Our morning programme is designed to give our children a variety of opportunities to develop the skills in preparation for “Big School”. We set a firm foundation on which future learning will take place by encouraging social, emotional, physical and cognitive development through interactive and hands-on learning experiences. Although the timings and level of expectation differ between the Junior and Senior groups, the flow of the day is much the same. Most lessons take place daily however our “Specials” tend to happen once a week.
Arrival & Free Play
Welcomed by class teacher and children put their backpack in their locker. Self-directed outdoor and indoor play activities. Sensory trays and activities are changed daily to allow for a wide range of experiential learning.
Morning Ring
Weather chart, calendar, attendance and news. Weekly theme exploration to give lots of opportunity to reinforce and learn new concepts and vocabulary. Develops listening skills, extend attention span and develop knowledge on a variety of topics.
Movement Ring
Movement lessons take place on the playground and develop gross-motor skills, eye-hand and eye-foot co-ordination. Some example activities: balancing beam, step-and-catch, obstacle courses, ball games, beanbag toss, skipping rope, etc.
Creative Ring
Painting, drawing, construction, baking, play dough and cutting skills are practised through creative projects related to our theme of the week. These lessons take place at various stations and develop independence, fine motor skills and eye-hand co-ordination.
Snack Time
Parents pack a healthy snack for their child to enjoy at snack time. This is an opportunity to reinforce healthy food choices, hygiene, table manners and conversation around a table setting.
Free Outdoor Play
Most days are spent enjoying a wide variety of outdoor activities and apparatus. On rainy days, activities are set up in the classroom to offer time for free exploration. Outdoor areas include: construction, chalkboard drawing, water play, mud play, gardening, road (tricycles, uni-wheels, push bikes alternating each day), fantasy play in the Wendy house, swings, monkey bars, jungle gym and more.
Music, Dance and Drama Ring
Percussion instruments, dance and dramatic play allow our little ones to develop an appreciation for music and dance. Music is incorporated in all our lessons but these more indepth lessons take place once a week. We roleplay various scenarios and characters to help us develop an understanding of the world around us.
Bible Story Ring
We learn lessons through bible stories and songs during our bible story ring, once a week. Bible stories teach our children about the human condition and how people have encountered God. Children can connect the stories to their own lives and experiences, making the Bible more relevant and meaningful.
Robotics with 6 Bricks
Once a week, we exercise our communication and problem solving skills during our robotics lessons. Robotics integrates with other subjects, such as literacy and numeracy. Robotics is crucial in early childhood education as it cultivates essential skills like critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. It prepares children for the future by familiarizing them with technology.
Wild About Me
Once a week, we explore our emotions and develop tools to navigate social interactions and our emotionals. The animal kingdom offers wonderful examples of perseverence, care, courage, community, team work and so much more. Our wild characters help to make challenging topics easier for our little ones to grasp. When our children demonstrate on of our wild values, they will recieve a sticker to place on their chart, with ten to collect.
Group Work
Each class is divided into four groups. Each day one of the groups will attend computer class while the other children remain in the class and participate in one of three learning stations that develop perceptual, mathematical and language skills. Some examples of activities: puzzle building, construction, educational games and teacher directed small group activities.
Computer Class
Each day one of the groups will attend computer class while the other children remain in the class and participate in one of three learning stations. The computer lessons are facilitated by the teaching assistants, and offer activities that reinforce the language and mathematics content being covered in class.
Free Outdoor Play
Our Grade 00 children have a second free play time to stretch their legs and recharge before their last lesson of the day.
Story Ring
We explore books, rhymes, letters and storytelling during our daily story ring. Reading stimulates the mind and imagination, and improves memory, vocabulary, and knowledge. The benefits include developing receptive and expressive vocabulary and listening skills. We can never read too many stories to our children.