Programmes

First Steps

General Information about First Steps Programme

First Steps is a programme designed for children who are a little too young for Kindergarten and offers an age appropriate and relevant introduction to the Early Years Foundation Stage.

This class enables your child to feel confident and comfortable away from their care giver.  It encourages the children to become more independent, helping them to develop classroom routines, learning to positively interact with others, and to develop their concentration skills.

The curriculum will be age appropriate and based on the Birth to Three Provision within the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Students enrolling in First Steps will enrol at the same time for the Kindergarten class starting in September 2018.

The teachers are well qualified and experienced kindergarten professionals.

Teachers will work closely with parents/carers to settle the children.

The programme offered is:

Daily:    Monday – Friday 5 days per week (Enrolment is for the year)

Times: 2 hours per day (2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

Age Group:         2 years 3 months in September

i.e. for children born in January, February, March, April or May

Excellent Teacher pupil ratio: 1 teacher for 7 pupils

  • Toilet-trained is not essential
  • Tailored induction to ensure that each child’s needs are fully met
 

First Steps Curriculum

The curriculum is theme-based with the children learning through play and hands-on activities covering all 6 Areas of Learning of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The children will be taught by well qualified teachers and will benefit from specialist music, PE and Mandarin sessions each week.

Personal, Social, and Emotional Development Communication and Language
  • develop toileting independence
  • develop a sense of classroom routines and positive behavioural expectations
  • become increasingly aware of and interact with their peers
  • develop sharing and turn-taking skills
  • become accustomed to group involvement and cooperation
  • participate in activities for short periods of time
  • make simple choices
  • use language to effectively express their needs and frustrations
  • participate in songs, nursery rhymes and stories
  • begin to distinguish sounds within their environment
  • begin Phase 1 of Letters and Sounds Phonics Programme
  • follow simple instructions
  • increase vocabulary
Physical Development Mathematics
  • develop gross motor (whole body) muscles through physical activities such as climbing, jumping, running, ball games and obstacle courses
  • develop hand strength and control through fine motor development activities such as putting puzzles together, block / lego construction, clay modeling, sand & water play, and art activities such as drawing & painting
  • sort, match and classifying objects
  • use mathematical language such as ‘more’ and ‘a lot’
  • recite number names in sequence
  • compare quantities
  • understand variations in size big, bigger, small, smaller.
Expressive Arts and Design Understanding the World
  • utilise role-play as a means to understand personal experiences and practice vital living skills
  • become interested in musical instruments and the various sounds they make
  • gradually make sense of what they see, hear, taste, touch, and feel
  • recognise and name basic colours
  • explore their curiosity about why things happen and how things work
  • develop an interest in ICT
  • understand the concept of ‘before’, ‘later’, and ‘soon’
Mandarin Literacy
  • introduce language through interactive songs and visual aids
  • Theme based approach.
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