School helps kids with more than just grades

Fanjia Primary School's unconventional approach to children's education, focusing as much on personal, mental and emotional development as academic success, has attracted some parents from China's big cities to relocate their children away from the rat race to the school's more tranquil rural surrounds.

Nestled in the village of Fanjia in Guangyuan city, Sichuan province, the school's calling card and distinctive educational experience blends traditional academics with immersive nature-based learning.

Originally, the school primarily served local children, many of whom had been left behind by parents who'd left to work in cities.

However, on the back of news about the primary's educational approach, 38 of the school's 70 kids come from outside of the village with many hailing from big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Xi'an.

Last year, Zheng Min, a 40-year-old mother from Nanjing, Jiangsu province, made a life-changing decision to move her family to Fanjia village so that her two sons could attend the school. Her elder son, who is now 11, started fourth grade there, while her younger son, aged 8, began first grade. The move was motivated by a desire to find an educational environment that better suited their needs.

In Nanjing, her elder son attended one of the best public schools in their district. Despite this, Zheng noticed that he was losing interest in learning. "He was compliant, but there was no spark in his eyes," she said.

The intense focus on academics, with homework stretching late into the night and a constant stream of extracurricular activities, left him unenthusiastic, she added.

The large school set strict rules to maintain order among nearly 1,000 students. "While I understood the school's safety concerns, I felt this environment wasn't right for our son," Zheng said.

"My son isn't the type to excel in a highly competitive environment, where the focus is more on grades. In such a setting, students who naturally excel might receive positive feedback and thrive, but my son didn't get that reinforcement. I believe that in primary school, cultivating learning habits, motivation and interest is more important for my son."

Zheng and her husband wanted a different experience for their children, one that emphasized learning motivation and interest over test scores. Her younger son, who had started speaking later than usual, also needed a nurturing environment. "We realized that our previous high expectations weren't helping," she said.

After researching innovative rural schools, they were drawn to Fanjia Primary School's unique approach.

The villagers still practiced communal farming, a lifestyle Zheng found both rare and valuable. "The sense of community and connection to nature is something our children wouldn't experience in the city," she said. They paid 6,000 yuan ($844) yearly to rent a house there.