Early Years
Our Early Years Programme provides your child with the necessary skills to ensure they are prepared to embark on their journey towards lifelong learning.
At Panyaden International School, we offer children the opportunity to engage in play-based learning in a natural setting. Our learning approach is centred around an indoor-outdoor, free-flow combination of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Our Early Years Programme is supported by highly skilled and dedicated English and Thai teachers and teaching assistants who look forward to welcoming and educating your child.
Our curriculum
Here at Panyaden, we use the British Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) as our core curriculum. This learning through play approach focuses on seven areas of the curriculum, supplemented by the Thai national curriculum.
The seven areas are divided into two groups:
Three Prime Areas:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language
These three areas form the core of all we do in the Early Years, supplemented by the specific areas and the Characteristics of Effective Learning, a set of skills that ensure children are prepared to embark on their journey towards lifelong learning.
Four Specific Areas:
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the World
- Expressive Arts and Design
In addition, we use the Thai national curriculum and our in-house Thai curriculum to support all children’s Thai language acquisition.
Learning
How do we support the children to progress across the eight areas of our curriculum?
We offer a play-based experience which combines both adult-led and child-centred learning, with the emphasis on the child directing his or her own learning and a focus on individual interests.
When visiting us here at Panyaden you will notice our Early Years classrooms and outdoor areas are set up with a range of learning centres. Indoor centres include role-play, maths, literacy and mark-making, small world, construction, and table-top activities. This continues outdoors as we use our wonderful natural environment to explore sand, water, large construction, gardening, dough and clay, and creativity.
If you visit us during our child-initiated sessions you will see our teachers supporting the children at their Learning Centres. The role of the teacher here is to build the child’s learning, helping them to make progress towards their individual next steps. We encourage language acquisition by speaking to the children in our native language (English or Thai), sharing key words and communication skills.
In the Early Years our students spend some time each day in adult-led sessions, which include phonics (English and Thai), maths, unit-based learning, and story time. Our objectives for each week are shared with parents so they can support their child’s learning at home and their acquisition of key vocabulary as a family.
Here at Panyaden International School, we have Specialist Teachers for Performing Arts, Art and Physical Education. Our specialists join the children in their relevant Learning Centres. As they join the children in their play they are able to contribute their skills to move the children’s learning forward.
All Early Years parents have access to our online Tapestry Learning Journal. Using Tapestry, parents receive regular updates on what their child is currently learning and their progressing. Notifications can include photos or videos and information about what your child has learned and the objectives he or she met. This provides a wonderful stimulus for conversation at home, giving you a window into your child’s day.
Our Early Years classes include:
- Nursery: 2-3 years old
- Kindergarten 1: 3-4 years old
- Kindergarten 2 4-5 years old
Thank you for taking the time to learn about Panyaden's Early Years Programme. Please visit our teachers pages under the Academic Programme tab and meet our talented team of teachers. We openly welcome all enquiries from interested families throughout the year, so please feel free to contact us for more information, or to arrange a visit to Panyaden please apply for a school tour.
To help you now, below we answer some frequently asked questions.
8:20 Our morning begins with the flag raising followed by Assembly or Let’s Move activities. When we return to our classroom we spend time talking about the Wise Habit of the fortnight and in simple meditation activities.
9:00 Our first session of the day is Phonics, where we work on the children’s listening skills.
9:10 After their taught session the children move into Pebble Time when they can select which Learning Centre they would like to join.
10:00 The children then have their snack followed by playtime on the varied playground equipment we have in school.
10:20 The children then move inside for a short Maths session focusing on numbers, shape, space and measures.
10:30 More exciting Pebble Time in the Learning Centres.
11:00 Time for a carpet session focussed on our current unit. Each year we learn about six different units. Previous examples include Little Explorers, Animals and About Me.
11:20 Time for lunch at our purpose-built canteen. The children learn to feed themselves, work on their table manners and even wash their own dishes!
12:00 Nap time and quiet activities. This essential rest period provides our children with the quiet time they need before our afternoon activities.
2:10 Afternoon snack is served, followed by more playtime in the garden.
2:30 A last chance for Pebble Time, where teachers support child-initiated learning indoors and out.
3:00 Wrap up time with stories and songs to close our day together.
3:15 The children meet their parents at the gate.