Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten
Our Early Years Program supports the physical, emotional, and social development of children from three and a half to six years old.
Preschool in a school such as ours spans from ages three and half to six. As a child grows from a shy first-day preschooler to an athletic kindergartner, incredible changes take place within that student. The IAS small school recognizes the unique needs of early childhood and is well-equipped to gracefully support each student as they transition into the upper academic levels.
Students are encouraged to be inquisitive, creative, and analytical in all areas. The early years curriculum is designed to guide and support students, allowing plenty of room for hands-on learning, teamwork, and individual exploration. By the time students move on to the Big School, they will have had ample opportunity to develop their English and Polish skills, their understanding of complex scientific and mathematical concepts, and a keen awareness and sense of self.
About the Early Years School
Located close to the Main Building of the International American School, the Early Years School at 12 Dembego St. welcomes children to the Kindergarten. The Preschool at IAS is designed to create an intimate and comfortable learning environment for young learners. Small class sizes and an average 5 to 1 student-teacher ratio mean students receive individual care and attention both in and outside the classroom.
The school is adapted to the needs of young learners, both in its layout and in the design of the purpose-built playground. It is a colourful and cheerful place where teachers and students alike contribute to the warm atmosphere that promotes learning and personal growth.
A small school profile
Our school caters to the children of diplomats, business people, and locals alike. Students come from Poland, throughout Europe, and the far reaches of the globe. The multicultural nature of the small school is perhaps its greatest offering, and it is supported in many ways by a caring staff.
Age groups
Classroom placement depends on age at the actual time of enrollment as well as other factors, such as language skills, special needs, academic background, and abilities.
Core curriculum
Our curriculum combines the best practices and varying aspects of the Polish and American education systems. The preschool and kindergarten curricula reflect a play-based approach to learning, following the belief that children learn through experience. By encouraging and supporting curiosity, students become more active and inquisitive kindergartners. During the early years, teachers act as facilitators of learning by creating hands-on experiences that engage the five senses and foster a lifelong love of learning.
Core subjects:
- Language Units in English
- Math
- Science
- Physical Education
- Arts and Music
- Circle Time
- Nap Time
- Playtime
Class highlights
Pre-KG
Pre-KG ranges from 3.5 to around 4.5 years of age. This is a child’s first step into school life, and a delicate time as they leave home and enter a new world. We make sure children take small steps as they meet their peers and teachers. Through the system of play, we help children with the basics of phonetics and the English language. Circle Time, our daily class meeting, uses music, stories, and group discussions, along with the Jolly Phonics method, in short activities throughout the day so children do not have to focus for long periods.
Kindergarten
The KG are the leaders of the IAS Lower Elementary School, and with that they take on a whole new array of responsibilities and adventures. They are role models to the younger children, modelling good manners and proper behaviour. During the year, students develop advanced social skills, learn to work in groups, and depend on one another in various academic and social settings, while building rich vocabulary, faster reading, and stronger writing with an emphasis on grammar.
School life
Clubs
After-school clubs give teachers and students the chance to know one another even better. Each teacher in the Lower School leads a club based on their own interests and expertise. Offerings change yearly and typically include arts and crafts, foreign languages, dance, music, science, and sports.
Academic celebrations
The curriculum is put on display through friendly academic shows and competitions throughout the year, such as the Science Fair, the Math Competition, and Earth Day recycling craft projects, where students work together and show appreciation for the work of their schoolmates.
Field trips
Field trips and short excursions make the community a part of the classroom. Workshops at locations such as Ujazdowski Palace, the Ethnography Museum, and local theatres bring the arts alive, while visits to the Copernicus Center, local gardens, and Lazienki Park let teachers run science lessons beyond the classroom walls.
In-school arts workshops
From dedicated parent volunteers to specialists in many fields, students learn from members of the community without leaving school. In-school workshops led by local specialists have included musicians, sing-a-longs, dance parties, hip-hop and ceramics workshops, and martial arts and drama presentations.
Special events
Both Polish and international holidays are celebrated in style, giving intellectual development and academic celebration equal weight. Annual holidays such as Halloween and Carnival are delightfully spooky and colourful celebrations across every grade level.
What families tell us
Our little one started shy and barely speaking English. The teachers were so patient that within a few months she was singing along with the whole class and asking to stay longer.
Parent, Pre-Kindergarten
IAS family
See our Early Years School
The best way to understand our small school is to visit it. Come and meet the teachers who will know your child by name.
