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CIS’ Kindergarten programme is designed to stimulate imagination, creativity and self discovery in our youngest learners (aged 2 to 5). Reflecting our international context, our curriculum draws from the best kindergarten curricula globally, and is delivered within the Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework. Warm and nurturing learning environments support our inquiry and play-based approach, ensuring our children develop the knowledge and skills needed for their future academic success.
An international
curriculum
At CIS, our children’s social and emotional well-being is paramount. We nurture their natural sense of curiosity and wonder through our inquiry and play-based teaching approach. Underpinned by the PYP framework, our stimulating and creative curriculum supports each child in reaching their personal potential. Teaching instruction caters to each student’s needs, abilities, and learning styles, resulting in a community of happy, confident and engaged learners.
Language of instruction
Our youngest learners in Nursery* (2 years of age) enjoy a unique environment. Each class has one fully qualified early years English speaking teacher, an associate Chinese speaking teacher and an instructional assistant who speaks both languages. Parents will be able to choose English or Chinese-English bilingual as the language of instruction.
An international curriculum
As one of Singapore's leading private kindergartens (also known as preschool), we offer an engaging inquiry, play-based teaching approach grounded in research and best practice. Extensive studies show hands-on exploration solidifies concepts and understanding more concretely than rote learning.
Our Nursery programme (offered at Lakeside only from August 2022) is PYP inspired, and children learn as they engage in both teacher-guided and child-initiated exploratory, investigative and imaginative play. Our nursery curriculum focuses on developing children’s fundamental social, literacy and numeracy skills, as well as their fine and gross motor skills.
As children move into Pre-Kindergarten, they engage in topic-based learning commonly referred to as the Unit of Inquiry (UOI), and different subject areas are integrated as they explore a particular concept or topic. Students have dedicated literacy and numeracy lessons, and specialist teachers for Chinese and French. Physical education, art, music and drama are delivered by either a specialist or the homeroom teacher. Where possible, learning in these specialist areas links back to the overarching topic. Science and social studies are learnt exclusively in the context of the UOI.
Our STEAM programme supports students’ natural curiosity and creativity. Our kindergarten students learn how to make connections across subject areas as they invent, analyse and explore concepts in STEAM.
Lakeside Kindergarten virtual tour
Discovery
and exploration
Our Lakeside Campus located in the west of Singapore, adopts a schools-within-a-school design, creating unique communities inside the school and accommodating students aged 2 to 18. Our kindergarten children learn in a dedicated kindergarten wing, where classrooms are organised in grade levels and spill out into learning pods. These learning pods are large, open, shared spaces where teachers set up hands-on learning centres. Other learning spaces that foster skill development include a junior library, kitchen, black box theatre, STEAM makerspace and a Kindergarten kitchen.
Our Tanjong Katong (TK) Campus located in the east of Singapore, is smaller and more intimate and accommodates students 3 to 12 years of age. Classrooms for our youngest learners are warm, colourful, spacious and grouped together, ensuring a strong sense of community. Each classroom has direct access to an Outdoor Discovery Centre. Other learning spaces include a library, amphitheatre, and STEAM makerspace.
About our Outdoor Discovery Centres
Lakeside's new Outdoor Discovery Centre reopens in January 2023 when construction of our new wing is complete. Both the Lakeside and TK Outdoor Discovery Centres are used as an extension of our indoor classrooms and support learning in ways that extend far beyond a traditional playground. Our students love everything about these centres but some of the extra special features include a play fort, sound and herb garden, mud kitchen, natural tunnel, bike track and quiet and peaceful places for reflection.
Through playing with mud, water, sand and loose objects such as sticks, stones, mesh and rope, our students engage in imaginative and creative thinking while solving problems. They learn to calculate, measure, invent, estimate, specify, analyse, hypothesise and test theories, thereby developing their thinking, communication and research skills.
Transdisciplinary learning through integrated arts
Communication
and parent participation
Parents play a very important role in their child’s foundational years and we encourage our parents to take an active role in their child’s education and school life. In turn, we aim to keep parents informed about their child’s learning progress, our programmes and the latest in educational research.
Our early-years teachers are passionate about the children in their care, and work to ensure they feel safe, valued, secure and happy in both our schools. In nursery and pre-kindergarten, parents are welcome to stay for the daily settling-in activities, allowing their child to adjust to the concept of separation and school life.
Our teachers communicate with parents every Friday via My.CIS (our parent portal) and we share important information through our advisories and weekly newsletters. Coffee mornings, assemblies, parent seminars and hands-on workshops are hosted regularly, while conferences are held three times a year to discuss or showcase each child’s progress. Student learning is documented via digital portfolios, and we issue detailed reports three times a year.
Our open door policy ensures parents are always able to meet with their child’s teachers at a mutually convenient time to discuss any concerns, ideas or questions they may have.
Measures of Academic Progress
CIS benchmarks student achievement (Senior Kindergarten to 10) against NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) standards and international school norms in an external assessment called Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). Conducted three times a year, MAP results in maths and literacy are also used to identify trend patterns and overall cohort progress year on year.
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