Achieving great heights through ‘Little Wonders

The ‘Little Wonders ’

that Make an Outstanding Preschool

Gulf Insider speaks to Ali Khan, Founder, Rabiya Essa, Principal and Shazray Khan, Vice Principal of Little Wonders Preschool to learn what sets them apart from other preschools in Bahrain.

Located in Saar, Little Wonders Preschool Bahrain provides a friendly, nurturing, childcentered environment for children aged one to fouryears-old. With a bright and welcoming ambiance, the preschool fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking for children, with an option of teaching in both English and Arabic.

Little Wonders Preschool follows the British Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) while bringing in a Montessori teaching approach. “We are proud to follow a curriculum which we have developed to ensure a happy

We want to give each child opportunities

to discover, question and develop.

medium between teaching the children both academically and holistically in preparation for their future schools”, Ali Khan, founder of the preschool said. However, “the ethos of the school is really to provide a loving and caring environment where children can learn and develop as individuals”, he added.

Setting Standards

The learning environment is seen as key for the children’s development and a homely atmosphere is a must to enable children to feel safe and secure. Here, a great degree of emphasis is placed on one-to-one attention and the individual learning needs of the child.

Little Wonders has a low student faculty ratio; with two qualified teachers (English and Arabic), one teacher’s assistant and a class nanny in each room. A minimum of two

When asked about what makes Little Wonders stand out, the Vice Principal Shazray Khan said that their people are the heart and soul of the preschool. “However, what really sets us apart is the love, passion and care we have for each child. This, along with the individualized care each student gets”, Shazray happily said.

Passionate and qualified staff and educators

All teachers and staff at Little Wonders are passionate about children and are exceptionally well qualified. The preschool prides itself in allowing their teachers to fully engage with their students, promote personal growth, and enrich lives without the overbearing child. Having a complete picture of the students from all angles help identify their capacities, overcome difficulties, and provide guidance in a healthy environment – something that Ali, Shazray and Rabiya agreed on.

Parents need not worry as Little Wonders have an open door policy for any of their queries and concerns. The staff are assigned to any group of children, ensuring that each one gets personalized attention. The preschool also has a full-time certified nurse onsite.

“Small class sizes and low student to teacher ratios ensure personalized attention”, Rabiya Essa, the preschool principal said. “We want to give each child opportunities to discover, question and develop skills at their own pace through our range of activities. Our learning materials are especially designed to help each child creatively explore the world around them”, Rabiya added. preschool also provides daycare after the way to make sure that the needs of each and every parent are catered to. In many ways, Little Wonders has no doubt achieved great advances in the quality of early years’ education they’re providing.

Jillian, a parent whose child is enrolled in Little Wonders said, “Some schools were merely daycares,

school until 5 pm daily and goes out of Left to right - Shazray Khan, Ali Khan and Rabiya Essa

setting traditional classrooms present.

“Our English-speaking teachers are primarily from the United Kingdom while most of our Arabic teachers are Bahraini”, Ali said. He added that their teachers have been trained extensively on their combined curriculum.

Satisfied Parents

Little Wonders has their own dedicated app for communication with parents. With various elements and stages, the app also allows parents some made me feel as though my expectations were too high. Then I found Little Wonders; Godsend. My child is thriving. She’s challenged, stimulated, educated and safe. The Montessori curriculum is immersive and encourages learning by doing. They have a separate art room, playroom and

to monitor the development of their cooking lab outside of the classroom. The teachers and administrators are excellent communicators who keep me up- to- speed with my child’s progress.”