The Daily Programme

The daily programme is carefully tailored to balance periods of structured learning with creative activities, ring time and free play. Snack time, music, stories and generous amounts of outdoor play also make up the morning routine. Components of the daily programme are discussed in more detail below.

The programme evolves over the course of the two grades and plays a crucial role in guiding your child from self-directed play to more focused, formal activities, paving the way for the transition to primary school. Your child’s social skills will also develop as they learn to share, take turns, compromise, communicate and cooperate within a group. You’ll see him develop into an independent, confident, social being, happy to talk to adults, fond of other children’s company and eager to express their ideas and feelings.

In each classroom a highly qualified teacher plans and directs the programme with the help of an experienced teaching assistant. This allows the teacher to work with small groups of children (allowing for more individual attention). Pre-Grade R classes finish at 12h20 while Grade R classes depart at 12.30.

Arrival, greetings and free play

Gates open at 7.45am and children are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes before the 8.30 morning bell so they have time to socialize, play and settle down.

Morning ring

This is a daily activity involving the whole class, designed to promote group cooperation and build confidence, memory, language and listening skills. We discuss the weekly theme, weather, news, show and tell and we also prepare for the day’s activities. The weekly theme is designed to expand the child’s general knowledge and raise awareness of social, environmental, scientific and world issues. .

Children learn through their senses to explore and discover their world. They acquire learning skills such as literacy, numeracy and life skills and it makes morning ring one of the most important parts of our school programme. This forms an integral part of the School Readiness Programme for Grade R. The children are exposed to three languages (English, Afrikaans & Xhosa) and this is taught through stories, song, dance, dramatization, puppet shows and play activities.

Creative activities

Every day there are 4 - 5 creative art and craft activities from which your child may choose (this involves decision making, planning, organizing, perseverance and task completion). You will soon see a difference in your child's ability to draw, colour in and paint as their powers of observation, knowledge of colour and shape and their fine motor co-ordination improves. They will learn to hold and use scissors correctly, which helps to develop hand eye coordination and dexterity.

Moulding playdough, plasticine and clay will not only help develop your child's fine motor skills but also provide scope for imagination and creativity as they experiment with shape, length, size, weight and texture. Above all, being creative will allow your child to experience a sense of achievement as they produce their own masterpiece.

Baking is another favourite activity which allows children to explore the properties of solids and liquids and to experiment with maths concepts such as size, shape, volume and quantity. They are learning to follow instructions and this activity is excellent for developing the fine muscles of the hands and fingers. Naturally the children feel great pride in having baked something themselves and their creations are eaten with gusto.

Music and movement

This usually involves singing songs, action rhymes, movement to music, dramatization of stories and the playing of musical instruments. Alternatively developmental games, which develop the larger muscles and improve coordination and balance, are taught using bean bags, balls, hoops, ropes, climbing and balancing apparatus.

Free play indoors or outdoors

Children spend a lot of time playing on the outdoor equipment where they develop coordination, muscular strength, balance, agility and control. Most importantly, however, your children are making friends and learning valuable social skills. Children also expand their imaginations in the dressing-up areas, playing make-believe games. Through fantasy play children share ideas, acquire new vocabulary, express their feelings and explore the boundaries between fantasy and reality.

Sensopathic play

Children are given plenty of opportunity to discover the properties of sand and water, solids and liquids. These outside play areas allow them to actively explore their senses and to experiment with maths concepts such as size, shape, volume and quantity.

Quiet play

Building and construction toys and other fun educational games and puzzles will help your child develop perceptual skills and learn basic number concepts. Their powers of observation, concentration and vocabulary will increase too as they learn terminology such as big and small, tall, taller, tallest, and is introduced to spatial concepts such as on top, behind, left and right. Completing puzzles will also encourage your child to plan ahead and think things through while increasing their concentration and problem solving skills. For children who progress very quickly, games are available to extend their skills and stimulate interest.

Story time

Through books, puppets, flannel boards, story tapes and illustrations, your child's relationship with the wonderful world of storytelling will be encouraged and nurtured. Not only will their language, listening and concentration skills improve, but their imagination will be stimulated. Children will also be given the opportunity to answer questions, anticipate what will happen next, express their ideas and listen to and value the opinions of others. Story time usually takes place at the end of the day providing a quiet time for children to unwind before going home. Children will also be able to look at books by themselves in the book corner, which helps to develop a love of reading.