EARLY YEARS

Children are our future

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Rachel Burgess

Primary School Principal

FROM 3 TO 6 YEARS OLD

The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for children aged 3 - 6 nurtures and develops young students as active participants in a lifelong journey of learning.

Anita Ostergaard

Early Years Coordinator

Reception

(3/4 years old)

Kindergarden

(4/5 years old)

Curriculum

As an accredited International Baccalaureate Organization World School, ISB and the Early Years department follows the IB Primary Years Programme. Through an inquiry-based program, we encourage and foster the children to become global citizens who are; independent learners, risk-takers, inquirers, thinkers, communicators, and principled. The PYP transdisciplinary framework offers young students authentic opportunities to focus on key developmental abilities such as communication and self-management skills. The learning community values the early years as a time in which play is the primary driver for inquiry. Through play-based learning, children develop and nurture fundamental knowledge and skills. (Taken from the Inquiry through play document). Play involves choice, promotes agency, and provides opportunities to inquire into important concepts and personal interests. 

Environment

The Early Years team believes that the classroom environment is important for providing opportunities to provoke and stimulate purposeful play. Play is important for the social, emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing of children. Our classrooms are set up in similar ways to promote inquiry, stimulate curiosity, build independence, and a sense of agency. We bring the world around us into the classrooms and we use open-ended materials, natural resources, and recycled materials to stimulate the children’s curiosity. 
The school is located in the historic center of Bologna with several parks nearby. The city center works as an extended classroom for the Early Years children. We visit the local library, historical monuments within the city and we visit different museums in our surroundings.  

Approach

We believe that the children learn through play and every child has the right to student-initiated play in order to develop themselves emotionally, physically, socially, and intellectually. The Approaches to Learning, such as Thinking, Research, Communication, Social, and Self-management can be developed through play. All children should be able to choose from a variety of activities and materials during play in order to grow in self-confidence and support their individual interests. Teachers carefully balance the planning and documenting of the learning and progress of the group by monitoring and responding to the learning development of individuals. In the Early Years, we strongly believe that the children should have the opportunity to experience outdoor play in different weather conditions such as playing in the rain or snow.