AISL Harrow Early Years Curriculum Booklet

THE EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM

INTRODUCTION

Definitions of Curriculum can often be simultaneously both complex and simple.

In short ,the curriculum describes ‘what we want the children to learn’, what is considered to be important and necessary for them to be knowledgeable, successful, skilful and well-rounded responsible citizens. While this focuses on content, it is important to assert that, especially in Early Years provision this describes knowledges, skills, behaviours and attributes that, while complementing, go beyond a traditional view of curriculum as purely what might be described as academic knowledge.

It is equally important to define curriculum as separate from both pedagogy (the process) and assessment (understanding what children have learned). Although there is clearly an overlap between these aspects of educational provision, and as a troika, they clearly define a framework for educator activity, there is sometimes a tendency to conflate these together. In doing this, the clarity, definition and clinical purpose of each element runs the risk of being lost and the understanding subsequently confused.

The figure below reflects the manner in which Curriculum exists as a self standing entity but sits alongside and overlaps with the equally important and necessary elements of Pedagogy and Assessment.

So viewing curriculum as a separate, self-standing entity, consisting of the ‘what’ we want children to learn, the valuable content, becomes a critically important matter.

In particular, distinguishing this from pedagogy, the how, is an important consideration. The Chinese proverb “There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same” is a very helpful way of conceptualising this. While children may need different, unique, varied and responsive ‘paths’ (pedagogy and approaches), our intentions and ambitions for the outcomes ‘the view’ will be a constant aspiration for all children. This ‘view’ is the content and therefore the curriculum.

This then helps shape a view of the curriculum, and its design, as clear, content driven and progressive; in that the aspects we want children to learn and be confident with will accumulate through broadening and deepening their understanding through teaching and learning experiences.

Therefore as educators, and indeed as a society, we need to carefully choose precisely what we consider to be important enough for children to learn and, especially in the case of the influential foundational nature of a child’s Early Years’ experience. We need to clearly establish what learning is shaped, scaffolded and supported to enable early development and understanding and provide a trajectory to outcomes and possibilities that we intend and aspire to.

Any curriculum will also always be driven by a complex reflection of the values we wish to enculturate our children with. We decide what knowledges children should have, but also what skills are appropriate and what behaviours and etiquettes are necessary. Curricula reflect ‘being’ as well as ‘knowing’; as these are equally important in terms of what we consider worthy and important enough to hand on to our children and our aspirations for the kinds of people they are going to become. Unsurprisingly, this culminates in huge debates and different perspectives of what this should be. Curricula will invariably need to be responsive, adaptive and fluid. But it is equally imperative that they also need to acknowledge, retain and reflect cultural contexts, identity and heritage, while being cognisant and aware of the diversity of the world beyond their own direct experience.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, DESIGN AND INTERPRETATION

The development and design of a curriculum needs to ensure that it fully reflects explicit and considered values, intentions, ambitions and aspirations for the children whom it will serve. These values need to be clearly interwoven within the fabric of the curriculum so that they are a constant feature of all aspects.

Building on from this, a successful curriculum design needs to ensure that there is appropriate breadth and depth in terms of coverage and that the prescribed outcomes are broad enough to support this. This in turn provokes questions of manageability and adaptability to avoid the ineffective and destructive phenomena of a ‘tick list’ approach which culminates in superficial coverage at the expense of authentic understanding and application.

A curriculum needs to not only acquaint the child with the past and the present but enable and empower them to fully understand and be prepared for a future that may be unpredictable and by definition unknowable. A recognition of the challenges – visible and invisible – that this may bring is a critical element of a responsible, forward-looking curriculum, and a central consideration of curriculum design.

Curriculum design must also ensure that all these elements embed and reflect both the culture, identity and heritage of the children who access it, and also a responsible recognition of the diversity and complexity of the wider world outside their immediate milieu. Strengthening identity, collective history, and knowledge of rituals, customs, collective history and traditions that define a community and wider society, is a vital aspect of the purpose of curriculum, for it is within this that knowledge, skills and behaviours will be fully, and meaningfully contextualised and comprehended.

Care needs to be taken to distinguish between the ‘Prescribed Curriculum’ ; (the documentation and outlines of intentions), and the ‘Actual Curriculum’ (the day to day reality of what children learn and are taught). No Prescribed Curriculum will ever be able to fully account for the complexity and intricacy of Early Years learning and development, its individual, idiosyncratic paths, interests and fascinations, and necessary provocations, support or ‘pathways’ which, responding to, will be a necessary part of the educator’s role. While a Prescribed Curriculum will necessarily identify broad aspirations and core intended outcomes for children, there will be a vast and complex addition that will be individual to each child. This is the preserve and responsibility of each individual educator to facilitate.

Equally, a facet of an Early Years Curriculum is the distinction between what could be described as the ‘Implicit Curriculum’ that is a constant feature of everyday practice and activity, and the ‘Explicit Curriculum’ which requires greater direct ‘shaping’ to occur. In the English EYFS the former is reflected in the Prime Areas and Characteristics of Effective Learning and the latter in the Specific Areas. Although both aspects require a range of teaching strategies to be fully implemented, the different nature of this needs to be acknowledged.

Additionally, care needs to be taken to ensure that the curriculum is not specifically linked to pre-set, prescribed activities as this again unhelpfully blurs the distinction between curriculum and pedagogy.

A vital element within curriculum needs to be the process of progression, which is sometimes lost due to an over-focus on coverage and completion. Alongside the principle of depth and breadth of understanding, there needs to be an acknowledgement that effective and well-designed curricula accumulate, extend and optimise knowledge, skills and behaviours. Additionally, the need for this to be ambitious and challenging for all children should be an integral part of the overall design.

THE UNIQUE NATURE OF AISL HARROW EARLY YEARS PROVISION

Consisting of both Early Years classes in International Schools and Bilingual Kindergartens, provision is mixed in terms of context but cohesive and parallel in terms of educational philosophy, values, pedagogical approaches and Curriculum intent. The traditions, history and culture that underpin the uniqueness of the provision enable us to ensure that there is a confidence in how, within the autonomy of each Early Years provision, there is an underlying consistency to facilitating and realising our aspirations.

Central to the offer provided to parents and their children that are enrolled in the range of provision is a commitment to ensuring that the values of courage, humility, fellowship and honour are firmly interwoven within the fabric of each child’s experience and a central reference point for understanding the purpose and context of education.

An equally important aspect of the intentions for the Curriculum is to ensure that the child’s experience will foster and enable the necessary skills and attributes in preparation for a life of leadership and responsibility. The Harrow leadership attributes represent this as critical content to be addressed and will need to be acknowledged as an equally central component of the AHEYC.

The AISL document ‘The Successful Child, the Successful Adult’ (November 2020) identifies key elements required for realising the vision for AISL Harrow Early Years Provision:

EXCELLENCE

Our realised ambition needs to be focussed on delivering the best possible provision that it is possible to create, an internationally recognised hub and ethos of excellence that is uncompromising in its commitment to the best possible start for children, providing them with the best possible experiences to ensure the best possible outcomes; at the end of Early Years, and into their continued school career. Within this we will need to incorporate the additional aspects of the Harrow Schools profile as forward looking, global and innovative.

VALUES

Taking the core Harrow values of courage, honour, humility and fellowship; there will be a need to expound these and reconfigure their essence within an appropriate and accessible Early Years context. Whilst these values are understandably traditional in their presentation, they have, more than ever, an absolute relevance to the modern developing world; therefore there is a need to identify and support how these start in Early Years and how they are modelled, taught and instilled within children in EYCs.

PREPARATION FOR LEADERSHIP

Additionally, as our values shape the aspirations for the outcomes we want for children, we also need to acknowledge how the Harrow values of leadership are defined and created within Early Years and EYCs. How do we ensure that young children understand and assimilate the importance of making a contribution to the community, applying knowledge with compassion, solving problems collaboratively, making just and reasonable choices and facing challenges with determination? How can we shape experiences, opportunities and teaching that places these at the core of our intended outcomes?

DEFINING SUCCESS

Within the strong value base it will be important to stress that success, while dependent on academic attainment, is a much wider and deeper aspiration and ambition that includes acknowledges and supports a range of other virtues and attributes that are considered to be of equal importance. Therefore, a defined description of a ‘successful learner’ in Early Years will need to be fully understood and embraced by all staff and across the whole organisation.

EVIDENCE

Central to our confidence that excellence is at the core of what we provide for children is ensuring that we continually and consistently draw from a scientific evidence base that substantiates the decisions made and approaches that are taken. The results of international longitudinal research, Action research Case studies and the increasing influence of Developmental Psychology, Neuroscience and associated disciplines need to play a vital part in shaping, adapting and reconfiguring approaches to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.

THE AISL HARROW EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM (AHEYC)

AHEYC is an aspirational and challenging Curriculum designed to embody the elements of excellence and values, align all Early Years provision; regardless of context,and provide a challenging, forward-looking ambitious curriculum that enriches the lives of children and prepares them for the future and well informed, creative and responsible citizens prepared for responsible leadership.

The AHEYC is foregrounded with the values that underpin it. Based on the Harrow values and leadership attributes, it will express and articulate:

1. The purpose of education and the aspirations for ‘knowing’ and ‘being’

2. The application and use of education

3. The nature of identity, culture, community and belonging

4. The Curriculum content consists of seperate elements that are defined by: ◆ Domains (Bodies of Knowledge and Skills) ◆ Disciplines (Learning Behaviours)

The AHEYC draws from and has been shaped by the examples and experiences of the best international Kindergarten Curricula; their philosophies, approaches and considerations in how the content is identified, designed and established for implementation. This ensures that the uniqueness of the AISL Harrow approach will rest securely within what is considered to be the best that is known about an Early Childhood curriculum and how this can fully support children’s learning, development and success.

The content of the AHEYC is underpinned by core values that reflect the uniqueness and shape of the purpose and intention of the curriculum. The core harrow values of courage, humility, fellowship and honour will be centre staged as the basis on which the rest of the Curriculum will grow. These are articulated and represented in an appropriate way to demonstrate how these will be realised and facilitated in EYCs and how this will both appear and be supported appropriately and meaningfully for children aged 2 – 7.

An equally important aspect of the intentions for the Curriculum is to ensure that the child’s experience will foster and enable the necessary skills and attributes in preparation for a life of service, leadership and responsibility. The Harrow leadership attributes represent this as critical content to be addressed and will need to be acknowledged as an equally central component of the AHEYC.

Inevitably, this approach to Curriculum development necessitates a ‘holistic’ curriculum design and content that combines rich knowledge content with an equal focus on skills, learning behaviours attributes and the application of learning within the framework of Harrow values and qualities.

Recognition also needs to be made of the importance of individual cultural identity and heritage, and how the locality of the schools itself needs to be reflected in the curriculum that the child experiences. Traditions, festivals, rituals and local customs will form an integral part of establishing and nurturing the child’s identity. Equally, an understanding and knowledge of the diversity of the wider world will also need to be incorporated into the content.

For children attending Early Years provision in a HLL and HILA context; a specific component that provides the development of Bi-lingual learning is a central element of provision. This is described fully in the AISL Harrow Early Years Bilingual Policy (June 2021).

The AHEYC will exist as a stand-alone Curriculum delivering an outstanding approach to Early Years learning and development. It is designed to provide a globally renowned reference point as an aspirational, challenging, inclusive and value driven content. In order to ensure its universality, it will be important to ‘map’ and cross reference its connection to and delivery of existing curricula such as the English EYFS and Chinese Guidelines for Kindergarten to demonstrate how, by using the AHEYC, other requirements are complied with.

Value Outcome For Children

Learning Behaviours (Disciplines)

Knowledge (Domains)

HARROW’S FOUR CORE VALUES

Our values as individuals, as society, and ultimately as educators, define us as human beings. It is from the basis of deeply held values that we proceed into the world, take decisions and act out our lives for the purpose that our values define. They form the core and essence of what it is to be human and enable us to view and engage with the world through a ‘value prism’ that shapes how we perceive and subsequently act.

It is therefore, unsurprising that values play such an important part in defining the purpose of education and the curriculum that embodies it. Neither should it be a surprise that the AHEYC is an avowedly values driven curriculum, in that the values that define its purpose are the very starting point for understanding and implementing it. Young children’s enculturation requires an understanding of, and an engagement with an assimilation of shared values.

The value basis for the curriculum occupies a unique place in the process as a continual and powerful set of ‘threads’ that are interwoven through every activity, teaching moment and interaction. By instilling and raising the expectation of these values as being central to the experience of learning we are not just providing content to be ‘delivered’, but an acutely moral and responsible context for its use.

The tradition of AISL Harrow values and the associated leadership attributes have a long and established presence in our schools. In order to fully integrate them into the everyday life of Early Years provision, it is therefore, necessary to define how these are conceptualised, constructed and realised for children aged 2 – 7.

PURPOSE AND VALUES

AISL Harrow Schools’ Purpose

To prepare students with diverse backgrounds and abilities for a life of learning, leadership, service and personal fulfilment. Through their strength of character, formed in large measure by their forward-looking Harrow education, we equip students with the skills needed to adapt and excel in a dynamic world.

Inherited from Harrow School in the UK, our core values are embraced by all AISL Harrow Schools in Asia including Thailand, China, Hong Kong SAR and Japan.

Courage

◆

We remain optimistic and purposeful in a disrupted world. ◆ We take responsibility for our decisions, even the hard ones. ◆ We always challenge poor behaviour in ourselves and others. ◆ We are open to new ideas, and seek fresh challenges.

Honour

We keep our promises. ◆ We act with integrity – doing the right thing, even when it is difficult or when no one is watching. ◆ We respect and value our traditions whilst setting them in the context of today.

Humility

◆

We work hard to serve others within the School and across our wider communities where possible putting their interests before our own. ◆ We give and seek honest and appropriate feedback, reflect on our failures and learn from them. ◆ We support each other through challenges and whatever the outcome, we celebrate those that took part.

Fellowship

◆

We respect each other and value our differences, knowing that we are more effective and more resilient working together. ◆ We are kind and inclusive; we value the contribution that each of us makes. ◆ We role model the behaviours that we would like to see in others; we ask only of others what we would be prepared to do ourselves.

DISCIPLINES

Disciplines provide content for essential learning behaviours that enable a perspective within which learning Domains will be utilised and applied. This interface between Disciplines and Domains lies at the heart of the purpose and aspiration for the AHEYC and enables children to both support and develop lifelong learning behaviours as well as understand the nature and purpose of ‘intellectual pursuit’ (Katz) and the potential for ‘Deep Level Learning’ (Saljo).

Each Discipline identifies its purpose and context to ensure that this is sufficiently grounded in the AHEYC framework. It then provides a progressive statement for each element within it. It is envisaged that this is interwoven within the delivery of provision and forms part of the approach by which children’s learning is supported and developed. Although they are essentially learning behaviours that underpin activity and development, it is also important to acknowledge that they are aspects of learning within their own right and will need to be planned for, assessed and enabled as part of everyday practice.

DOMAINS

HOW TO USE THE CURRICULUM

The AHEYC is designed and written to provide a value driven, progressive and aspirational framework to ensure high quality provision for children in Early Years Internationally Minded Schools and Bilingual Kindergartens. This framework provides the structure of an externally prescribed set of holistic curriculum outcomes, intentions and aspirations.

Early Years educators need to work within this structure to enliven and populate the ‘actual’ curriculum in order to respond to the unique learning and developmental needs of the children that they work with and ensure that the curriculum and experiences received by the children are relevant, meaningful, and enhances their progress, achievement and attainment.

Therefore, using the AHEYC as their reference and core structure; the ‘actual’ curriculum, and the developmental pathways that will attain the developmental aspirations for Learning Disciplines and the end of phase descriptors for Learning Domains will need to be designed and implemented locally. This will ensure ownership of the process and the ‘received’ content will rest with the leadership of the setting and the educators themselves who will use their professional informed judgements and expertise to ensure appropriate support and challenge. This will further enable them to fully engage with, understand and appropriately shape the content accordingly.

AISL ACADEMY AND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)

The process of Curriculum development, refinement and implementation needs to be a collective one that ensures ownership is a truly shared experience and that through its evaluation and review, this is continually refined and perfected over time.

Critical to the successful and effective implementation of any curriculum – however well it has been conceived and designed – is the professional understanding of the educators that use it. Therefore, a programme of high quality CPD will need to be developed alongside the curriculum in order to fully inform and empower all Early Years staff.

A central tenant of successful curriculum delivery through high quality provision is the role played by ongoing professional development. There is a maxim that ‘You don’t become an Early Years educator, you are continually in the process of becoming one’. It is vital to acknowledge that understanding how a curriculum can be successful relies on constantly re-evaluating how this ‘lands’ and is secured with the children you work with and how this continually changes; through our understanding of child development, the uniqueness of the child’s experience, how local contexts and fascinations breathe life into the ‘content’ that is described within it.

Therefore, a strongly associated dimension of ensuring the dynamic growth and success of the AHEYC is engaging fully with the AISL Academy which provides Quality Assured CPD to support the most up to date, evidence-based knowledge, skills and understanding of successful Early Years practice.

Available components of the AISL Academy will be specifically designed to support embedding knowledge and confidence with all elements of the AHEYC and provide opportunities for reflecting and developing understanding.

DISCIPLINES

This discipline covers the elements of:

◆ Emotional Literacy

◆ Empathy

◆ Co-Regulation / Self-Regulation

Children’s development in this area is vital to ensure that they develop an understanding of their emotional and mental wellbeing; both in terms of their own self-awareness, and also how this relates to other people. Effective and successful learning and development in all areas is dependent on a secure sense of the ‘inner self’ as a strong basis on which to build other vital behaviours, qualities and attributes. A key aspect of this discipline is acknowledging a recognition that understanding emotions and feelings needs to lead to developing strategies for managing and channelling them effectively, and an awareness that we have a self-governed responsibility to do this.

Within this Discipline, children develop and demonstrate consistent and progressive behaviours in the following ways, in of each of the separate elements:

◆

◆

Emotional Literacy

Children learn to understand that they have a range of their emotions and that these can change or be affected by different situations. They are able to recognise them and are able to name them. They are able to talk about different emotions and what events or situations trigger or lead to experiencing different emotions.

Empathy

Children learn to understand that other people have feelings, thoughts and ideas which may be different from their own. They begin to realise and acknowledge that other people respond differently in situations and may experience situations differently. They begin to pre-empt and recognise how situations and experiences affect other people and are able to understand and describe this.

◆

Co-Regulation / Self-Regulation

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WELLBEINGDISCIPLINES CURIOSITY

Children learn how to manage and control their emotions, impulses and immediate desires. They begin to understand the impact and consequences of their actions and develop strategies to modify, reflect on and adapt their impulses in order to act appropriately in different situations. They are able to describe and talk about the process.

This discipline covers the elements of:

◆ Exploration

◆ Experimentation

◆ Making links

Curiosity is an innate, biologically primed behaviour and a core driver of learning and development. Effectively recognised and supported, it ensures that children are able to pursue their desire to further understand and make sense of objects, tools, ideas, situations and experiences. Through following this drive children learn to explore, experiment and hypothesise about the world whilst developing a sense of how to utilise existing knowledge and skills while building and developing new ones to further support future learning.

Within this Discipline, children develop and demonstrate consistent and progressive behaviours in the following ways, in of each of the separate elements:

◆ Exploration

Children maintain and enhance their innate exploratory drive and interest in understanding and making sense of the world around them. They use different tools and materials to understand their functions and properties and ask questions, and/or seek information to further add to their knowledge and understanding. They are highly motivated to seek knowledge and develop appropriate skills.

◆ Experimentation

Children are willing to try activities and use different resources in order to find out how they can be used for different purposes and what possibilities they offer. They try different ideas and strategies to address and solve dilemmas and challenges. They use language to describe processes and how they have resolved problems.

◆

Making links

Children are able to connect ideas together and use knowledge and skills in different ways and in different contexts to develop, deepen and extend their learning . They are able to draw from previous and existing knowledge to inform support and develop their thinking. They are able to articulate this and describe how aspects of learning connect together.

This discipline covers the elements of: ◆ Engagement / Involvement ◆ Independence ◆ Persistence

Sustaining motivation is critical for ensuring learning and development are successful and in order to build effective learning behaviours. Supported and valued intrinsic motivation channels children’s energy to fully engage in experiences and activities, and overcome challenges so that they remain focussed on achievement. Through this, they develop a range of skills and behaviours that foster vital life skills of independence, self-management and persistence. Through this, they also establish self-awareness and the foundations of resilience.

Within this Discipline, children develop and demonstrate consistent and progressive behaviours in the following ways, in of each of the separate elements:

◆

Engagement / Involvement

Children show deep fascination and genuine interest in a range of activities and events. They show high levels of concentration during different actions and experiences. They remain engaged for significant periods of time and demonstrate high levels of participation, enthusiasm, focus and energy. They are able to talk about their own interests.

◆ Independence

Children learn to approach and engage with activities and experiences on their own, asking adults for help when required. They are keen to complete and experience different elements of learning and development with increasing and confident independence. They manage their own behaviours, independent thoughts, choices and actions on their own without support. ◆

Persistence and resilience

Children learn how to pursue solutions to challenges and dilemmas, trying different ideas and maintaining a focus, despite encountering difficulties. They are able to review and react positively to mistakes and challenges. They continue to rehearse, refine and modify ideas, techniques, strategies and actions to arrive at a suitable, expected or appropriate conclusion or outcome.

THINKING

/ COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

This discipline covers the elements of: ◆ Executive Functioning ◆

Meta cognition ◆

Cognitive flexibility

Supporting the range of children’s cognitive abilities and attributes lies at the heart of the purpose of the Curriculum. The elements of cognition enable children to make sense of, understand and utilise their learned knowledge and skills in order to use them creatively, thoughtfully and effectively. By ensuring that these are specifically maintained and extended, children will be able to optimise their learning opportunities and development.

Within this Discipline, children develop and demonstrate consistent and progressive behaviours in the following ways, in of each of the separate elements:

◆

Executive Functioning (organising our thoughts)

Children learn to develop their ability to understand their thinking and how this organises their knowledge. They learn strategies to manage their thinking, access their memory and recall information, skills and knowledge. This allows them to develop thinking behaviours that enables them to sequence and plan events and actions. They will be able to describe how they are able to do this.

◆ Meta cognition (how we know what we know)

Children are able to think about situations and address challenges to provide solutions or outcomes, which may be non-verbal. They learn how to describe their thinking processes and are able to explore how they know what they know using recall, memory and visualisation where appropriate. They develop a language that describes their thinking.

◆

Cognitive flexibility

Children are able to think about different ideas during an episode of learning and demonstrate this in different ways. They learn how to confidently move their thinking between different concepts and situations and can use this to review and understand different ideas. They are able to describe the thought processes that they use.

CREATIVITY

This discipline covers the elements of: ◆

Generating ideas / originality / imagination ◆

Communicating ideas ◆

Critical Thinking

Understanding and recognising the processes in creativity is important because, although children’s activity is intrinsically creative and their perceptions are unique and original, they still need the opportunity to discover their own strengths and use them to pursue their own expression and communication. Through exploring concepts, materials and knowledge in all learning domains, children develop and sustain the ability to think differently and combine ideas.

Within this Discipline, children develop and demonstrate consistent and progressive behaviours in the following ways, in of each of the separate elements:

◆

Generating ideas / originality / imagination

Children learn how to use their imagination to emulate and create different scenarios and approach ways of engaging in activities. They make choices using different tools, resources and ideas and use them in unexpected and sometimes unique ways. Children are able to adapt and modify their thinking and describe the processes they use.

◆

Communicating Ideas

Children learn how to use a range of different objects and materials to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas. They are able to express and represent their thinking verbally and through different media and learning domains. They are able to refine and modify their representations and talk about the processes they use. ◆

Critical Thinking

Children learn how to make decisions and choices based on information and they decide how to approach and engage with activities. They learn how to evaluate activities and situations and change strategies and methodologies as appropriate. They express opinions about what they have heard and seen and are able to talk about their reasoning behind this.

KG3

KG2 / YR

KG1 / YN

Pre-K

Children learn to understand that they have a range of their emotions and that these can change or be affected by different situations. They are able to recognise them and are able to name them. They are able to talk about different emotions and what events or situations trigger or lead to experiencing different emotions.

Children learn to understand that other people have feelings, thoughts and ideas which may be different from their own. They begin to realise and acknowledge that other people respond differently in situations and may experience situations differently. They begin to pre-empt and recognise how situations and experiences affect other people and are able to understand and describe this.

Children learn how to manage and control their emotions, impulses and immediate desires. They begin to understand the impact and consequences of their actions and develop strategies to modify, reflect on and adapt their impulses in order to act appropriately in different situations. They are able to describe and talk about the process.

Children maintain and enhance their innate exploratory drive and interest in understanding and making sense of the world around them. They use different tools and materials to understand their functions and properties and ask questions, and/or seek information to further add to their knowledge and understanding. They are highly motivated to seek knowledge and develop appropriate skills.

Children are willing to try activities and use different resources in order to find out how they can be used for different purposes and what possibilities they offer. They try different ideas and strategies to address and solve dilemmas and challenges. They use language to describe processes and how they have resolved problems.

Children are able to connect ideas together and use knowledge and skills in different ways and in different contexts to develop, deepen and extend their learning . They are able to draw from previous and existing knowledge to inform support and develop their thinking. They are able to articulate this and describe how aspects of learning connect together.

Children show deep fascination and genuine interest in a range of activities and events. They show high levels of concentration during different actions and experiences. They remain engaged for significant periods of time and demonstrate high levels of participation, enthusiasm, focus and energy. They are able to talk about their own interests

Children learn to approach and engage with activities and experiences on their own, asking adults for help when required. They are keen to complete and experience different elements of learning and development with increasing and confident independence. They manage their own behaviours, independent thoughts, choices and actions on their own without support.

Children learn how to pursue solutions to challenges and dilemmas, trying different ideas and maintaining a focus, despite encountering difficulties. They are able to review and react positively to mistakes and challenges. They continue to rehearse, refine and modify ideas, techniques, strategies and actions to arrive at a suitable, expected or appropriate conclusion or outcome.

Children learn to develop their ability to understand their thinking and how this organises their knowledge. They learn strategies to manage their thinking, access their memory and recall information, skills and knowledge. This allows them to develop thinking behaviours that enables them to sequence and plan events and actions. They will be able to describe how they are able to do this.

Children are able to think about situations and address challenges to provide solutions or outcomes, which may be non-verbal. They learn how to describe their thinking processes and are able to explore how they know what they know using recall, memory and visualisation where appropriate. They develop a language that describes their thinking.

Children are able to think about different ideas during an episode of learning and demonstrate this in different ways. They learn how to confidently move their thinking between different concepts and situations and can use this to review and understand different ideas. They are able to describe the thought processes that they use.

Children learn how to use their imagination to emulate and create different scenarios and approach ways of engaging in activities. They make choices using different tools, resources and ideas and use them in unexpected and sometimes unique ways. Children are able to adapt and modify their thinking and describe the processes they use.

Children learn how to use a range of different objects and materials to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas. They are able to express and represent their thinking verbally and through different media and learning domains. They are able to refine and modify their representations and talk about the processes they use.

Children learn how to make decisions and choices based on information and they decide how to approach and engage with activities. They learn how to evaluate activities and situations and change strategies and methodologies as appropriate. They express opinions about what they have heard and seen and are able to talk about their reasoning behind this.

Emotional Literacy

Empathy

Element Domain Emotional Development and Wellbeing

Co-Regulation / Self-Regulation

Exploration

Experimentation

Curiosity

Making links

Engagement / Involvement

Independence

Motivation

Persistence

Executive Functioning (organising our thoughts)

Meta cognition (how we know what we know)

Thinking / Cognitive Development

Cognitive flexibility

Generating ideas/ originality/ imagination

Communicating ideas

Creativity

Critical Thinking

3

DOMAINS

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

This domain covers the elements of:

◆ Speaking / Expressive Language

◆ Listening / Receptive Language

(HOME LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH)

Communication and Language lie at the heart of all learning and development. The ability to communicate with peers and adults enables children to establish a sense of identity and place within their community and the world. Children learn the protocols and cultural specifics of communication and develop an awareness of how to utilise this. The acquisition and development of Language(s) is a vital element, not just in the ability to communicate but also in order to access memory, recall knowledge and develop thinking strategies. The process of thought is mediated through language, and so ensuring that children have a rich and varied vocabulary is a central component of this. By developing the ability and knowledge to use words, phrases and idioms, ask questions and effectively engage in dialogues children will secure a solid foundation for success.

The Curriculum domain for Communication and Language provides the content for the use of language. It needs to be used in conjunction with the Policy for supporting Bilingualism in Kindergarten Provision (Reference). This is designed to ensure the parity of development in both Home Language and Second Language, and the use of the Bilingual Assessment Descriptors (BAD) for a technical assessment of Language knowledge and use.

Descriptors for end of:

Pre-K KG1/YN KG2/YR KG3

• Use single words to name objects

• Imitate familiar expressions in context

Speaking / Expressive Language

• Use words to attract attention

• Have a personal vocabulary

• Use words to describe likes and dislikes

• Talk in simple sentences to express needs and thoughts

• Use language to ask simple questions

• Able to ‘serve and return’ in a dialogue / conversation

• Use complex sentences to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas

• Use language to ask complex questions

• Use language to describe and clarify thinking and ideas

• Use language to explain thinking

• Use language to predict and / or hypothesise

• Use language to describe complex feelings, emotions and situations

• Recount experiences and imagines possibilities

• Distinguish between different voices and sounds

• Listen to simple sentences from familiar adults

• Listen to rhymes and stories in small groups with an adult

• Listen to peers and adults

• Able to respond to simple instructions

• Listen to stories and rhymes in dedicated sessions

• Listen in Adult led whole group sessions

• Listen to peers and adults in simple conversations and dialogues

• Able to respond to complex instructions

• Listen to complex stories and rhymes in dedicated sessions

• Listen to peers and adults in extended conversations and dialogues

• Consistently demonstrate awareness of the listener by changing language and body language

• Able to respond to and complete multistep instructions

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

This domain covers the elements of:

◆ Co-operation

◆ Relationships

Developing their ability to understand the nature and purpose of social interaction is an important life skill and a key element in the enculturation of children into their community and the wider world. Although the process of attachment and the drive to seek out connections with adults and peers is a biologically given one, this is still an aspect of learning that requires careful acknowledgement, scaffolding and support. By learning the protocols of how to respond to, create and manage relationships, children develop and nurture a sense of security and belonging. By learning how to co-operate, compromise and take into account the needs of others, children refine and develop their knowledge and skills as responsible citizens and are able to function effectively as part of a community.

Descriptors for end of:

• Undertake activities alongside other children

Co-operation

Relationships

• Have strong relationship with key adult

• Work in small groups with other children taking on roles and responding to situations as appropriate

• Able to negotiate in different situations; to meet a shared objective and/or to share resources appropriately

• Able to negotiate and compromise in different situations with peers and adults; to meet a shared objective and/ or to share resources appropriately

• Have a strong relationship with all familiar adults

• Develop small, consistent friendship groups

• Interact with adults confidently

• Engage with children outside their immediate friendship group

• Confident with all adults in the immediate environment

• Able to interact confidently with all other children in the class and outside of it within the immediate environment

Pre-K KG1/YN KG2/YR KG3

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND HYGIENE

This domain covers the elements of:

◆ Physical Development – gross motor

◆ Physical Development – fine motor

◆ Self-care – food and nutrition

◆ Self-care – exercise

◆ Self-care – personal hygiene

In order to ensure that their physical health and wellbeing is fully supported and understood, children need opportunities to develop core muscle strength and refine their fine motor skills. Children are naturally active, and this energy needs to be challenged appropriately to ensure that physical development in all elements develops and thrives appropriately; physical health and development are critically linked to successful outcomes in all aspects of learning and development. Children also need to be taught and understand the impact and importance of personal health and hygiene, understanding the processes for this but also being fully aware of the reasons that underpin them. In order to be aware of the risks of cross-infection, children need to fully understand how this can be successfully mitigated through their own behaviour.

Descriptors for end of:

• Move with confidence and increased control

Physical Development: gross motor

• Able to move showing an awareness of others

• Use body strength in a range of ways

• Able to use simple sports equipment

• Able to move varying speed and direction as appropriate

• Able to demonstrate strength, balance and coordination as appropriate

• Able to use complex sports equipment

• Able to move in a variety of ways showing confidence and control.

• Able to move, stop and show awareness of others when moving at speed

• Able to climb, balance, jump, skip and hop with confidence and control

• Able to throw, catch and control sports equipment as appropriate

Physical Development: fine motor Self-care: food and nutrition Self-care: exercise Self-care: personal hygiene

• Able to use a firm grip to hold and retrieve objects

• Able to feed self

• Able to hold and control a range of small objects and tools

• Experience different kinds of food and expresses likes / dislikes

• Use a range of basic small tools with increased accuracy and precision

• Able to identify healthy / unhealthy food choices

• Use a range of more complex small tools with accuracy and precision

• Able to describe the consequences of healthy/unhealthy food choices and understand a balanced diet

• Be naturally active

• Participate fully in exercise activities

• Able to describe the impact of exercise on the body

• Able to use toilet

• Understand basic hygiene

• Able to manage all aspects of personal hygiene and understand why it is important

• Understand the reasons for taking exercise and how this enables a healthy lifestyle

• Able to understand the impact and consequences of poor / lack of hygiene practices

Pre-K

KG1/YN

KG2/YR KG3

LITERACY

This domain covers the elements of: ◆ Story telling

◆ Reading ◆ Phonics ◆ Letter formation

◆ Writing ◆ Early Local Literacy ◆ 6.1 Chinese ◆ 6.2 Thai

Understanding the world of print as a means of communication and also as a source of knowledge and information is the hallmark of all civilisations and vital to ensure that children develop into educated informed citizens. Children will need to be introduced to and rehearse the technical basics of literacy, alongside, and equal to, understanding its purpose and application to everyday life. Through understanding the role of literacy as a concrete expression of language, children will develop an awareness of how this is reflected in the range of print they see around them. Critical to this is also developing a love and understanding of the world of books, both fiction and non-fiction, and gradually developing their decoding skills on the basis of this. Children will also begin to understand how to communicate using letters and characters.

Descriptors for end of:

• Aware of stories

• Communicate ideas, thoughts and feelings through stories in a variety of ways

• Aware of books and text

• Able to recognise their own name

• Understand that standard print carries meaning

• Aware of standard print in the environment

• Able to demonstrate book behaviours

• Create stories with characters, plot and sequences of events

• Record and communicate stories in a range of ways

• Aware of different types of text and contexts for print

• Able to decode simple texts

• Aware of different sounds in the environment

• Able to distinguish between different sounds

• Able to respond to rhymes

• Able to identify and recognise initial sounds

• Able to copy individual sounds

• Able to write own name

• Able to identify and create rhyming sounds

• Able to blend and segment

• Able to identify and produce grapheme / phoneme correspondence

• Able to write letters in correct formation with clear ascenders and descenders

• Create and record stories in print and other media

Local Literacy

• Make marks

• Make nonstandard marks to communicate meaning

• Write for different purposes using sentences

• Use phonic knowledge in writing

• Read a variety of texts and genres

• Able to decode complex texts

• Able to decode and create complex words using phonic knowledge

• Recognise complex characters / letters

• Able to write simple characters / letters

• Able to write in sentences using Capital letters and full stops

• Write in sentences for a range of purposes using phonetically plausible and accurate spelling

• Recognise simple sentences

• Write simple sentences

• Write their name using characters / letters

Pre-K KG1/YN KG2/YR KG3

Story telling

MATHEMATICS

This domain covers the elements of:

◆ Number

◆ Number operations

◆ Shape

◆ Measures ◆ Time

Children need to develop a secure and well established mathematical understanding as a vital prerequisite for engaging with comprehending technical aspects of the world. The need for Mathematical knowledge surrounds us and enables us to communicate and understand in a common language. The discrete technical skills required for developing proficiency in counting, measuring, understanding geometric shape, a sense of time and patterns need to be learned alongside, and within a context of, how these can be utilised and relate to everyday life experiences. The sequential and developmental nature of mathematical learning will enable children to gain confidence in their increasing skills and knowledge and be able to readily apply this to support their own exploration and rehearsal of different knowledges and concepts.

Descriptors for end of:

Pre-K KG1/YN

• Show an awareness of different amounts

• Use number names

• Participate in rote Number rhymes

• Able to count accurately, use and understand numbers to 5

• Able to read and record using numerals to 5

• Able to count accurately, use and understand numbers to 10

• Able to recall number facts 10

• Able to read and record using numerals to 10

• Able to subitise with numbers up to 10

• Able to recognise and create simple number patterns

• Able to count accurately, use and understand numbers to 20

• Able to count in 2s, 5s, and 10s

• Able to recall number facts 20

• Understand and use place value to 100

• Able to record using numerals to 100

• Able to recognise and create complex number patterns

• Understand more and less

• Able to understand and demonstrate one more or one less using a group of objects

• Able to add and subtract using numbers up to 10

• Able to use standard notification to record simple number operations

• Able to double and halve numbers up to 10

• Able to add and subtract using numbers up to 20

• Able to double and halve numbers up to 20

• Able to group and compare objects to explore the concepts of multiplication and division

• Able to match simple standard and nonstandard shapes

• Explore objects of different size, length and mass

• Able to name simple 2-dimensional shapes

• Understand basic concepts of:

• taller / shorter

• longer / shorter

• heavier / lighter

• bigger / smaller

• Able to name and describe properties of complex 2-dimensional shapes

• Able to compare, describe and classify objects by size, length and mass

• Able to record using simple measurements

• Able to name and describe properties of 3 Dimensional shapes

• Able to predict and record using standard measurements for size, weight and mass

• Acknowledge the routine of the day

• Able to sequence aspects of the day and predict / anticipate familiar events

• Understand concept of past, present and future

• Understand descriptions of time through days of week and months of the year

• Understand basic measurement of time through simple devices

• Able to tell time using analogue and digital clocks

• Able to measure time using appropriate electronic devices

THE ARTS AESTHETICS, EXPRESSION AND COMMUNICATION

This domain covers the elements of: ◆ 2D Art ◆ 3D Art ◆ Music

◆ Dance ◆ Drama

Artistic expression and communication enable children to explore, understand and value emotions, feelings, stories, thoughts and ideas, and channels their natural desire to create, understand and represent. It also enables them to experience the essence of different cultures and times and appreciate the beauty and energy of expression. Through engaging with a range of diverse and different media, genre, objects and artistic processes, children will learn how to develop their own style, techniques, preferences and individual means of expression and communication. Children will learn to value the Arts, both as a source of enlightenment, reflection, joy and escape, as well as understanding and appreciating it as an opportunity and a means to communicate.

Descriptors for end of:

• Make mark and collages with different materials

• Represent objects ideas and feelings in a range of 2-dimensional media

• Represent, describe and adapt objects ideas and feelings in a range of 2-dimensional media

• Able to adapt and refine their 2-dimensional work in response to different artistic styles, techniques and traditions

• Explore using 3 dimensional materials

• Represent objects ideas and feelings in a range of 3-dimensional media

• Represent, describe and adapt objects ideas and feelings in a range of 3-dimensional media

• Able to listen to and acknowledge a range of sounds

• Make sounds using simple instruments, objects and their bodies

• Able to distinguish between a range of sounds

• Participate in singing sessions

• Able to use simple instruments and play in time

• Have a repertoire of familiar songs.

• Able to use instruments to emulate and adjust volume and rhythm

• Able to adapt and refine their 3-dimensional work in response to different artistic styles, techniques and traditions

• Have an extended repertoire of songs.

• Use a range of instruments to respond to direction and use independently

• Move to music spontaneously

• Able to move in time to music using gestures

• Able to move in different ways to music to reflect different emotions and ideas

• Able to sequence a range of different movements in response to music to reflect different emotions and ideas

• Use their body to express, communicate and imitate actions

• Act out simple scenarios with peers and/or with objects

• Act out complex and known scenarios with peers and/or with objects

• Act out scenarios with a sense of plot, sequence and character

Pre-K

KG1/YN

KG2/YR KG3

2D Art

3D Art

Music

Dance Drama

UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD

In order to make sense of the physical and social world that surrounds them, children need to acquire a range of knowledges that explain and represent this. Additionally, they need to develop a core set of appropriate skills in order to investigate these knowledges and be able to apply and comprehend them in context that is meaningful to them. Using the principles of scientific investigation and understanding, the nature of scientific knowledge and enquiry enables children to grow a concept of the material world. Developing a sense of the past, and how it shapes us, those around us and the world is an important part of understanding our journey as a local and global citizen. Being able to identify elements of the natural world, and its impact on us will provide children with a secure understanding of a sense of place, and their role within it.

Descriptors for end of:

Pre-K KG1/YN KG2/YR KG3

• Able to explore materials using all of their senses

• Begin to understand the nature of and relationships between materials

Science History

• Have a sense of things that have happened in the past

• Observe and experiment with different resources and materials

• Able to describe the simple properties of materials

• Aware of simple natural phenomena

• Observe and experiment with different resources and materials and be able to use appropriate descriptive language

• Able to describe the complex properties of materials

• Aware of complex natural phenomena

• Develop and describe hypotheses, experimentation and conclusions from working with different resources and materials

• Understand and use specific scientific terminology

• Able to describe natural phenomena

• Have an understanding of their own past, and that of their family

• Understand past events in their experience and through vicarious sources

• Able to comment of similarities and differences between the past and the present using vicarious sources and artefacts

• Have an awareness of their immediate environment

Geography

• Have a sense of where they live and their immediate community

• Able to name simple geographical features

• Have a sense of the world outside of their immediate community

• Able to name complex geographical features

• Understand the significance of Geographical features

• Understand how maps represent places

• Able to identify significant countries on a World map

SUSTAINABLILTY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

This domain covers the elements of:

◆ Environmental impact

◆ Environmental activity

Children are growing into a world where the impact on the environment and global climate are becoming more pronounced and urgent. These issues will increase in intensity and will require all citizens to take action in order to resolve them. By understanding the fragility of the planet we all live on and the importance of recognising the finite nature of some of the resources we take for granted, children will develop an ethic of care and responsibility for the world around them. Knowledge and insight, balanced with a practical understanding of the importance and nature of personal and community action, will equip children with the necessary skills and motivations to address these issues locally and globally.

Descriptors for end of:

Pre-K KG1/YN KG2/YR KG3

• Aware that they have an effect on the world around them

• Understand that the world can be damaged by some activities and materials

• Understand that there are finite resources

Environmental impact

• Able to identify activities that are harmful to the environment

• Able to understand the principles of recycling and renewables

Environmental activity

• Develop an awareness of how to look after their immediate environment

• Aware of the way to use resources responsibly

• Able to distinguish between recyclable and non-recyclable materials

• Able to suggest environmentally friendly alternatives to harmful and unsustainable activities

DIGITAL KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS

Pre – Coding

The rapidly evolving technological and digital world that children are both part of and growing up into, requires them to be astutely aware of the benefits of everyday and digital technology and their presence in the everyday world and their individual experience. Children will need to learn how to utilise appropriate devices safely, effectively and creatively to support, enhance and enrich their learning and development and be able to use them as a means of communication. Basic and advancing operational understanding and the knowledge of how to optimise the potentials of technological devices will ensure that children are comfortable, informed and familiar with appropriate equipment as they learn how to use them appropriately and effectively.

Descriptors for end of:

Aware of everyday technology Understand the purpose of everyday / familiar technology Use simple technology to support learning Use complex technology to support learning

Aware of digital devices

Able to use simple digital devices to support learning

Able to use simple digital devices to support learning

Able to use digital devices to support learning and recording, adapting and editing as necessary and appropriate

Aware of a range of digital communication tools

Respond to and understand the need for digital safety

Understand self –safety protocols for using digital technology

Understand instructional language in relation to digital devices

Able to use Digital tools and applications to communicate ideas

Able to select the use of a range of digital tools and applications to record, communicate, express and create ideas

Able to programme a sequence for simple devices

Able to code and programme complex devices

Pre-K KG1/YN KG2/YR KG3

CULTURAL IDENTITY, HERITAGE AND DIVERSITY / INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS

This domain covers the elements of: ◆ Festivals and Customs ◆ International Mindedness ◆ Diversity and anti-racism

In order for children to have a strong and confident sense of identity, they need to know and understand the heritage, customs, rituals and traditions of their own community and culture. Knowing the history and significance of events, festivals and celebrations will provide them with the appropriate scaffolding to secure their sense of belonging within their immediate community. From this secure base, children will also need to know about the diversity of the wider world, understanding that other cultures and societies have different customs and traditions and that being aware of these will enable their informed engagement with the global community.

Descriptors for end of:

Festivals

and Customs (1a)

Participate in heritage-based festivals, cultural events and customs

Able to recall key elements of heritagebased festivals, cultural events and customs

Know and understand the stories and events behind heritagebased festivals, cultural events and customs

Aware of different cultures, events and customs

Able to describe events and customs from other cultures

Able to compare and contrast heritagebased events and customs and those from other cultures

Able to recognise, describe and value differences and similarities between people and cultures

Festival

Loy Krathong Songkran

YR

• Use language to explain thinking

• Use language to predict and / or hypothesise

• Use language to describe complex feelings, emotions and situations

KG1 / YN

• Use complex sentences to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas

• Use language to ask complex questions

• Use words to describe likes and dislikes

• Talk in simple sentences to express needs and thoughts

Pre-K

• Use single words to name objects

• Imitate familiar expressions in context

• Use words to attract attention

• Use language to ask simple questions

• Have a personal vocabulary

• Use language to describe and clarify thinking and ideas

• Listen to peers and adults in extended conversations and dialogues

• Consistently demonstrate awareness of the listener by changing language and body language

• Able to respond to and complete multistep instructions

• Listen to peers and adults in simple conversations and dialogues

• Able to respond to complex instructions

• Listen to complex stories and rhymes in dedicated sessions

• Able to ‘serve and return’ in a dialogue / conversation

• Listen to peers and adults

• Able to respond to simple instructions

• Listen to stories and rhymes in dedicated sessions

• Listen in Adult led whole group sessions

• Distinguish between different voices and sounds

• Recount experiences and imagines possibilities Listening / Receptive Language

• Listen to simple sentences from familiar adults

• Listen to rhymes and stories in small groups with an adult

• Able to negotiate and compromise in different situations with peers and adults; to meet a shared objective and/or to share resources appropriately

• Able to negotiate in different situations; to meet a shared objective and/or to share resources appropriately

• Work in small groups with other children taking on roles and responding to situations as appropriate

• Undertake activities alongside other children

Co-operation

• Confident with all adults in the immediate environment

• Able to interact confidently with all other children in the class and outside of it within the immediate environment

• Interact with adults confidently

• Engage with children outside their immediate friendship group

• Have a strong relationship with all familiar adults

• Develop small, consistent friendship groups

• Have strong relationship with key adult

Relationships

KG3

• Able to move in a variety of ways showing confidence and control

• Able to move, stop and show awareness of others when moving at speed

• Able to climb, balance, jump, skip and hop with confidence and control

• Able to throw, catch and control sports equipment as appropriate

• Use a range of more complex small tools with accuracy and precision

• Able to describe the consequences of healthy

/ unhealthy food choices and understand a balanced diet

• Understand the reasons for taking exercise and how this enables a healthy lifestyle

• Able to understand the impact and consequences of poor / lack of hygiene practices

KG2 / YR

• Able to move varying speed and direction as appropriate

• Able to demonstrate strength, balance and coordination as appropriate

• Able to use complex sports equipment

• Use a range of basic small tools with increased accuracy and precision

• Able to identify healthy / unhealthy food choices

• Able to describe the impact of exercise on the body

• Able to manage all aspects of personal hygiene and understand why it is important

KG1 / YN

• Able to move showing an awareness o others

• Use body strength in a range of ways

• Able to use simple sports equipment

• Able to hold and control a range of small objects and tools

• Experience different kinds of food and expresses likes / dislikes

• Participate fully in exercise activities

• Understand basic hygiene

Pre-K

• Move with confidence and increased control

Element Domain

Physical Development –gross motor

• Able to use a firm grip to hold and retrieve objects

Physical Development –fine motor

• Able to feed self

Self-care –food and nutrition

Physical Development, Health and Hygiene

• Be naturally active.

Self-care –exercise

• Able to use toilet

Self-care –personal hygiene

KG3

• Create and records stories in print and other media

• Read a variety of texts and genres

• Able to decode complex texts

• Able to write in sentences using Capital letters and full stops

• Able to decode and create complex words using phonic knowledge

• Write in sentences for a range of purposes using phonetically plausible and accurate spelling

• Recognise simple sentences

• Write simple sentences

• Write their name using characters / letters

KG2 / YR

• Create stories with characters, plot and sequences of events

• Records and communicates stories in a range of ways

• Aware of different types of text and contexts for print

• Able to decode simple texts

• Able to write letters in correct formation with clear ascenders and descenders

• Able to identify and create rhyming sounds

• Able to blend and segment

• Able to identify and produce grapheme / phoneme correspondence

• Write for different purposes using sentences

• Use phonic knowledge in writing

• Recognise complex characters / letters

• Able to write simple characters / letters

KG1 / YN

• Communicate ideas, thoughts and feelings through stories in a variety of ways

• Understand that standard print carries meaning

• Aware of standard print in the environment

• Able to demonstrate book behaviours

• Able to write own name

• Able to distinguish between different sounds

• Able to respond to rhymes

• Able to identify and recognise initial sounds

• Able to copy individual sounds

• Make nonstandard marks to communicate meaning

Pre-K

• Aware of stories

• Aware of books and text

• Able to recognise their own name

• Aware of different sounds in the environment

• Make marks

Story telling Reading

Letter formation

Element Domain Literacy

Phonics Writing

Early Local Literacy

KG3

• Able to count accurately, use and understand numbers to 20

• Able to count in 2s, 5s, and 10s

• Able to recall number facts 20

• Understand and use place value to 100

• Able to record using numerals to 100

• Able to recognise and create complex number patterns

• Able to add and subtract using numbers up to 20

• Able to double and halve numbers up to 20

• Able to group and compare objects to explore the concepts of multiplication and division

• Able to name and describe properties of 3 Dimensional shapes

• Able to predict and record using standard measurements for size, weight and mass

• Able to tell time using analogue and digital clocks

• Able to measure time using appropriate electronic devices

KG2 / YR

• Able to count accurately, use and understand numbers to 10

• Able to recall number facts 10

• Able to read and record using numerals to 10

• Able to subitise with numbers up to 10

• Able to recognise and create simple number patterns

• Able to add and subtract using numbers up to 10.

• Able to use standard notification to record simple number operations

• Able to double and halve numbers up to 10

• Able to name and describe properties of complex 2-dimensional shapes

• Able to compare, describe and classify objects by size, length and mass

• Able to record using simple measurement

• Understand descriptions of time through days of week and months of the year

• Understand basic measurement of time through simple devices

KG1 / YN

• Able to count accurately, use and understand numbers to 5

• Able to read and record using numerals to 5

• Able to understand and demonstrate one more or one less using a group of objects

• Able to name simple 2-dimensional shapes

• Understand basic concepts of:

• taller / shorter

• longer / shorter

• heavier / lighter

• bigger / smaller

• Able to sequence aspects of the day and predict / anticipate familiar events

• Understand concept of past, present and future

Pre-K

• Show an awareness of different amounts

• Use number names

• Participate in rote Number rhymes

Element Domain

Number

• Understand more and less

Number operations

• Able to match simple standard and nonstandard shapes

Shape

Mathematics

• Explore objects of different size, length and mass

Measures

• Acknowledge the routine of the day

Time

• Able to adapt and refine their 2-dimensional work in response to different artistic styles, techniques and traditions

• Represent, describe and adapt objects ideas and feelings in a range of 2-dimensional media

• Able to adapt and refine their 3-dimensional work in response to different artistic styles, techniques and traditions

• Represent, describe and adapt objects ideas and feelings in a range of 3-dimensional media

• Have an extended repertoire of songs

• Have a repertoire of familiar songs

• Use a range of instruments to respond to direction and use independently

• Able to use instruments to emulate and adjust volume and rhythm

• Able to sequence a range of different movements in response to music to reflect different emotions and ideas

• Able to move in different ways to music to reflect different emotions and ideas

• Act out scenarios with a sense of plot, sequence and character

• Act out complex and known scenarios with peers and/ or with objects

• Develop and describe hypotheses, experimentation and conclusions from working with different resources and materials

• Understand and use specific scientific terminology

• Be able to describe natural phenomena

• Observe and experiment with different resources and materials and be able to use appropriate descriptive language

• Able to describe the complex properties of materials

• Be aware of complex natural phenomena

• Be able to comment of similarities and differences between the past and the present using vicarious sources and artefacts

• Understand past events in their experience and through vicarious sources

• Understand the significance of Geographical features

• Understand how maps represent places

• Able to identify significant countries on a World map

• Have a sense of the world outside of their immediate community

• Able to name complex geographical features

• Represent objects ideas and feelings in a range of 2-dimensional media

• Represent objects ideas and feelings in a range of 3-dimensional media

• Able to distinguish between a range of sounds

• Participate in singing sessions

• Able to use simple instruments and play in time

• Make marks and collages with different materials

• Explore using 3 dimensional materials

• Able to listen to and acknowledge a range of sounds

• Make sounds using simple instruments, objects and their bodies

• Able to move in time to music using gestures

• Move to music spontaneously

• Act out simple scenarios with peers and/or with objects.

• Use their body to express, communicate and imitate actions

Music Dance Drama

The Arts

• Observe and experiment with different resources and materials

• Able to describe the simple properties of materials

• Aware of simple natural phenomena

• Have an understanding of their own past, and that of their family

• Have a sense of where they live and their immediate community

• Able to name simple geographical features

• Able to explore materials using all of their senses

• Begin to understand the nature of and relationships between materials

Science

• Have a sense of things that have happened in the past

• Have an awareness of their immediate environment

History Geography

Understanding the World

• Able to identify activities that are harmful to the environment

• Able to understand the principles of recycling and renewables

• Able to suggest environmentally friendly alternatives to harmful and unsustainable activities

• Use complex technology to support learning

• Able to use digital devices to support learning and recording, adapting and editing as necessary and appropriate

• Understand self –safety protocols for using digital technology

• Able to select the use of a range of digital tools and applications to record, communicate, express and create ideas

• Understand that there are finite resources

• Understand that the world can be damaged by some activities and materials

• Aware that they have an effect on the world around them

• Able to distinguish between recyclable and non-recyclable materials

• Aware of the way to use resources responsibly

• Develop an awareness of how to look after their immediate environment

• Use simple technology to support learning

• Able to use simple digital devices to support learning

• Understand the purpose of everyday / familiar technology

• Able to use simple digital devices to support learning

• Respond to and understand the need for digital safety

• Able to use Digital tools and applications to communicate ideas

• Able to code and programme complex devices

• Able to programme a sequence for simple devices

• Know and understand the stories and events behind heritage-based festivals, cultural events and customs

• Able to recall key elements of heritage-based festivals, cultural events and customs

• Able to compare and contrast heritage-based events and customs and those from other cultures

• Understand basic principles of equality and differences between people and cultures

• Able to describe events and customs from other cultures

• Aware of a range of digital communication tools

• Understand instructional language in relation to digital devices

• Participate in heritage-based festivals, cultural events and customs

• Aware of different cultures, events and customs

• Able to recognise, describe and value differences and similarities between people and cultures

• Awareness and acceptance of differences and similarities between people and cultures

• Aware

•

•

•

Asia International School Limited (AISL) is a leading provider of K-12 education in Asia. We proudly draw on the 450-year heritage of Harrow School in the UK, embracing the four longstanding Harrow Values of Courage, Honour, Humility, and Fellowship.

At AISL, respect for tradition is balanced by innovation. Our progressive teaching methodologies and distinctive curricula place us at the forefront of educational thinking. In our 18 AISL Harrow-branded schools (Harrow International School Appi to commence in August 2022), we aim to lift students to new levels of achievement in an ever-changing world, enable them to establish lifelong learning interests and leadership potential so that they can lead wherever they are.

Achieving this requires world-class educators. We recruit only the very best teachers and school leaders. A strong commitment to continuous professional development through the AISL Academy ensures that our teachers never stop learning, with access to first-class coaching, globally recognised qualifications, and best practice sharing.

As a Group, we are forward-looking, and expansive. Our commitment to quality drives outstanding operational performance, underpinned by consistent enrolment growth and exciting new project development.

Combined, our unique approach, our expertise, our sound financial position, and our history provide the foundations of ‘Educational Excellence for Life and Leadership’.

Bangkok, Thailand est.1998

Beijing, China est.2006

Hong Kong, China est.2012

Shanghai, China est.2016

Chongqing, China est.2020

Haikou,China est.2020

Shenzhen, China est.2020

Nanning, China est.2021

Zhuhai, China est.2021

Appi, Japan est.2022