Early Childhood

Welcome to Saint Francis Early Childhood, where a diverse range of learning styles, needs and interests are well catered for in our warm, enriching and caring environment. Children feel safe, valued and happy as they discover exciting new ways to learn, explore and play at the beginning of this very special educational journey. Small classes provide effective, challenging and significant learning experiences, which take individuality and uniqueness of each learner into account.

Approach to Learning

Early Childhood is an important time when children lay the foundations for their view of themselves as learners and their ability to decide the course to take within learning groups. They develop their sense of autonomy and identity and their ability to make informed decisions within environments that offer opportunities for them to actively interact and reflect. Because play offers these opportunities, it is essential in the lives of young children for cognitive, social, emotional, physical and brain development. Through play, children become increasingly skilled at being group members, initiating and working through projects, asking questions and exploring possible worlds through imagination. Over time, children define, construct and negotiate meaning and identity, situating themselves as members of a learning community.

Curriculum

Language/Literacy

Listens for different purposes (receptive language)

Listens while others speak
Follows directions
Listens to and engages in conversations with others

Uses language to communicate in a variety of ways (expressive language)

Communicates in home language
Uses language to pretend or create
Communicates conversationally with peers and adults
Asks/answers questions
Acquires new vocabulary

Discriminates sounds in speech (phonological awareness)

Distinguishes sounds in the environment
Repeats rhymes, simple songs, poems, and finger plays
Participates in word games
Discriminates some sounds in words
Responds to music in a variety of ways

Uses written language to communicate

Explores writing, using different forms
Uses drawing and writing to communicate

Demonstrates knowledge of books and print

Develops knowledge about books
Develops knowledge about letter sounds and names
Develops a sense of story

Mathematics

Develops number sense and numerical operations

Develops counting concepts and skills
Develops relationships between number and quantity
Develops numerical representation
Develops informal addition and subtraction concepts and skills

Develops understanding of geometry and spatial sense

Explores shapes and their uses in the environment
Investigates position and location
Solves spatial problems in everyday situations

Develops understanding of relationships and patterns in the environment

Matches, sorts, and regroups by 1 or more attributes
Orders/arranges in a sequence
Explores patterns

Explores measurement

Makes comparisons of objects, quantities, and relationships
Uses measurement in meaningful ways

Explores data

Collects, organizes and interprets data
Represents data in a variety of ways

Gross motor development

Increasingly, develops and refines gross motor locomotor skills

Hops
Runs with ease/direction

Increasingly, develops and refines gross motor balance and rotation skills

Jumps
Balances walking forward on a balance beam/line

Increasingly, develops and refines gross motor manipulative skills

Kicks a ball
Aims/throws objects at target
Catches objects

Fine motor skills

Increasingly, develops and refines fine motor skills

Increases strength and dexterity for upper extremities
Uses small manipulatives with increasing strength and dexterity
Develops scissor skills
Develops pencil grasp
Draws/writes with increasing control

Social skills

Develops self awareness

Demonstrates personal preferences
Demonstrates knowledge of personal information
Demonstrates emotional well-being
Develops appropriate trust in adults

Develops self regulation

Follows transitions and daily routines
Follows simple rules
Expresses feelings through appropriate gestures, actions, and language
Demonstrates personal responsibility for self and possessions
Follows self-selected plans for play
Demonstrates respect for classroom property

Builds relationships with peers

Recognizes feelings of others and responds appropriately
Engages in interactive play
Forms friendships
Resolves conflict

Cooperates and collaborates as a member of a learning community

Recognizes and accepts individual differences
Participates as a member of a group/activity
Uses social conventions
Negotiates with others to change rules and suggests new rules

Meet the teachers

Ms. Rona McCallum Preschool Teacher

Ms. Maria Vega Preschool Teacher Assistant

Ms. Emily Christou Kindergarten Teacher

Ms. Rona McCallum Preschool Teacher

Ms. Maria Vega Preschool Teacher Assistant

Ms. Emily Christou Kindergarten Teacher

Activities

Some title text

Short description here

Some title text

Short description here

Some title text

Short description here

Testimonials

Early Years, Preschool and kindy, at St Francis International school are like entering in a sweet and harmonious family, that gives all children access to foundations for skill development and inclusive mindset

Con la presente per esprimere la nostra sincera gratitudine e stima verso le insegnanti Ms. Emily e Ms. Rona. La professionalità e l’amore che nutrono per il loro ruolo viene percepito dai nostri figli in maniera evidente. Sono entusiasti della loro scuola ed i loro progressi sono sempre stati notevoli. P.S. Mia figlia Greta parla ancora con tanto amore delle sue ex maestre.

My son grew up at Saint Francis, he started in Kindergarten and finished in 8th grade, now thanks to them he is a straight A student in high school. I consider Saint Francis a fair and safe place where my child felt he belonged and was willing to be himself with his passions and expectations.

To keep it short, my time at St. Francis was full of ups and downs, but at the end of it all, I wouldn’t change a single thing

Extra box example

Some title text

Short description here

Some title text

Short description here

Some title text

Short description here

Some title text

Short description here

Early Childhood

Early Childhood

Approach to Learning

Curriculum

Meet the teachers

Activities

Some title text

Some title text

Some title text

Testimonials

Extra box example

Some title text

Some title text

Some title text

Some title text

Our school

Admissions

Academics

School Life

Contact us