Early Years | King’s College, Panama

King’s Early Years:where every young learner gets a head start.

Welcome to King’s College School Panama Early Years, where our unique approach combines the ‘learning-through-play‘ philosophy of Reggio Emilia, with additional numeracy and literacy activities to ensure that every young learner receives the strongest start to their learning journey.

The first few years of a child’s education informs future learning. Schooling from a very young age allows children to develop more in the years when neuroplasticity is at its peak. And how a child adapts to the curriculum in the first years of primary school is largely based on what the child has been learning up to the age of six.

At King’s College, Panama, we adopt a child-centred approach to Early Years education, which places the needs of the child at the core of our practice. We aim to provide infant pupils with valuable educational experiences, which develop a positive approach to learning and creates a safe environment in which our youngest learners feel comfortable at school.

Why choose King's College Early Years?

Immersion in the English language with native English speaking teachers.
New, purpose- built campus to develop their sporting and artistic potential. Multiple indoor and outdoor learning spaces. Swimming lessons starting at 2 years old. Art atelier.
Contact with nature - Beyond academic learning, having outdoor facilities and an educational system that encourages mental and physical aspects is positive for their education at all levels
Meals and snacks included. Healthy habits with homemade food and balanced menus prepared and cooked in the school itself.
Laying the foundations for a good all-round education for your child, accredited British International curriculum (+ IB on sixth form), underpinned by High Performance Learning, guaranteeing access to the best universities in the world.
Values-based British education with over 50 years of experience.
International mindset - With 40+ different nationalities in King’s multicultural interaction will offer open-mindedness and future opportunities for your child.

More than Academics

From building with blocks to kicking a ball and singing in a group, our EY educators support all aspects of child development and oversee their social, emotional, physical and educational well-being.

Learning through play

Our main aim is to ensure children enjoy both school and the learning process, since our experience shows us that happy children learn more quickly.

In a balanced combination of supervised play, group activities and free exploration, young learners begin to understand the world around them and make important connections between the relationships between different objects in their environment and the people around them as they engage in various kinds of social interaction.

EY educators work hard to structure play in a way that encourages and nurtures the development of perception, reason and logical-thinking, while offering opportunities for young explorers to have fun.

When learning from first-hand experience, they make good progress towards the next stages of social, linguistic and creative development.

What will your child experience on a typical day in Early Years?

8:00am - 3.15pm

The Early Years schedule will include a class assembly or a group conversation at the beginning of the day. During this time, activities for the day are shared by the teacher and news is exchanged.

Early Years sessions are conducted in small groups and focus on a particular theme, with lessons delivered by EY teachers with the help of teaching assistants. Learning objectives are detailed in the Early Years framework and are designed to help structure day-to-day learning.

During school hours, regular breaks are given to children, which offers the opportunity to play outside with a range of equipment and enjoy toys in the Early Years playground area. Maths, Literacy, music, and art activities take place each day, with well-structured activities complemented by free play.

Lunchtime is followed by a nap, giving young minds and bodies a chance to recuperate before children enjoy an afternoon full of interesting activities, new experiences, and projects.

Our aim is to contribute to children’s development in all areas. This obviously requires constant communication between parents and teachers and includes termly reports and regular communication via online journal application.

Pre-Nursery & Reception (Ages 2 to 5)

Classes in this division are specially designed for the needs of 2 to 5-year-olds. Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception activities provide a stimulating and creative environment where young children may experience a wide range of subject areas which lead into Key Stage 1 of the English National Curriculum.

These three years are critical, as they form the basis of future education. At King’s College, we follow the requirements set out in the ‘Desirable Outcomes for Children’s Learning’, which outline the 7 goals for learning for children within the Early Years setting. They are:

Communication and Language - cover important aspects of language development. Particular emphasis is laid on speaking, listening and understanding.
Literacy - provide the foundation for comprehension, reading and writing.
Mathematics - children are introduced to important aspects of mathematical understanding and are provided with the foundation for numeracy. This is achieved through practical activities and by using, and understanding, simple mathematical language.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World - teaches children to acquire basic knowledge and understanding of their environment, other people, and features of the natural and man-made world.
Personal and Social Development - focus on children learning how to work, play, co-operate with others and function in a group beyond the family.
The Physical Development programme - aims to help children develop physical control, mobility, awareness of space and motor skills in indoor and outdoor environments. Children are actively encouraged to establish positive attitudes towards a healthy and active way of life.
Expressive Arts and design / Creative Development - focuses on stimulating children’s imagination and their ability to communicate and express ideas and feelings in a creative way.

We have bus routes available from many points in Panama to facilitate access and, this way, everybody has the opportunity to be part of our school.

Fill out the form below, and we'll be more than happy to answer any doubt you may have towards choosing the best Early Years option for your child. We look forward to hearing from you!