Our recent beautiful but uncharacteristic weather has been great source of interest and discussion for the students but has unfortunately prevented our planned KG1 visit to the beach. We will be joining KG2 when they go on their field trip within the next few weeks. We have included a few photos capturing the “big freeze” and the KG2 visit to the ROP Traffic Centre. We have rescheduled the postponed visit for next month.

As we move into the second term KG teachers are looking forward to and planning for the exciting changes in the Kindergarten for the next academic year. Among those changes will be a more fitting name for the department as it becomes known as Early Years. These changes provide us with the opportunity for enhancement, enrichment and extension of the current programme.

Enhancement
A child’s learning experience in the school environment will begin earlier giving them more opportunity to develop their first language and acquire their second. Our initial aim will be that the children come to school happy and confident, that they learn how to be safe, how to share and cooperate and how to fulfill their own needs. We will be providing an inquiry based programme aimed at nurturing independent learning skills that will enable them to build on their experiences and understanding. Much of their learning will take place through structured play as part of the cycle of assessment, inquiry and reflection.

Enrichment
The increased teaching and learning time either will enable teachers to provide a richer and more varied set of learning experiences especially in the areas of Science and Technology and Art and Music. This will enable the students become more rounded and balanced with a wider range of experiences.

Extension
The increased teaching and learning time will enable students to extend their current skills, knowledge and understanding. We will be able to develop our flexible teaching programme and form and re-form groups of students across the year groups, especially in the areas of language and Mathematics, to better target their learning needs and styles.

Kathy Marhubi
Head of KG