FREEDOM HOUSE KINDERGARTEN AND DAYCARE

Curriculum

FHK purposes to provide an exciting, fun and stimulating learning environment for children aged 2-6 years. The classes are divided into four year groups. We teach basing on the national curriculum using an English methodology that makes learning fun for our students.

Daycare 2-3.8years                                                    Pre-school 3.8-4years  

Junior Kindergarten 4-5 years                                   Kindergarten 5-6years

A child qualifies to enter Kindergarten if they are two years old and above.

The Foundation Stage for Early Years at FHK covers development in six areas which are incorporated through a wide range of exciting, stimulating and challenging themes and topics.

1. Personal, Social and Emotional Development:

This area of learning is about emotional well-being. Opportunities will be provided for the child to develop a strong self-image and self esteem. This will encourage social skills, self-awareness and cooperation. This area is central to all other areas of the curriculum and it will be part of our everyday routine. There will be daily sessions of circle time when the child will be encouraged to share personal experiences and opinions with the class. The child will be encouraged to become independent, careful and thorough in carrying out their work through classroom responsibilities as well as the management of their own personal hygiene. 

Basically the child:

• Learns to trust key adults.
• Will develop a sense of belonging.
• Will respond to pattern and routine of the day.
• Will form positive relationships.
• Will gain knowledge of understanding of their culture.
• Will share emotions and experiences with their peers and familiar adults.
• Will have feelings of self-confidence and self-control
• Will practice solving problems of their own and their peers.

2. Mathematical Development:

Opportunities will be provided for the child to use and investigate number, sorting, measurement, pattern, matching, shape and space through play and practical ‘hands-on’ activities which develop mathematical concepts and vocabulary. Strategies focus on applying mathematical skills to everyday situations. The child explores different ways of solving mathematical problems through stories, songs, games and imaginative play, so that children enjoy using and experimenting with numbers.

Basically the child:

• Will engage in lots of practical activities, working with numbers, shape, space, measuring, weighing etc. The emphasis being upon problem solving and learning through discovery and play.
• Joining in with activities that are imaginative, enjoyable and open ended.

3. Communication, Language and Literacy:

Communication, language, and literacy depend on learning and being competent in a number of key skills, together with having confidence, opportunity, encouragement, sport, and disposition to use them. This area of learning includes: communication, speaking and listening in different situations and for different purposes, reading a wide range of books, reading simple texts and writing for a variety of purposes.

Basically the child:

• Will be given opportunities to imagine and recreate experiences.
• Will explore situations, events and ideas.
• Will be encouraged to develop a love for books, stories, rhymes and poems and music.

FHK aims to link language with physical activities through action songs, role-play and other practical activities. Children will be given opportunities to observe and help adults to write signs, labels, posters and captions and to develop the confidence and ability to eventually produce these themselves.

4. Creative Development:

Creativity is fundamental to successful learning. Being creative enables children to make connections between one area of learning and another, and so extend their understanding. Creativity incorporates art, craft, design and technology, music, drama, movement, and dance, role-play and imaginative play. It provides opportunities for children to express themselves through different media. We have a professional teacher for music.

Basically the child:

• Will be given opportunities to experience a stimulating environment in which creativity, originality and expressiveness are valued and recognized.
• Experience a wide range of activities.
• Express their own ideas.

5. Environment (Knowledge and Understanding of the world):

In this area of learning children are developing the crucial knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world. Opportunities will be provided for the child to interact and learn about the world around them through solving problems, experimenting and making decisions. The child develops a system of enquiry through appropriate topics such as ‘Ourselves’, ‘Our Environment’ and ‘Journey’. The child is engaged in practical activities and experiments. This learning forms the foundation for later work in science, design technology, history, and geography and information technology.

Basically the child:

• Will be given opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world through first hand experiences that will encourage exploration, observation, problem solving, prediction, decision making supplemented by lots of discussion.
• Children will experience a wide range of activities both indoors and out that will stimulate their interest and curiosity to learn.

6. Physical Development:

Physical development in the early years is about improving skills of co-ordination, control, manipulation and movement. Opportunities are provided for the child to develop and practice their fine and gross motor skills. The child is encouraged to develop an understanding of how to use their body and be safe. Physical Education and swimming will be conducted by professional personnel.

Physical development has two other important aspects:

1. It helps the child gain confidence in what they can do.

2. It enables them to feel the positive benefits of being healthy and active.    

Basically the child:

Will be given opportunities to explore the space around them, both indoors and out, and to devise and take part in activities that will assist their physical development.

            Will use the language of movement alongside their actions.

Kindergarten (5-6years old)

 Some schools call it Top Class/ Kindergarten/Reception Class. Whatever the designation the parent’s question is, “What will my child be doing in Reception year?”

This outline is to provide parents with brief details of what their children will be learning in the Reception year. Our Reception groups are differentiated to allow children to work at levels appropriate to their ability and therefore your child may be set work that differs from some of the general outlines below. The following provides you with general information of the curriculum covered through the six areas of learning, which are incorporated through a wide range of exciting, stimulating and challenging themes and topics.