The Lower School department consists of the Early Years Department: Kindergarten and Reception classes and Key Stage One : Year 1 and 2 classes.
We aim to:
EARLY YEARS- KG and Reception
In the Early Years, the first stage of a child’s education, a curriculum is set for the learning, development and care of your child as the children follow the UK Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.
The key focus in the Early Years is Personal, Social and Emotional development, where children learn to follow a routine, the expected social skills and develop independence to learn. Learning takes place in a planned environment with play-based activities which are both structured and those which foster independent learning.
The Foundation Curriculum covers 7 areas of learning in total:
The Prime Areas being
The Specific Areas being
Children in the Kindergarten begin with pencil control activities leading to your child learning to read and write in Reception. This will be based on phonics. We follow the Letters and Sounds program, which aims to build children’s speaking and listening skills preparing them for learning to read , by developing their phonic knowledge. This focuses on listening to the sounds letters make ( not their names). Our detailed program begins in KG where children learn to listen to sounds around them, sounds in their names and singing familiar songs and rhymes. We move to a structured approach in Reception where children are introduced to initial sounds and begin to build words , preparing them to read and write. This continues with the aim of them becoming fluent, independent readers and writers by the end of Year 2. Your child will also bring home a reading scheme book to read. In writing children will begin to form letters then words and simple sentences. Speaking and Listening is the foundation of Literacy , so your child will be listening to stories and joining in songs and rhymes throughout out the Early Years.
In the first stages of Mathematics children will be introduced to numbers, using a range of familiar objects to help them understand basic mathematical ideas. Counting skills, number recognition and formation, putting objects into groups and finding total number are all taught with practical activities. Naming and describing shapes, patterns, plus the mathematical language of measurement are also covered.
In the Early Years the Science part of the curriculum for young children is designed to help them make sense of the world around them. The children work in a practical way, exploring , working with a range of materials and covering a variety of topics such as Animals, Plants, Ourselves, Water etc. Investigation and exploration using senses, looking for similarities and differences and learning the features of common living things are part of the program to develop early scientific skills.
The Early Years program also includes Music and Physical Education which are taught by specialist teachers.
Arabic speaking children are taught one lesson of Arabic per week in Reception, this is only an introductory course in preparation for the obligatory Ministry Arabic lessons in Year 1. Non Arabic speaking pupils are given extra English and reading activities during this lesson.
EXTRA ACTIVITY DAYS
Included in our Early Years program are thematic days such as our famous “Character Day” , where staff and children dress up as popular story characters. Other days include Musical activities, Healthy Eating, Color Themed days and Topic related activities.
A separate Sports Day takes place at a local stadium for KG and Reception. This is a fun packed activity morning, where parents are invited to watch their children take part in team games.
TIMING OF CLASSES
KG classes start at 8.00 am promptly and end at 12.00 pm. The children who take the KG bus depart at 11.30 am. Parents who collect their children may do so once the bus has departed.
Reception classes start at 8.00 am promptly and end at 1 pm. The Reception bus departs at 12.30 pm. Parents may collect their children once the Reception bus has departed.
It is vitally important young children arrive on time for the start of classes , as this is part of their routine and will miss vital teaching points at the beginning of the day.
HOMEWORK
Children in KG are no given homework unless a child needs some additional support at home.
In Reception children are given Phonics, Reading and Maths homework each week. This will reinforce and consolidate basic skills taught that week.
UNIFORM
Children in EYFS are expected to wear the correct school uniform. Parents will be informed by the class teacher at the start of the year on which day the class has PE , so that the children wear their PE uniform on the nominated day.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN EYFS
From Term 2, once the children have settled into school in KG, there is an opportunity for children to take part in Music Club. The club takes place after the KG class has finished . This is an excellent opportunity for children to further develop their language skills as well as early music skills.
From Term 1 children in Reception there are several clubs offered over the two terms including a Music club, Number Fun and Phonics. These clubs also take place after Reception classes have finished.
CARE CLUBS
KG LATE CLUB is until 1 pm
Reception LATE CLUB is until 2 pm
STAFFING