The School Readiness Program – Everything you need to know
The School Readiness Program is an exclusive pre-school program held at the Butterflies Learning Centre. It caters for children aged 3-6 years old and aims to give them the right start from an early age. By implementing daily mindfulness habits and expose children to academic content through play, we provide children a basis for their future educational path.
Our program is child centred and promotes play-based activities focusing on all main areas of the child development, i.e. cognitive, social-emotional, gross- and fine-motors skill.
To help you understand the School Readiness Program, we have created a quick Q&A, see below. But don’t worry, if we didn’t answer all your questions, please feel free to contact us at any point.
When does the program start?
The School Readiness Program will start in the mid-September and will run for the same length as a normal academic year, approximately until mid-June. But don’t worry we also provide great summer activities, like our Summer Smiles Program.
How long are the sessions?
The School Readiness Program will be held from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 13:00. Each session is 4 hours long and has been divided into blocks to allow children to experience different areas for their development.
How is a session structured?
An average session consists of an initial arrival, greeting and settling in period. Then we introduce three further blocks where different subjects, such as math, language, science, arts, physical activities and music are explored. Each session ends with a closing circle where together we reflect about the day and share our thoughts on how to make it better for the next day.
How many children will be attending the program?
The School Readiness Program has been designed for a group of 15 children (maximum) from 3 to 6 years of age.
Do children have to attend every single day?
It is recommended that children attend the program daily to build a sense of community, of belonging and of feeling fully integrated and part of the group. However, we understand that each family’s dynamics are different and each child is unique, therefore we are flexible and willing to accommodate individual needs. Parents can decide how many days per week their children should attend our program – some parents prefer to establish a routine and send their children every day of the week, whilst others prefer to gradually introduce the program to their children by sending them only a few days per week. We are here to support you and your children throughout the process.
Will children of all ages stay together all the time?
It is important that children learn to live in mixed-age group environments, as the younger learn from the older ones whilst the older ones consolidate their learning with the younger ones. However, there will be times when children will be divided for specific activities appropriate for their age range.
Yes! We aim to provide a healthy mid-morning snack comprising a piece of fruit (apple, banana or other seasonal fruit) and a biscuit or slice of bread. We advise all parents to pack a water-bottle for their kids.
What does my child need to bring to the centre?
At the Butterflies Learning Centre we provide all the materials for our activities. We do however advise to bring an old oversized t-shirt or apron for any messy-play (we love to paint!).
In addition, we might ask you to collect some items in your household to bring for arts and crafts – this could range from toilet-rolls or empty cereal boxes. But don’t worry, we will communicate this in advance.
Does the BLC follow a specific curriculum?
No, we don’t. However, as our teachers come from mixed backgrounds such as Montessori, High Scope and International Baccalaureate, the structure of our exclusive program encompasses some of the best practices from these environments.
You can find more information on our website, here. In addition, feel free to contact us, so we may arrange a meeting with you to clarify any questions you may have.
We are also planning to hold an open house day during the month of September 2020 for parents to view our premises and get to know our program and teachers better. Stay tuned for more information!
What is the cost of the program?
Please contact us for detailed pricing information.
We hope these questions and answers provided some insights into the School Readiness Program and we look forward to welcoming your children mid-September. In the meantime, if you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to let us know, we are always available to chat.