Early Childhood

Welcome to our lively and vibrant school, here our young children learn through inquiry and active exploration; watching, creating, experimenting, investigating and discovering. At ASOY, they are stimulated to develop their skills and attitudes in order to grow as confident learners.  The teaching and learning process is based on constructing knowledge related to themes of local and global significance. Teachers work as mediators to optimise each child’s individual progress through a transdisciplinary programme of education starting in our Pre K 3 class and all throughout the Primary Years Program (PYP) offered by the International Baccalaureate (IB).

 The IB and ASOY know that young learners are intelligent, resourceful and creative individuals who grow, develop and learn at different rates. They explore their environment and learn about their world through play and relationships with peers, teachers, family and community members. Early learning in the PYP is a holistic learning experience that integrates socio-emotional, physical and cognitive development. In the PYP classroom, it takes place in dynamic environments that promote play, discovery and exploration.

Children have experienced the PYP in an early years setting like how the programme acknowledges that each child is unique. Exploration and inquiry through learning experience promotes curiosity, autonomy and sense of wonder, the foundations of inquiry. Children are invited to use all their senses to investigate, question and discover. Play is a powerful tool to gain essential skills and attitudes required of a life-long and creative learner.

Our Pre K 3 and Pre K 4 classes are fully bilingual. Our experienced and dedicated teachers use a translanguaging strategy where students and teachers converse in both English and French and responses in both languages are acceptable. For more information please read the following article on What is Translanguaging in the Classroom?.

At ASOY our Early Years is divided into PreK 3, PreK 4 and Kindergarten.

Pre-Kindergarten 3 is for children who have turned 3 years of age by September 1st of the current school year. Children attend school Monday through Friday, 8:00 am -12:15 pm.

Pre-Kindergarten 4 is for children who have turned 4 years of age by September 1st of the current school year. Children attend school Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 2:15 pm. PreK 4 students have the opportunity to join the After School Activities program.

Kindergarten is for children who have turned 5 years of age by September 1st of the current school year. Kindergarten children will attend school Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 3:15 pm. Kindergarten students have the opportunity to join the After School Activities program.

Source: THE IB PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME (PYP) IN AN EARLY YEARS SETTING