School Readiness
The School Readiness Programme at Small World happens in a specialised teaching environment known as “The Enquiry Room”. The programme is taught by our specialist school readiness teacher.
Children attend two-hour sessions up to three times per week, from when they are approximately 4 ½ years old.
The aim of the School Readiness Programme is to familiarise children with the routines, experiences and expectations they will encounter at school. It also enables the children to approach their transition to school with confidence and enthusiasm.
Curriculum
Our School Readiness Programme is based on the principles of New Zealand’s national early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki and is planned and evaluated in terms of its strands and goals.
Te Whāriki provides a foundation for children to become confident and competent lifelong learners. In particular, we focus on children’s learning competencies as advocated by Te Whāriki, encouraging children to:
- Take an interest (Exploration)
- Communicate with others (Communication)
- Persist with difficulty (Well-being)
- Be involved (Contribution/Belonging)
- Take responsibility (Belonging)
These early childhood curriculum competencies flow onto the New Zealand School Curriculum competencies, as illustrated below by the Ministry of Education
Routine and Programme Structure
The School Readiness sessions begin with a structured mat time where children have the opportunity to practice the skills required in group learning situations – attending, debating, questioning, listening to, and respecting the opinions and contributions of others. We encourage children to build on their prior knowledge in a range of topic areas and to share their understandings with friends.
This part of the programme has a strong literacy and numeracy base and the focus is inspired by the children’s interests.
The programme also has a strong ‘project’ component. Children can sustain their interest in a topic area or activity over several days (and sometimes weeks) enabling them to develop more in depth understanding. They are also able to practice and refine the skills that are inherent in enquiring about their world in a more robust way; as required in a school environment. Lynn works alongside the children as they work collaboratively on projects, extending their thinking, challenging their skills, and adding new knowledge and ideas to inspire their curiosity for learning.
If you have any queries about our School Readiness Programme, or would like to arrange a visit to The Enquiry Room, please contact us.