Playgroup & Pre-Nursery Singapore Programmes & Curriculum
Learning in a Nurturing Environment Through Play and Discovery
Relationships and Partnerships
Our youngest children are both vulnerable and competent. Our first priority at Primus Schoolhouse is to build trusting, secure and respectful relationships with all of our children and their families. When these relationships are created, the children are empowered to explore, to make sense and meaning of their world. By enabling their curiosity, we encourage discovery and scaffold activities, so children experience and learn more. Working closely with families, our aim is to make the children’s life at school an extension of their home environment and our generous teacher to child ratio ensures the best quality care and attention. At Primus Schoolhouse we recognise that families are children’s first and most influential teachers. We value working together to explore the learning potential in everyday activities, routines and through play.
Curriculum
The pre-nursery curriculum for our 18 months and 2 years olds is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum (UK EYFS) and embraces the Learning Goals within the Singapore curriculum, Nurturing Early Learners (NEL). The curriculum is further enhanced by international curricula. The Pre-Nursery programme promotes age-appropriate, holistic development focusing on children’s communication and language skills, creative expressions, as well as physical, social and personal skills. Children learn by doing. Children are more likely to understand and remember skills and concepts learnt through participation, exploration and experimentation involving real-life objects and experiences. Staff assess where each individual child is within their developmental stage and facilitate learning experiences appropriate to them.
Learning Dispositions
At the heart of knowledge about how children learn are the Learning Dispositions;
Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, Creating and Thinking Critically, A Sense of Self
Primus Schoolhouse staff plan experiences for children that actively engage these dispositions. Activities are developmentally appropriate to engage, reinforce and challenge children.
| Playing and Exploring | Active Learning |
| Engagement –
Finding out and exploring Playing with what they know Being willing to ‘have a go’ |
Motivation –
Being involved and concentrating Perserverance Enjoy achieving what they set out to do |
| Virtues: Curiosity, Confidence, Determination | Virtues: Perseverance, Self-discipline, Enthusiasm |
| For example: Role play, pretend play, small world environments, puzzles, sand and water play, natural elements | For example: Physical development, Gross Motor Skills, Fine Motor skills, moving and handling. Climbing, walking, tricycles
Nursery Rhymes, music and movement, books, language and communication |
| Creating and Thinking Critically | A Sense of Self |
| Thinking –
Having their own ideas Making links Choosing ways to do things Problem solving |
Confident –
Feeling secure and supported Being connected to the world Having a strong sense of well being Positivity |
| Virtues: Creativity, Flexibility, Purposefulness | Virtues: Patience, Cooperation, Joyfulness, Caring |
| For example: Jigsaws, blocks and construction, art and craft, creative play, playdough, painting, drawing, junk construction, natural elements, shape and space, pattern, rhythm, instruments | For example: Secure and trusting relationships, friendships, small school community, multi age group peer relationships.
The Virtues Project and enabling environments Courtesy, positivity and gentleness. |
Pre-Nursery day
A typical day at Primus Schoolhouse pre-nursery and playgroup in Singapore is filled with visits to the playground, stories, pretend play, songs and rhymes, construction and small world play, art & craft.
| Full day | Half day |
| 8.45 Settling in class with books and jigsaws 9.15 Song and Rhymes followed by fruit break 9.45 Playing, Exploring and Active Learning 10.45 Gross Motor Skills 11.00 Playground 11.30 Lunch 12.15 Settling into Quiet Time 12.30 Nap (length of nap decided by family) 2.00 Playing, Exploring and Active Learning 2.30 Music and Movement or Storytime 2.45 Home time |
8.45 Settling in class with books and jigsaws 9.15 Song and Rhymes followed by fruit break 9.45 Playing, Exploring and Active Learning 10.45 Gross Motor Skills 11.00 Playground 11.30 Lunch 12.15 Story time 12.30 Home time |
Please note: Quiet time and nap time are designed around your family and child’s needs. Nap time can be as short or long as you desire.
Before School and After School Care
The centre is open at 7.30 a.m. Breakfast is served until 8.15 a.m.
Fruit and snack are served at 3pm for children staying in After School Care. Another small snack is served at 5.45 p.m. for children who are staying later. Centre closes at 7p.m.
Pre-Nursery to Nursery 1
As the children move to Nursery 1 the Primus Schoolhouse curriculum develops around Seven Spheres of Learning:
| Prime Areas | Specific Areas |
| Language Arts Speaking and Listening English/Chinese | Language Arts Reading and Writing English/Chinese |
| Personal Empowerment | Thinking Mathematically |
| Healthy Bodies | Creativity and Culture |
| Inquiring Minds |
Pre-Nursery focuses on the holistic development of the child. This involves nurturing children’s curiosity, teaching them social skills so that they may work and play positively with their peers as well as building their self-esteem and confidence. We focus on supporting the children’s physical development as well as giving them cognitive challenges. the children the skills for future learning.