About Bizzy Bees: Our Vision and Our Founders
Our vision
Bizzy Bees aims to play a leading role in nurturing innovation and creativity in Vietnam, inspiring children's curiosity and imagination in every classroom.
Through innovative, evidence-based, and child-centred educational approaches, we lay the foundation for a meaningful, happy, and successful future
Our mission
At Bizzy Bees, we create a joyful and nurturing environment where children have fun exploring, creating, and growing.
Through play-based, child-centred learning, we empower our children to become confident, resilient, empathetic, and open-minded, enabling them to positively impact the world.
We nurture their imagination, curiosity, and creativity while fostering a lifelong love for learning that lays the foundation for success in an ever-changing, 21st-century world.
Meet our founders
Bizzy Bees was co-founded by Nguyen Viet Ha and Jerome Matagne, two dedicated parents who turned their passion for early childhood education into a community project.
Both come from families with backgrounds in education, but they truly embraced this fascinating field later in life after welcoming their first child.
Ha, born in Vietnam, grew up in Hanoi and pursued a degree in business, earning a Master in English and Business in Hanoi and later a Master in Business in Brussels, Belgium . She worked for several international companies before founding Bizzy Bees.
Jerome, originally from Belgium, studied aerospace and shipbuilding engineering and honed his expertise in engineering and design within leading technical companies. He later earned an MBA in the UK and went on to hold business and strategy roles at a leading international company.
When they welcomed their first child, Ha and Jerome became deeply invested in child development and learning. They read extensively, attended seminars, and explored educational philosophies to create the best possible environment for their own child.
Their desire to resettle in Vietnam led them to Da Nang, a city they loved for its proximity to nature as well as its moderate size and low pollution. However, after visiting numerous kindergartens in the region, they struggled to find one that aligned with their philosophy—an approach centred on child-led learning, play-based experiences, individuality, curiosity, imagination, social-emotional development, outdoor play, and no screen time. So, determined to offer the best to their child, they decided to create their own kindergarten.
In order to build an exceptional school based on evidence-based best practices and aligned with their educational vision and philosophy, Ha and Jerome spent two years in the UK refining their idea into a coherent educational project. They travelled extensively to study early childhood education systems worldwide, finding inspiration in Finland and Reggio Emilia.
In 2018, they moved to Vietnam and, in 2019, Bizzy Bees Kindergarten was born—an educational space inspired by Reggio Emilia and Finnish Early Childhood Education principles.
Building a Strong Foundation
Reflecting on the early days of Bizzy Bees, one of the founders' biggest concerns was ensuring high-quality teachers who truly embraced Bizzy Bees educational philosophy. As Ms. Ha recalls:
"For hiring our first five teachers, we advertised everywhere and received more than 100 applications. We used creative methods in our interviews to select teachers who were not only capable but also passionate about teaching and aligned with our vision. But even after selecting the best candidates and providing them with state-of-the-art training, we still weren’t fully satisfied as we want to offer the best to the children at Bizzy Bees.
We realized that creating the right culture was key. It was about turning the new Bizzy Bees teachers into true believers—those willing to go the extra mile, continuously learn, and strive to give their best to the children. We needed a strong core with a shared vision that would become the foundation for the future.
Now, after seven years on this journey, I can proudly say that we have a deeply dedicated and passionate team of educators who share a common educational philosophy and continuously work to improve.
To ensure excellence, Ha serves as the Managing Director, overseeing operations, nurturing the educational philosophy, and working closely with every team member. Bizzy Bees also collaborates with Helsinki International School (HEI) in Finland, which provides specialized teacher training courses and a robust toolkit to support educators in planning engaging activities and implementing best practices.
Today, even though their own child has long since graduated from Bizzy Bees, the kindergarten continues to grow, evolve, and thrive. Each day, the founders find joy in listening to the curious questions of young learners and witnessing the wonder of discovery firsthand.
But this is just the beginning. Ha and Jerome remain committed to seeking out best practices and innovative ideas to continuously improve and provide the best possible experience for Bizzy Bees students.
Our educational principles
Joyful play-based learning: We believe children learn best through fun, play-based activities, ensuring a delightful and joyful educational journey.
Central role of teachers: Teachers expertise and passion is central in guiding and coaching children.
Every child is unique: Our teachers are dedicated to recognise and adapting to the individual needs of each child.
Respect and Safeguarding: We are dedicated to creating a safe and respectful environment where every child thrives. Through positive discipline we guide and nurture our children’s development.
100 languages of kids: Children possess a myriad of ways to express themselves. We are committed to providing diverse opportunities for them to communicate their thoughts, ideas, and creativity, particularly through artistic activities and projects.
Experiential Learning: We advocate for hands-on learning experiences where children can engage in trial and error, fostering resilience and discovery.
Holistic Development: We focus on holistic growth, encompassing cognitive, emotional, social, artistic, and physical development.
Social-Emotional Skills: Special emphasis is placed on social-emotional skills, teaching children to understand and manage their emotions, interact and communicate effectively with others, and develop empathy and respect.
Creativity and Imagination: We encourage and nurture children’s imagination, curiosity, and creativity, recognising these as the seeds of innovation.
Process Over Product: We value the learning process over the end product, celebrating the effort and creativity in children’s work.
School-Parents Partnership: The collaboration between parents and teachers is vital for alignment and mutual understanding, ensuring a cohesive approach to each child’s development.
Evidence-based learning: We are committed to evidence-based learning approaches, ensuring our curriculum and teaching methods are supported by research and proven best practices designed for optimal child development.
These principles shape the unique environment and activities at Bizzy Bees, fostering a setting that is both enriching and conducive to learning.
