An all-through school is one in which students are taught at all grade levels, from Early Childhood until they complete Secondary School. For parents looking to send their child to a preschool programme, an all-through school can seem intimidating. You may worry about whether your little children will get run over by the bigger students on the playground, or lost in the shuffle during break times. You may wonder if teachers will be able to give personalised attention to your child, or if the campus itself is safe and secure.
However, there are actually many advantages to sending your child to an early childhood programme at an all-through school. The majority of larger schools have a separate area for their preschool programmes, which protects the youngest learners and gives them a safe space to grow and develop.
The Benefits that Preschool Students Enjoy at an All-Through School
- All-through schools often have an early childhood curriculum that complements their primary school curriculum. This gives your child a solid foundation during their first years at school and eases the transition to primary school.
- The large campuses at all-through schools have additional facilities that smaller stand-alone kindergartens do not have, such as outdoor learning areas, gardens, art studios, music rooms or a library.
- Larger schools have more staffing and resources, which means they can provide specialist classes to preschool students. These may include art classes, music instruction, theatre classes or physical education.
- Early childhood students at a larger school will be able to interact with an extensive group of peers from a variety of backgrounds. Exposing students to a multicultural and diverse environment at a young age can help them develop a global and inclusive mindset.
- Children will become comfortable in their surroundings, and they will not have to adapt to a new building or a new set of teachers when they enter primary school. They will feel both confident and familiar as they transition from the preschool programme to primary school, and they will be surrounded by their group of friends.
Early Childhood and the OWIS Difference
At One World International School, we understand that parents of our youngest learners have unique needs and concerns. As an all-through school, we seek to alleviate those concerns and highlight the benefits that our Early Childhood students enjoy while they are in our classrooms.
These are a few things worth noting about the OWIS Early Childhood Programme:
- At our OWIS Nanyang campus, there is a separate building for the Early Childhood Programme. This facility includes open-concept classrooms with sensory-based play stations, outdoor learning areas with a nature garden, playground equipment and water play areas.
- Our Early Childhood teachers are trained to focus on helping our youngest learners settle into the school environment. During the first few weeks of a child’s first year in the preschool programme, they will spend their time becoming comfortable on campus and learning about classroom expectations.
- The Early Childhood curriculum at OWIS Nanyang is a play-based programme based on the IB Primary Years Programme (Early Years component). It allows students to benefit from structured learning while they play and socialise in a classroom setting. OWIS’ Primary School curriculum also follows the IB PYP and our Early Childhood programme is a natural progression into our Primary School programme.
- Preschool students are able to enjoy the facilities on the OWIS campus, which sometimes takes them beyond the Early Childhood block. When they go to the library or visit the school’s nature garden, they are accompanied by their teachers and closely supervised the entire time. Security is a top priority at OWIS.
- Communication is highly valued at OWIS and our Early Childhood teachers keep parents up-to-date on classroom happenings by using the Toddle app. Through this secure app, parents are able to see photos and videos of how their children are engaged in school. This provides parents with peace of mind and helps them feel involved in their student’s learning experience.
- Early Childhood students who have older siblings love the fact that they attend an all-through school. In many cases, these youngest learners have opportunities to see their brothers or sisters at school and interact with them during the day. This gives them a sense of comfort and familiarity at their new school.
The preschool programme at OWIS is unique, and it provides young learners with a safe, interactive and engaging space to begin their schooling. We believe that our Early Childhood students benefit significantly from being a part of our all-through school community.
For more information about the Early Childhood Programme at OWIS, get in touch with us today to set up a school tour.
*Note: All images in this blog have been taken during pre-Covid times.
(This blog was originally written in collaboration with Ms Niki Wallis, former Senior Coordinator – Early Childhood, OWIS Nanyang.)
