Infant Education | King’s College, Panama

Learning through play

The unique Inspired Approach to Early Years Education (EY) combines the ‘learning-through-play‘ philosophy of Reggio Emilia, with additional numeracy and literacy activities to ensure that every young learner attending our Early Years classes receives the strongest start to their learning journey.

All of our teachers are professionally certified and registered with the Department for Education in London.

The first few years of a child’s education informs future learning. 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.

More than Academics

From building with blocks to kicking a ball and singing in a group, our EY educators in the Infant’s division support all aspects of child development and oversee their social, emotional, physical and educational well-being. Early Years classrooms are well-resourced with physical and digital learning materials available to expand understanding

Self-discipline

In the Infant school, all children are encouraged to respect others in their class and take pride in their work. Infant School learning spaces are bright and open, and walls are decorated with displays of art and crafts projects in celebration of their efforts.

Learning through play

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?

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 one or more teaching assistants.
In a personalised approach to Pre-school education, individual attention is given to help pupils reach a particular objective in each session.

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.

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 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 6 goals for learning for children within the Early Years setting. They are:

Language and Literacy - cover important aspects of language development and provide the foundation for reading and writing. Children are helped to acquire competence in English as early as possible. Particular emphasis is laid on speaking and listening, and in pre-reading and pre-writing activities.

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.

Creative Development - focuses on stimulating children’s imagination and their ability to communicate and express ideas and feelings in a creative way.

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