Pre-K at CIS
A nurturing environment that inspires a lifelong love of learning
The CIS Pre-K programme is designed to nurture a love of learning. Our programme develops children’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive abilities as well as fostering creativity and problem-solving skills.
Children are natural inquirers and make sense of their world through play. Our indoor and outdoor spaces are carefully designed to be open-ended, engaging and fun. Learning is a social experience. As such, our children build an understanding of the world and a sense of belonging with each other and the wider community.
Our intentionally designed programme cultivates joyful learning experiences which leads to the development of lifelong learners.
Play
“Creativity is an important human characteristic. It is perhaps best thought of as a process, requiring a mixture of ingredients, including personality traits, abilities and skills. Early years staff can help young children to develop their creativity by providing a creative environment, helping children to build up their skills through play, behaving creatively themselves and praising children’s creative efforts.”
Loris Malaguzzi
Students are empowered to build their knowledge through active inquiry, inquiry-driven exploration, and thoughtful reflection on genuine, real-world encounters. Through a blend of structured guidance and open-ended exploration, children cultivate essential thinking abilities such as problem recognition and solution, as well as crucial social competencies including respectfulness, friendship-building, teamwork, and self-regulation. They hone their literacy skills through the use of enriched vocabulary, storytelling, imaginative discourse, inquiry-based questioning, and negotiation.
Environment
The Pre-K programme benefits from a variety of unique learning spaces, each tailored to enhance different aspects of education. From the rooftop playground, where students can explore and play amidst breathtaking views, to the greenhouse where they learn about sustainability and cultivation firsthand, every corner of our campus is part of the students’ educational journey. Our Pre-K gymnasium and drama room provide spaces for creative expression and physical activity, nurturing both mind and body. Inside our classrooms, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and comfortable furnishings, students engage in dynamic lessons led by passionate educators.
Learning extends beyond the walls of our school. Field trips are opportunities for experiential learning. With Copenhagen as our community classroom, students embark on enriching journeys where they connect with the local culture, history, and environment, reinforcing their classroom learning with real-world experiences.
Community
In our Pre-K programme, we recognise the integral role parents play in their child’s educational journey. Through a strong partnership with parents, we foster a collaborative learning environment where families are actively engaged in their child’s development. Our parent-teacher link ensures open communication channels, facilitating dialogue and mutual support between home and school. We view parents not just as supporters but as valued contributors to their child’s education, encouraging their active involvement in various aspects of school life.
Our Early Childhood programme embodies the diversity and inclusivity of our international community. We establish strong partnerships with both parents and educators to nurture and guide children’s learning journeys. Through daily interactions and collaborative activities involving parents and students across various grade levels, we foster a sense of community that is fundamental to our programme. These shared connections and experiences not only enrich learning but also cultivate a deep sense of belonging within our school community.
At CIS, our PYP curriculum is rooted in research and contemporary educational practices, prioritising learning through inquiry.
Our educators meticulously observe and document children’s play and dialogues, allowing them to tailor learning experiences to match their inquiries and interests. Moreover, teachers seamlessly integrate these inquiries into developmentally appropriate curriculum standards across all domains of learning. Through collaborative exploration and co-construction of ideas with the children, educators scaffold further learning experiences using provocations crafted from open-ended and natural materials. These thoughtfully designed provocations serve to ignite curiosity, foster deeper critical thinking, and build upon the existing knowledge base of our students.
