Preschool / Kindergarten
Developing Young Minds
The Preschool and Kindergarten learning environments offer children in the early years an exceptional opportunity to grow as inquisitive individuals. Children in the Early Years Centre are creators, collaborators and communicators with a passion for asking questions and problem solving.
Bilingual Strand: English/German
Children in the Early Years Centre have a dedicated German teacher to support their acquisition of German through the bilingual strand. Each grade level in the Early Years has a German speaking Teaching Assistant to support children's German language acquisition in all of the learning environments. Both languages are then used throughout the day to support learning. Excursions into our local community, and further afield provide children with opportunities to use the German language connected to their learning at school.
My daughter goes to school happy and we have seen her become less shy and more independent.
Elena P, ICS Kindergarten Parent
Primary Years Programme (PYP)
A strong Early Years Programme develops and extends the powerful learning skills the children bring – that natural capacity to learn, combined with their curiosity and their openness to experience and understanding. The Early Years Programme at ICS nurtures and supports the development of these innate capacities and creates a firm foundation for the higher-order skills upon which your child's future learning will be built.
Early Years children have opportunities to explore a wide range of environments to support their learning. Each educator is internationally trained as well as holds a UK Forest School Leader certification. Weekly visits to the forest setting provide rich learning opportunities. The gated on-campus pond with observation platform and purpose built research garden provides year long learning spaces to support children's scientific investigations. Dedicated classrooms leading onto courtyards, a kitchen and Atrium are all available to support the learning of children in the Early Years.
A dedicated teacher of the Arts in in the Early Years Centre supports the children’s explorations of dance, drama, music and visual arts connected to the classroom inquiries. We understand that children can share their understandings in many ways and see the arts as an important mode of sharing learning. Ms Newman, Early Years Coordinator
The teachers and assistants give thoughtful consideration to the design, resources and materials available to the children to support learning in these dynamic environments. Planning for learning is guided by the PYP curriculum, which provides a framework of core skills, knowledge, attitudes, concepts and opportunities for the children to take action. Carefully planned learning proposals ensure that each child in the Early Years Centre engages in the arts, literacy, numeracy, science, social studies and the arts through guided inquiry.
The Early Years Programme represents a transition, from home to school. It supports the natural curiosity and perseverance that children show in their play and directs this into their own inquiries. Mrs Campbell, Head of School
To look into an Early Years classroom is to see an intentional, well resourced and thoughtfully presented learning space. Children engage in project based inquiries supported and guided by teachers who are observing, listening, posing questions and assessing for understanding. In the Early Years Centre we view each child's learning journey as unique and support individualised learning to ensure children develop at their own pace. With small class sizes, children are supported to develop and challenge their own thinking and theories through small group learning. Our team of educators ensure the learning environments extend and deepen classroom inquiries with a responsive classroom environment and engaging new materials A rigorous Early Years classroom sees inquiries happen everywhere and throughout the curriculum and subject areas. Thinking, collaboration, research and social skills are cultivated and highly valued. These skills are practiced, challenged and built upon throughout the Early Years Programme.
We invite you to join us!
Children age 3 years by 1 September are warmly welcomed to join our Early Years 1 classes. For younger children who turn 3 after September 1 we invite them to join the Early Years Nursery class following their 3rd birthday. All children entering the Early Years Programme must be toilet trained.
Early Years Nursery
This programme gently supports children as they develop friendships, become increasingly independent and explore learning in a nurturing and caring environment. Children in Early Years Nursery join Early Years 1 the following school year.
Early Years 1 and Nursery
Parents can choose a combination of mornings (08:15-12:15) and/or afternoons (12:15-15:15) for an individualized schedule. Attendance must amount to a minimum of four half-days or two full days per week.
Early Years 2 and Kindergarten
Children who are 4 years old by 1 September are welcome to join Early Years 2 and our Kindergarten invites children who are 5 by that date. Both programmes offer full days (08:15–15:15) and attendance is for 5 days/week. Language instruction in German is part of the programme.
