Curriculum

Our program is based on the International  Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) covering all essential knowledge and skill areas in early childhood development;

With children aged 4+ we use Jolly Phonics, a child centered program for teaching literacy, reading and writing and specialized math resources like Abacus Evolve;

We build strong personal and social skill with the IEYC personal goals and  Kelso’s Choice.

IEYC is structured in Units of Learning which each group explores in the course of 4 to 6 weeks. Parents are notified at the beginning of each unit what children will be learning. At the end of the week teachers prepare a newsletter covering activities and moments of children’s work and play at school. Where possible we supplement children’s learning with visits and field trips to museums, parks or the zoo.

Examples of IEYC units include:

THIS IS ME

In this unit the children find out about how are we the same and how are we different?; My family and me; My home, my street and my neighborhood; Houses and homes around the world, etc.

TO THE RESCUE! – SUPERHEROES

Superheroes are all around us, using their special super powers to help others in need. We’re going to become heroes too, by making our own costumes and imagining the amazing and incredible powers we will use to help ourselves and other people around us. Lots of exciting new adventures await us as we explore and learn about the world of Superheroes!

In this unit the children will be finding out about everyday heroes and people who help us; helping each other and working together as a team; learning about stories and storytelling; exploring what makes a superhero; exploring the emotions of a superhero character; planning and making superhero costumes, etc.

WEATHER WONDERS 

Look out of the window. What is the weather doing today? Will it be the same tomorrow or the day after that? Weather can change all the time. It can be raining, snowing, windy or sunny. There are lots of different types of weather and each one can make a big difference to what we can do, what we wear and even how we feel. Weather happens everywhere in the world and it’s what makes where we live special. As we become weather watchers and learn more about the weather, we will discover there’s lots of fun to be had, whatever the weather! In this unit we will learn about forecasting the weather, sunny and stormy weather, snow and ice.

ONCE UPON A TIME

This unit is dedicated to the theme of ‘storytelling’, and aims to foster a love and appreciation for sharing and enjoying different types of stories, songs and rhymes. In the Early Years, these experiences support the development of language and literacy skills and help create a positive and nurturing environment where children can develop both socially and emotionally.

When we hear the words ‘Once upon a time’, we know we are about to be taken on an exciting adventure. Everyone, no matter what their age, has a favourite story that they like to hear, and often we like to enjoy them over and over again. Now, we’re going to discover some new stories! By exploring these stories, we will be learning how to become better storytellers, and will create our own amazing worlds of make believe. Shall we begin? ‘Once upon a time…

PRESS IT, CLICK IT

With advancements in electronics, software and mobile devices, technology has become an almost indispensable part of our everyday lives. In the early years, it is important that we provide children with experiences to find out about and identify these uses of technology. In this unit, activities specifically target creative opportunities for children to explore and play with technology, offering structured use of ICT such as cameras, phones, recording devices, tablets and computers to provide a varied range of sensory and learning experiences.

We can use machines to do lots of things – wash our clothes, cook a meal, take a photograph, play a game, even talk to someone on the other side of the world! We are going to be meeting some very amazing machines and using them in all kinds of exciting ways.

IMAGINE THAT

An artist can be someone who likes to paint and draw, to imagine exciting adventures and fill their paper with colour and life. An artist can be someone who likes to build and make, to create models and sculptures that wow and amaze. An artist can be someone like you and me – we can all be artists, and make exciting things happen with our imagination and creativity.
This unit is about encouraging creativity in young children and the importance of celebrating all their creative ideas. Children will explore colours and shapes, learn about Rangoli patters, discover the art of artists like Tingatinga and Arcimboldo, and explore Nature’s wonders.

BLAST OFF

In the early years, children will have very limited knowledge and experience of space.
In this unit, children will be primarily focused on learning about stars, the moon and the
planets, about other objects in space such as comets and asteroids, and about what tools scientists use to discover about space. They will be gradually introduced to these concepts through the Moonbeams – a friendly family that have decided to visit Earth for a picnic.