Kindergarten (4-6 years old)

Our schools provide a rich learning environment for all children to learn and grow. In the Kindergarten program, the children will develop their skills and abilities through inquiry and intentional play-based learning. Teachers and early childhood educators plan learning experiences where children are actively engaged in learning and thinking creatively.

Children in this grade are tasked with building an understanding of basic math and simple writing conventions on a foundation of numbers and letters. The best way to help a kindergarten students learn is to maintain their interest.

Literacy

• During the first year at Little Stars Kindergarten we focus on the sounds made by the letters in the alphabet and will start putting the sounds together to make three letter words.
• Children will start to write short sentences; initially they will copy sentences that they have dictated, by the end of the year they will be trying to write their own sentences in free writing.
• They will study storybooks and take an interest in reading.
• We hear every child read every day, children entering Little Stars Kindergarten will start on the pre reader course and progress to the Oxford Reading Tree Scheme. Children take a book home each week to read with their parents.
• As we go through the year we inform parents of what their child is learning and give parents ideas to reinforce concepts at home.

Numeracy

• Each child is treated as an individual and we design our lessons and worksheets to match their progress.
• We initially focus of the numbers 1 – 10 to ensure children understand the symbol and value of each number.
• We have a short mental math game each day to get the children thinking.
• Throughout the year we focus on discrete numeracy topics such as capacity, length, 3D shapes.
• By the end of the first year children are ready to start learning number bonds, basic addition and subtraction.