AIS Early Years Prospectus

NURTURING AND ENGAGING YOUNG MINDS The Early Learning Village For children aged 2 months to 6 years

2

Creating the Best Foundation Early Years and Prep

at the Australian International School.

Young children have an almost limitless capacity to learn .... their energy is captivating and infectious. In the most important foundation years at AIS, the opportunities to learn, to be inspired, to grow and to develop are limitless.

We know that giving children the best start to their education journey is so important, as it will have a positive impact on their future learning and development.

Providing the right setting is a key part of a successful foundation, which is why we have created a bespoke environment for our youngest students that is innovative and creative, yet warm and most importantly purpose-built for them ...... the perfect

“

It takes a village to raise a child….. so we built one.

”

FOUNDATIONS

place to educate bright, inquiring minds from 2 months to 6 years.

4

The Early Learning Village 2 months to 6 years The Early Learning Village is a purpose-built environment that has been developed exclusively for our youngest learners, from Infant Care to Prep.

Founded on the universal truth that the environment nurtures the child, the Early Learning Village is a place which truly captures the imagination of each and every child, encouraging them to make new discoveries and lead their own learning journey.

The Village operates within the inquiry-based philosophy of Reggio Emilia and the IB Primary Years Program, and provides the ideal environment for bright, enquiring young minds to play and learn.

Adjoining the main AIS campus, the children and staff at the Village enjoy their own special world, while also remaining connected to the wider school community. The transition between the Early Learning Village and the main school environment

OUR HOME

is made seamless through the sharing of common values and principles across the two campuses.

A Purpose-built Space created just for young learners....

The Village has been thoughtfully designed with young learners in mind, to provide an environment that truly supports each child’s learning journey.

Each of our Reggio Emilia-inspired classrooms has its own outdoor playground, complete with sandpits and water or creativity project tables, and sensory play ­equipment. Playgrounds in the sky, these spaces are flooded with natural light and are accessible through a child-sized door, allowing each child’s learning to be guided by their imagination.

Classrooms are clustered together in small groups, creating communities within the larger school community. Each cluster has a dedicated teaching kitchen and mini-library and resource centre, with open spaces for children to collaborate and play flowing in­between. In the youngest years, the classroom clusters include nappy changing and sensory rooms.

Named after Australian animals, each classroom-cluster creates a home-from-home environment that is light and airy, taking cues from the natural environment.

6

DID YOU KNOW

Our classrooms feature their own outdoor playgrounds, with sandpits, water play or activity tables and sensory play equipment

A NEW SPACE

Our Child-sized Campus To engage and delight Everything that our students experience, touch, play and learn with has been specifically created with them in mind.

At The Early Learning Village, AIS students enjoy a library and Inquiry Centre, a dance studio, a large Smart Steps movement room, and three other multi-functional classrooms - all designed to compliment our programs and support the development of young learners. These are further supported by a large multi-purpose gym - The Hive, fitted with equipment especially for young, busy people.

Outside of their own classroom playgrounds, children can explore 15oom2 of covered play space that has been designed to enhance play and encourage imagination set across 3 different floors. These spaces feature a range of sensory play equipment, water play, bike tracks and sandpits.

At the heart of The Village, our fully-covered 20m swimming pool is designed for the enjoyment and teaching of young children, and is shallow enough to accomodate swimming lessons from 2 months of age.

THE VILLAGE

Wellbeing is supported by a Medical Centre, and parents can meet and create new friendships in our Parent CafĂŠ.

DID YOU KNOW

1

Our Learning Space has: Swimming Pool, Library and Inquiry Centre, Multi-purpose Gym, Dance Studio, Medical Centre and Parent CafĂŠ

9

10

Creativity and Learning Our unique curriculum With over 25 years’ experience to draw upon, we know that young children learn best when they are at play, when they feel comfortable to ask questions and to explore possibilities through their imaginations.

Our unique curriculum draws on the principles of Reggio Emilia philosophy which places the child at the centre of the learning experience.

Our learning spaces guide each child’s exploration of the world around them, celebrating each child’s ideas, whether that be in mathematics and literacy, music and movement or learning a new language ... and our highly-experienced teachers work with our young students to uncover and develop their innate wonder and love of learning.

The inquiry-based approach of the IB Primary Years Program is introduced from 3 years old, igniting curiosity and

DID YOU KNOW

The Early Years program at AIS includes weekly: Mandarin, SmartSteps, Music, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

EARLY YEARS

providing the foundation for success in the Elementary School.

Igniting Passions A world of opportunities, under one roof Whether in our young-learners swimming pool, in our multi-purpose hall, our dance studio or our outdoor playgrounds, your child’s learning will take place in an environment which is built entirely with them in mind.

Our complimentary programs are led by specialist teachers, in a combination of dedicated spaces and classrooms across the school.

A range of enrichment activities, including Swimming, Robotics, Dance, Sports and Drama are on offer, extending the day until 4.30pm for those children who want to try something new outside the classroom.

Through the course of the school week, your child might: • Learn Mandarin through song and dance in flexible classrooms • Build their water confidence and learn to swim in our pool • Explore their musical talents with our specialist Music teacher • Develop their hand-eye coordination and balance in our SmartSteps Gym • Build confidence through Speech and Drama • Develop their love of reading in our Early Years Library and Inquiry Centre

12

OPPORTUNITIES

Our School Week As individual as your child and works around you Imagine a school day which is tailored to your needs, which allows you to organise your week in a way that suits both the needs of you and your child ­— the AIS Early Years program does just that. Your child’s school week can be as long or short as you need it to be — our program is as individual as your child.

Flexible weekly schedule: • 3 days (Mon, Tues, Weds - Weds, Thurs, Fri) • 4 days (Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri) • 5 full days (Mon - Fri) • 5 half-days (Mon- Fri until 12pm)

Extended Care

For those families who wish to extend the school day to fit around their personal or work schedules, we offer an extended care program at the Early Learning Village. The program runs from 3.00pm to 6.00pm on school days and

FLEXIBILITY

from 8.00am to 6.00pm during school holidays.

Staffed by our Early Years educators, our Extended Care program is fully flexible, meaning parents can choose how and when they use it. Children can take part in a range of play activities, or they may want to relax and enjoy nap time after a busy day at school. Whatever their needs, you can rest assured that your little one will be in good hands with our team.

15

INFANT CARE

Infant Care at the Early Learning Village Our Infant Care program is available for children aged 2 months – 18 months and is offered year-round to support busy mums and dads. The dedicated Infant Care Pod is an intimate space located within a secure floor of the Early Learning Village, and has been specifically designed for babies and young toddlers. The fully-equipped Pod provides a stimulating, safe space for infants to learn, explore and grow.

Each baby and infant in our care is unique, with their own developing and changing needs, preferences and routines. We adapt to your child’s needs, through the creation of Individual Care Programs. These are developed in partnership with each family, ensuring the care we give is as similar as possible to the care they would get at home.

Staffed by highly trained Infant Care professionals, and supported by the principles of the RIE philosophy (Resources for Infant Education), our program advocates autonomous, uninterrupted play which encourages natural learning.

Infant Care operates 47 weeks of the year, 8.00am - 6.00pm and the program offers a choice between 2, 3 or 5 days per week.

17

18

Your Child’s Journey Capturing every moment Every moment matters when children are in their formative years of learning, and for many parents these moments can pass them by if they happen at nursery, school or daycare.

Our Storypark App enables you to relive the important moments that happen in your child’s school day and to feel more involved with their learning. The App, which can be accessed via mobile, desktop or tablet, allows teachers to send out updates, photos and videos throughout the day, and parents receive real-time notifications when new stories have been uploaded. Storypark is an effective tool which can be used to track your child’s learning journey and see the progress they have made throughout the school year.

Parents are also encouraged to share things they do with their child outside of school through the App, creating a two-way dialogue between teachers and parents. This helps both parties to have a better understanding of the child’s learning style

“

Storypark is essentially our window into Josh's world at nursery. It's allowed us to observe how he's grown in confidence and how he's beginning to explore relationships and develop social skills with his classmates and teachers.

David - Early Years parent

JOURNEY

and helps create relevant links across school and home life.

Outdoor Learning Extending learning beyond the classroom In today’s technology-driven society it can be easy to forget the benefits of getting outdoors in the fresh air and enjoying the natural environment. Many children are now exposed to more screen time than ever before, and the simple pleasures of nature are becoming a thing of the past.

AIS adopts a holistic approach to learning, which aims to develop the ‘whole student’ by nurturing their individual talents, both in and outside of the classroom, helping them to discover their unique pathway in life. Our Outdoor Education Program is an essential part of this approach, and forms a fundamental component of our curriculum from a young age.

In Early Years, all children are introduced to outdoor activities such as den-building, nature-spotting and transient art (making things out of leaves, twigs and other natural materials). Children are exposed to a range of natural environments through the AIS Forest School and excursions to our local park. The aim is to extend learning

LEARNING

beyond the classroom and to foster an early understanding and appreciation of nature.

21

PARTNERSHIP

Working Together and in partnership None of us are born experts in raising children, and just like our children, we learn and draw on the experiences of those around us.

Whether it’s uncovering how you can develop your child’s love of reading or understanding how your child’s eye-movement coordination can benefit their future writing skills, we are here to support you.

Our engaging AIS ‘Teaching and Learning Explored’ parent workshop program shares with parents the experience of our staff, as well the expertise of the many educational leaders and experts who partner with the School.

Our Teaching and Learning program continues across the School, allowing you to access age appropriate support as your child grows and develops.

23

Bright Minds inspired by brilliant teachers and mentors Just as our students develop and grow, so does our knowledge and so do our programs.

Our innovative campus, along with our inquiry-based curriculum attracts highly trained teachers, as well as inspiring leaders in education to partner with us.

The Early Learning Village has been developed under the mentorship of Professor Gary Moore (EnvironmentBehaviour Studies, University of Sydney) and Ms Rosie Long (Reggio Emilia Early Years consultant), to create a truly inquiry-led environment for our young learners to flourish and grow.

Early Years at AIS seeks inspiration for continued development through the wider Cognita family, which incorporates leading early childhood educators from across the globe. By creating partnerships between Cognita schools and key champions of Early Years, we can share knowledge and leverage expertise to provide the best standard of education for our students.

24

“

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination Albert Einstein

INSPIRED

TRANSITIONING

Transitioning to Elementary School and beyond While big school might be a few years off, we know the importance of putting your child on the right path. Early Years at AIS draws on the benefits of being part of the wider school community to provide our young learners with a purpose built, secure learning environment while also accessing opportunities to engage with children in Elementary School. Our classbuddy program eases the transition to the older years when the time comes. We even run a buddy program with some of our Year 12 students.

Prep (age 5-6) purposely has its home within The Early Learning Village, allowing our youngest Elementary students to begin their first formal years of schooling in a purpose-built environment. This provides a smooth transition to Lower Elementary School, and follows a well-developed and meaningful transition model which continues throughout the School to support each child’s growth.

27

B

B

Globally focused, distinctly Australian Globally focused, distinctly Australian 1 Lorong Chuan, Singapore 556818 Contact: +65 6517 0247 | www.ais.com.sg AIS is part of the global Gognita family of schools www.cognitaschool.com Australian International School Pte Ltd is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). CPE Registration Number 199204405H. Period of Registration 6 July 2015 to 5 July 2019