Keystone Early Years (KEY) : Nursery to PP2

Early Years Philosophy :   At Keystone, we respect children’s unique personalities and potentials as well as their appetite for knowledge. We believe that young learners are most influenced by their immediate environment, family, community, and culture, therefore are encouraged to explore themselves within it.

Keystone’s Cambridge Early Years Curriculum is inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach which originated in Italy. The core philosophy of the program is represented in the following dimensions:

View of the Child

Young children take in all that they see around them and that’s what makes the early formative years so very important. We conceptualize an image of the child as competent, strong, inventive, and full of ideas with rights instead of needs. They express their ideas through art, music, play, storytelling, writing, drawing, etc.

Role of the Teacher

Learning is a social process based on trust, respect, and encouragement. A teacher is an observer, supporter, and guide that brings wisdom and thoughtfulness to the child’s unique social and intellectual exploration. Teachers help children connect the dots and support the ever-expanding web of knowledge.

Role of the Environment

The environment is the third teacher. Children are provided with an environment filled with natural light, order, and beauty. Open studio spaces free from clutter, where every material connects the child with the actual scenarios that they experience every day. The space encourages collaboration, communication, and exploration. Children learn through sensory experiences and integration.

Role of the Family

We believe children are connected to family, community, culture, and place. Their earliest development and learning take place through the relationships they share with their parents, family members, and educators. Active communication with teachers and families allows for collaborative goal-setting.

Children are natural storytellers, explorers, curators, and math lovers. With the Cambridge Early Years Curriculum, we help them channel their innate curiosity for improved learning experiences. We focus on providing comprehensive, well-rounded learning and growing experience through the following disciplines: Social–Emotional Life skills, Physical, Language & Literacy, Numeracy, World Around, Environment, Creative Arts, Languages, and Theatre.

Cambridge Early Years Curriculum – Skills

Social-Emotional Development
Social-emotional development refers to a child’s ability to identify feelings, self-regulate and build relationships.

Physical Development
(Fine & Motor)
Outdoor play, gross motor activities, climbing, jumping, running, wheeled vehicles, pathways, games for the development of core muscles. soft, workable materials and tools like Scissors, fine motor activities, construction, bat and ball activities for the development of fine motor.

Language and Literacy
Development
The interactions that young kids have with books, paper, and crayons or with adults, are the building blocks for language, reading, and writing development. Listening, speaking, writing, and reading are the four important blocks of language and literacy.

Numeracy and Reasoning
Development
Math is a continuous process that takes into account the cognitive development of young children and provides the groundwork for future mathematical processes. Major concepts introduced are one-to-one correspondence, patterns, sorting and sets, counting, number recognition, shapes, comparisons, measurements, time, and money..

World Around Development
Through different types of play, experiential learning opportunities as well as practical activities, children are being provided with meaningful experiences. These will stimulate their senses, encourage them to ask questions, and let them explore their environment.

Environment Development
Introducing topics like keeping the surroundings clean, recycling, saving water, and growing trees encourage children to be aware of the environment. Making the responsibility for protecting the environment a joyful process

Creative Development
Creative play and artistic activities have a central role in toddlers’ learning and development. They help nurture imagination and also develops problem-solving, thinking, and motor skills.

Second Language Acquisition
Development
Pre-schoolers have the ability to master more than two to three languages. This supports in the cognitive development such as increased problem-solving skills and creativity.