Learning at Preschool

Visual and Performing Arts

Within our curriculum, Visual Arts ignite a love of learning, and its benefits are multifaceted. We emphasise critical thinking and deep comprehension, enabling children to not only grasp knowledge but also apply it meaningfully to the real world. 

Our hands-on approach empowers children to explore their surroundings and express themselves through various mediums, such as movement, drawing, painting, reading, writing, and building. Instead of rushing from one activity to the next, we encourage them to revisit key experiences, dive deeper into subject matter, make multiple observations, reconsider, and represent their evolving ideas.

This comprehensive approach fosters a gradual, more sustainable learning pace, allowing children to build a foundation of knowledge that serves as a springboard for future education. It ensures they work at their developmental levels, enhancing learning speed, reducing frustration, and promoting higher-level thinking essential for mastering complex concepts. It also kindles their interests, motivates involvement.

Collaboration and cooperation instil empathy and compassion in children. We celebrate childhood collaboration, creativity, curiosity, and courage. We guide children to explore, question and grow through active engagement and hands-on experiences, blurring the lines between art, science, and mathematics.

The result is authentic comprehension and critical thinking, creativity, self-discovery, and a focus on long-term retention rather than rote learning. Children come to understand that learning is a joyful journey, encouraged to be children—running, playing, getting their hands dirty, getting wet, and exploring the world in a hundred different ways.

Music 

Music forms an integral part of our daily routine at the Preschool. We embrace diverse musical experiences, singing welcome songs in multiple languages, waiata before meals, and continuous background music. Musical instruments adorn our classrooms, inviting children to experiment with rhythm and tune, further enhancing their knowledge. 

The Musical Jam program, led by Nita Zou from Lewis Eady Music School, follows the Orff Schulwerk approach. It aims to kindle and nurture a passion for active music-making among children through singing, rhythm games, and more.

Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC)

Education outside the classroom (EOTC) is an important aspect of our Preschool curriculum. This includes trips (museum, the theatre, Motat, Butterfly Creek) and walks around our Shore Road Campus and surrounding suburb, using the Boys' School and Girls' Schools' facilities featuring a court, adventure playground, playgrounds, gym and field. EOTC provides children with access to hands-on experiences and offers unique and stimulating learning opportunities that support learning, confidence and resilience.

Playball is an important part of our EOTC, the coaches create a learning environment which boosts confidence and self-esteem and encourages the children to engage confidently in a wide range of sport skills, preparing the children for years of positive and competent sports participation.