Curriculum - Pre-Primary

AMBASSADOR PRE-PRIMARY LEARNING ENDEAVOURS (APPLE)

The curriculum in our school is designed to provide a well-rounded learning experience that addresses various aspects of a child's development, including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills. We adopt the best practices of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework along with preparing our students for their primary years. Our unique curriculum typically caters to children in the age range of 3 to 6 years and lays the groundwork for their future academic success.

Our curriculum is divided into 7 areas of learning:

Prime areas:

• Communication and Language Development

We identify three key aspects within this area of development namely, listening and attention, understanding, and speaking. Students get opportunities to experience a language-rich environment and develop their confidence and skills to express, speak and listen in a range of situations through various activities and interactions.

Recitation, phonic sessions, role play, show and tell further enhance language and communication in students.

• Physical Development

Students get opportunities to participate in a range of activities and experiences to be active, and develop their fine and gross motor coordination, control, and movement by developing healthy habits, choices, and physical well-being.

Activities such as running, jumping, climbing, balancing, and yoga, outdoor play are integrated for developing strength, coordination, and spatial awareness as part of the curriculum.

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

This area is fundamental to a child's overall development and lays the foundation for success in other areas of learning. It encompasses three key aspects: personal, social, and emotional development.

We aim to create a positive and nurturing environment that supports students to form positive relationships, develop respect for others, build social skills, manage their feelings, understand appropriate behavior in groups and have confidence in their own abilities.

Talent days, Subject weeks, special assemblies, events and celebrations support to enhance PSED skills in our students.

Specific areas:

• Literacy

Literacy development lays the foundation for a child's future reading and writing abilities. We follow a sound phonics program and incorporate several effective strategies and activities to prepare students for reading. Students are motivated to read different leveled books based on their readiness. This lays the foundation for them to progress into confident and independent readers.  Early writing skills are developed through activities such as mark-making, drawing, and writing letters. Students’ progress from making random marks to forming letters and eventually writing simple words and sentences.

Literacy week, guided reading sessions, Oxford Reading Tree (ORT) books, storytelling/writing sessions support the development of key literacy skills.

• Mathematics

We introduce mathematical concepts in a play-based and hands-on manner. Students are exposed to numerals through various activities. They recognize and form numbers, starting with the basics and gradually progressing to more complex numbers. They learn to describe shapes, create patterns, compare, sort objects by length, height, and weight, and capacity, handle data and analyze it using simple vocabulary, manipulatives and hands- on activities. Students are presented with real-life situations and mathematical challenges that require them to apply their understanding of numbers and concepts.

Numeracy week, exploring mathematical concepts in contexts such as counting steps, and measuring, helps in making numeracy a part of everyday experience.

• Understanding the World

We guide students to learn about themselves and others, exploring similarities and differences. They engage in activities that involve asking questions, observing and discovering the environment, including plants, animals, and changes in the weather. Nature walks, gardening, and field trips support this exploration. Students are encouraged to use technological resources, such as tablets, beeBots, interactive boards to help develop basic technology skills and digital literacy. They discover their own identities and understanding of family and community, appreciate and respect cultural diversity.

UOW week, Environment day, Earth day, planting initiatives, National day, Culture Day are the initiatives taken up to help students understand their surroundings and the wider world.

•  Expressive Arts and Design

This area focuses on nurturing students’ creativity, imagination, and self-expression through art, dance, drama, and imaginative play. They are exposed to a variety of musical experiences, including listening to music, singing, and exploring different musical instruments like drums. Movement activities, such as dancing and rhythmic exercises, enhance coordination and expression. Students are provided opportunities to participate in individual and collaborative creative projects. Parents are invited to participate in special events and celebrations, enhancing family involvement.

•  Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM):

STEAM is an integral part of our curriculum. Students get an opportunity to apply their cumulative learning in different areas to design and create structures, experiment and test the effectiveness of the same. STEAM offers a holistic and hands-on approach to learning, stimulates young minds, promotes curiosity and problem solving skills.