Is your child ready for
‘big school’? matters (2012). This passion and drive is replicated across the school and everyone is committed to building on these foundations.
Three educators share their opinions on preschool education and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum
Charlotte Grieves, Head of Lower School, GEMS Wellington International School (WIS) There are so many benefits for our youngest learners to being part of a whole school environment, giving them the opportunity to
integrate with older children and giving some the reassurance of having older siblings on site. Children who are ready for the school environment thrive on the challenge of becoming like their role models. This does not happen by chance. It is the result of a seamless transition from the Early Years through our lower, middle and upper school structures. At WIS, the EYFS Curriculum is designed and adapted to suit the individual needs of our diverse international students following the framework of development
Peer-led learning Six engaging topics encompass all 17 specific areas of the curriculum, and this is achieved through purposeful playbased and innovative learning opportunities. Students are placed at the heart of planning, teaching and learning to allow them to build meaningful context behind the skills and concepts they will acquire throughout FS1 and FS2. Students use the characteristics of effective learning to independently explore indoor and outdoor learning zones. All of our children have varied opportunities to work with students from across the school setting. This is a wholeschool ethos where we encourage peer-led learning within the learning environment. Innovative learning zones These zones enhance learning where students can often be seen utilising the spaces together. This cooperation enables students to learn from one another in the most effective ways. Teachers facilitate this way of learning to enable students to experience a variety of lessons in these zones, from cooking and enquiry-based challenges in the STEM zone to student-led projects in the creative and active zones, and the use of our student tech gurus in the digital zone. Children learning from children ensures they grow in confidence and aspire to improve and be the best they can be.
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