue their education in Cambodia. This can make that big transition into Cambodia’s capital city go more smoothly. We endeavour to host workshops and encourage parents and older siblings to take an active role in our school community.

High-Quality Education

Yes, we saved one of the best reasons why you should choose Harrods International Academy for your child for the end of this list. Our school is proud to implement an extraordinary Montessori-blended approach that merges challenging primary grade academics with the more holistic scholarly techniques that have made Montessori methodologies so impactful for children around the world and help them to succeed in later years, such as at a Cambridge school.

How HIA’s Approach to Montessori Helps Build a Strong Foundation for Students

To be more specific with our academics and our take on the Montessori methodology, the curriculum at Harrods International School features the following attributes:

• Individual focus. The idea that scholars should pursue their interests is at the heart of Montessori methods and many Western educational philosophies. We’ve taken this and tailored our curriculum to encourage children to learn at their own pace and follow their interests. We still provide a structure for that, but we find it’s important to empower students to learn rather than force dictation.
• Hands-on learning. Sensory activities, practical life exercises and meaningful physical activities are ways in which our teachers help students engage in meaningful learning experiences. This type of tactile learning helps to engage children mentally as well as support the development of their fine motor skills.
• Respectful and collaborative environment. Those not acquainted with the Montessori schools in Cambodia and elsewhere often believe that the idea of them sounds too unstructured and chaotic. However, we’ve found that within our blended Montessori schools in Phnom Penh, taking that time to cultivate an atmosphere of respect really pays back in creating a more positive and collaborative learning community.
• Improve intrinsic motivation. Collaboration is significant at HIA, but so too is autonomy. Even the youngest primary-grade student should be given some time out of each day to work independently. We help to foster this by having students choose activities and projects they are interested in (which harkens back to our focus on child-centric learning) and encouraging them to follow that pursuit. Promoting autonomy in this way helps teach students to challenge themselves and feel confident as they work through the learning process independently.

Learn More About Enrolment at Harrods International Academy

Often, it takes walking a path to understand its benefits. Schedule a visit to come and visit our Phnom Penh campus today to see for yourself what sets our academy apart from other British and international schools in Phnom Penh. Our team, from administration to your child’s future teacher, is keen to have you join our community.