Kindergarten
Our program has emerged out of and is an expression of our experience. Our unique curriculum was developed to meet the needs of children who come from different cultures, backgrounds, and languages and respect their inner drives. It is directed toward the child’s ability to learn at their own pace in a loving and playful setting. Our daily programme uses the British-based Jolly Phonics Literacy Programme enhanced by the hands-on Montessori approach. Attention is placed on developing key learning skills such as concentration, perseverance, and cooperation, as well as communication, early literacy, and numeracy skills.
- Nursery
(2 ½ - 4) - Reception
(age 4 - 5) - Year 1
(age 5 - 6)
Curriculum
Character Building
We believe our uniquely designed Character Building Programme shapes the characters of our students and supports them to flourish and succeed in all areas they engage in. We find our focus on character development to be fundamental to the creation of our loving, honest, and friendly educational environment. All our educators regularly attend training in order to maintain the quality of our Character Building Programme, and our emphasis on respecting the rhythm of the child, creating an environment that responds to the child’s requirements, and leading through role modeling. Along with character building, our classrooms are set up to encourage enticing and hands-on learning and to develop logical thinkers and problem solvers.
Reading & Writing
In Brilliant Stars we utilise a range of educational methods in order to support the literacy and verbal command of the English language. Beginning in the nursery years, our students are introduced to letter sounds, through sensorial experiences which are then built on year by year supported by the British Jolly Phonics programme. Through the utilisation of learning through play, stories, rhymes, songs, and games, our students are exposed to an extensive vocabulary and develop the motor skills and hand-eye coordination essential for literacy. We carefully choose the books our children are exposed to and have hand-selected every book in our classrooms and library. Our focus on reading instills a love of books which we find motivates our students to want to learn to read and write on their own.
We find that the combination of the Jolly Phonics programme and the Montessori approach better develop the reading potential of children in preparation for our Primary school.
Science & Environmental Education
It is a complete exploration: the study and knowledge of the universe, which results in structure and order, is approached through science and ecology. We find the focus on science, experimentation, and nature to encourage the child to become aware of the interdependence and connections between all living things and people. exciting topics such as space, minerals, ecology, and our weekly science lessons generally are a much-loved part of Brilliant Stars.
Over the years, we have developed an environmental curriculum focusing on environmental awareness, the workings of nature, and most recently a greater focus on learning how to take care of the nature around us. This is one of the many instances where our certified natural garden extends beyond an oasis of fresh air in which our children can play; it is an excellent opportunity for our students to connect with nature and be exposed to flora and fauna often difficult to observe in urban environments.
Mathematics, Geometry & Logical Thinking
The mind of the human is a mathematical mind. Since childhood, we have an inner need to create a precise and logical understanding of the world around us. Classifying, exploring magnitude, investigating dynamics, studying patterns and shapes, or exploring spatial relations can be experienced through play and in a prepared environment.
The numerous Montessori materials lining our shelves at Brilliant Stars support the materialisation of abstract ideas that might otherwise be difficult to reach. Through the presence of these hands-on materials, our children are able to work with larger numbers and approach more complex concepts. We believe all our children have a capacity for mathematics and find it our mission to nurture this love, capacity, and interest.
Arts, Movement & Creativity
Within our curriculum, we understand the importance of developing creativity and engaging in movement and the arts in the early years. Our movement curriculum, inspired by the Orff methodology, focuses on important developmental arenas such as developing posture, balance, fine and gross motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. Alongside this, we focus on expression through the arts to support wellbeing and the development of healthy emotional responses, working through students' thoughts and feelings and exposure to sensorial experiences.
From the earliest age, we also believe in expanding our students' auditory and cultural palettes by exposing them to diverse music. We accompany this by developing an awareness of cultures, composers, and artists, all of which support learning about the world in which we live. We encourage creativity in every student and believe in nurturing healthy self-esteem. That is why we provide many opportunities for our students to be creative, strive to try new things, and explore their capacities in safe and empowering spaces.
Kindergarten
Nurturing logical minds, critical thinkers, and kind hearts.
Pedagogical Approach
In the kindergarten years, we focus on offering a blended approach fully in English, utilizing the Montessori pedagogy combined with our unique Character Building Programme and the British Jolly Phonics. We thus assure exposure to sensorial and hands-on learning, practical life skills, along with exposure to the arts and diverse cultures. Experience shows that our blended approach, combining a number of pedagogies, offers a true embodiment of a wonderful opportunity for growth and meets the requirements of our children and the expectations of our parents.Montessori
Children learn in different ways and at their own pace. Our teachers create a learning programme that is specific to the needs and interests of each child. Our prepared classroom environments are specially designed to encourage children to actively participate in their learning. Through this approach, enhanced by our unique Character Building Programme, our children learn to respect each other, develop team-building skills and create a sense of community.
Montessori sensorial materials permit the children to utilize their own hands and senses with the goal of concretely understanding the world around them. Each material was created through scientific observations and purposely focuses on a single characteristic. This permits the child to order their mind as well as helps them to create categories based on direct experiences with reality.
Furthermore, self-correction and self-assessment are integral parts of Montessori education. As children progress through the Montessori Curriculum, they learn to look critically at their work and correct their mistakes. By providing children with the freedom to question and make connections, they learn to become confident and independent learners. Montessori education is hands-on, encourages independence, and teaches children to love learning. It also helps children learn the soft skills of collaboration, self-motivation, independence, and problem-solving.
Language of Virtues
Learning at Brilliant Stars has a coherent all-around approach, where the children have the opportunity to advance in their understanding of themselves and the world from each interaction with their teachers, classmates, staff, and materials. Learning stems from cooperative play, individual one-on-one, and hands-on approaches. The children are encouraged to become independent in their learning process and always notice opportunities to advance in their capacities.
Using a positive and empowering language of virtues clearly guides and helps the children aspire to their highest potential and build a strong moral foundation. This language is constantly part of the communication teachers and staff have towards the students. Hence the students naturally learn to see the good in others and are intrinsically motivated to always strive to excel intellectually, morally, and physically.
Full Day English
At Brilliant stars we believe the best way for a child to learn a language is to hear it in all settings. Thus, all our classes are exclusively in English and the majority of our teachers are native speakers or have C1 qualifications. You will notice that when playing outside, or in transition moments, even the little ones converse solely in English.
Practical Life & Skills Development
Practical life recreates the actions that happen daily in our homes. In fact, children love to complete the same activities that they see adults doing. Every activity has a purpose – the transferring, the inserting, the activities linked to the kitchen – they all represent a natural form of psychomotricity. The activities share common goals such as the development of the hand muscle, hand-eye coordination, increasing one’s attention and concentration time, and finding respect for a well-defined procedure. Particularly in the first years, we place a great emphasis on our students learning daily practical activities in order to support them to grow into independent and capable individuals.
Music, Culture & Diversity
At the earliest age, our students are introduced to diverse cultures, cuisines, traditions, and music in order to expand their awareness and familiarity with the world around them. Children explore their diverse creativities through a range of artistic methods. In regards to music, we offer presentations on world composers through time in order to expand our students' horizons and their auditory senses and offer them the possibility to approach various musical instruments. Our school is an international community and our aim is to ensure every student is able to find their home at our school. Music is embedded into the culture at Brilliant Stars. To read more about how we have embedded music into daily life in the kindergarten years, you can read the following research project conducted at Royal Holloway University of London on our Kindergarten.