Philosophy

Busy Bees Kindergarten has the following three beliefs:

Learning occurs through social interaction and play.
The role of teachers is to create a nurturing, co-operative classroom environment where individuals can explore, discover, and learn. Materials and activities are designed to foster active learning and creativity. Teachers and parents interact with and guide children where appropriate, as well as organise group activities in which children may participate.
A school should reflect the environment and serve the community in which it operates.
As part of a diverse University community, Busy Bees offers a multicultural learning environment where children of different ethnicities and nationalities can interact and learn in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Consistent with this foundation, Busy Bees strives to create a bilingual environment in which both English and Putonghua are used.
Family is an integral part of a child's total development.
Parents and teachers should work jointly for the good of the child. Parents whose children are enrolled at Busy Bees are invited to participate as parent volunteers in the classrooms. This makes a greater range of learning experiences available to the children. All parents are welcome to volunteer and encouraged to share their native language, culture, and skills/interests with the students.

History

Busy Bees was founded by HKUST parents who desired a high-quality, bilingual pre-school for their children on campus. Only during the 1997-1998 academic year, after months of ad hoc meetings on campus and discussions with government officials, were all the hurdles cleared. Busy Bees Kindergarten (then Childcare Centre) was officially opened in November 1998 and has since been licensed under the Department of Education, which enables the school to have morning and afternoon sessions.