EARLY YEARS EDUCATION – 4 to 6 years

At The Arushi School, children will receive an early year’s education provided by qualified teachers within a well established school. We have links with educational advisers, educational psychologists and advisory support staff.

The School expects and encourages good behaviour as part of a whole school programme. Children are expected to be well mannered, respectful and to get on with each other.

The children have a planned curriculum which focuses on all aspects of their development – physical, emotional, social as well as developing the skills for early reading and writing and numeracy. They have the opportunity to learn body control through regular Yoga and aerobic classes. The Early Years curriculum aims to develop:

 A positive attitude towards learning and the skills which will allow them to listen, share, co-operate, take turns and be independent.

 Social skills which will help them to make friends and to be able to relate to other adults and to cope with new situations.

 Emotional security so that they feel happy, safe and confident.

 The ability to communicate with children and adults and to make their own needs known

 Independence skills in working as well as such things as dressing and going to the toilet.

To help parents know more about the Early Years curriculum we have included information about some of the things the children will be doing and learning whilst in the play, pre nursery Nursery and Kindergarten Class.

For each child the staff will aim to keep a balance across six areas of learning:

 Personal, social and emotional development – being able to handle new situations, co-operate as part of a group but having a strong self image and self esteem, having enthusiasm for learning and confidence in their abilities, being able to concentrate and persist with tasks.

 Communication, language and literacy development – talking and responding to others, practising and extending their range of vocabulary and being able to listen carefully, exploring, enjoying and learning about words and text including a variety of books and phonics.

 Mathematical development – beginning to understand counting, recognize and order numbers, know the value of numbers, know the shapes and their names, be aware of size, measurement, patterns in shape and space, collect and record information.

 Knowledge and understanding of the world – opportunities to solve problems, make decisions, predict, plan and question and to explore and find out about their environment and people and places that are significant to them.

 Physical development – practising a full range of movements like balancing, running, hopping, skipping, swinging, catching, kicking, clapping, using small and large equipment so they can understand how their bodies work and what they need to do to be healthy and safe.

 Creative development – exploring and sharing thoughts, ideas and feeling through a variety of ways; painting, drawing, modelling, music, movement, dance and imaginative role play activities and using a variety of materials like paint, cardboard, water, sand and dough.

In each of the six areas of learning, are the early learning goals which all children will be supported to achieve by the end of the year at school.

However, all children learn at different rates and they will reach some goals more easily than other children. The staff in the Nursery and Kindergarnte Classes will understand this and will be experienced in assessing children’s progress and planning ahead to ensure the activities are matched to meet each child’s needs.

CORE SUBJECTS

ENGLISH — The English curriculum develops the children’s reading, writing, speaking and listening. One of our main priorities is to ensure the children learn to read. We want children to develop a love and enjoyment of books, right from the start, so that they will go on to be fluent and confident readers. A phonic method of teaching is hence incorporated in school.

In writing, children are encouraged to write for different purposes right from the start. We help them to learn how to spell accurately, to use punctuation properly and to have neat handwriting. We use cursive script in the school.

Children are encouraged to listen and speak in a variety of situations. They are encouraged to develop social skills through discussion, taking turns, listening carefully, asking and answering questions and making relevant comments, as well as developing the ability to explain themselves clearly.

MATHEMATICS — Through the Mathematics curriculum, children learn about numbers, shape and space, measuring and handling data. It is important that much of this learning takes place through practical activities otherwise children can have difficulty later on in developing mathematical skills and ideas.

We aim for children to develop:

 An enjoyment in solving problems

 An ability to discuss their work and ask questions 

ART — We aim to give children a range of Art experiences throughout the key stage, in order to develop their creative, imaginative and practical skills. The children are taught specific skills and techniques, as well as having the opportunities to experiment and explore for themselves. 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION — Gymnastics, games and dance all take an active role in our physical education (PE) curriculum and the school is able to offer a wide range of apparatus to complement these.

Specific skills and techniques are taught during the lessons within the school hall and outside areas. The school provides a minimum of TWO hours of P.E. per week. 

MUSIC — Music enhances all areas of the curriculum, as well as being a subject in its own right. We aim to develop an enjoyment of music and encourage active participation as part of a small group, class, whole school or alone.

Children are given opportunities to perform and compose, sing and play, listen and appraise in many different situations.

CURRICULUM 6 to 10 years

We have high standards and expectations and we help each child to achieve the best of his / her ability. Through our commitment to equal opportunities, we ensure that all children have equal access to the curriculum and that they develop a positive image of themselves.

We believe children learn best:

 Through relevant activities which stimulate interest, encourage enquiry and promote understanding.

 Through play and active involvement in mental and practical tasks.

 When learning is practically based with opportunities to learn by “doing”, observing, solving problems and by experimenting. They also need opportunities to practise and repeat activities.

The school provides a platform for developing academic and social skills to enter formal schooling. It prompts growth and development in all domains and stimulates curiosity and exploration among the kids.

 When they have access to a range of activities which allow them to be challenged. It is important they experience success but, at the same time, feel sufficiently confident and secure to risk mistakes.

 When learning opportunities are set within their own experiences. It is important that we build upon the things that the children have done and learnt at home and outside of school.

 When they are able to work independently. They also need to be able to question, solve problems, discuss and draw conclusions.

 When they are interested and motivated. It is important that they have good self-esteem and that they are praised and rewarded for their efforts.

The methods of teaching used are varied and flexible, according to the activity planned and the needs of the children. There is a balance of whole class teaching, group work and individual work.

The children also have the chance to plan their own learning, to make decisions and to take responsibility. Classrooms are organized to allow children easy access to equipment and resources are clearly labelled.