THE BENALMÁDENA INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
Early Years & Foundation stage
Our Early Years education starts from Kindergarten (age 1-2), Pre-nursery (age 2), Nursery (age 3) and Reception (age 4). Children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum.
At this early stage of life, children need to be aware of new concepts not always found in their home environment. At our College they learn to respect and always address a code of politeness towards their fellow companions. Self discipline and a positive attitude to learning are vital building blocks that all students are taught and they are constantly being reinforced by our experienced teaching staff.
The Early Years department provides an enthusiastic and stimulating atmosphere, involving the children in a variety of subjects. Apart from Numeracy and Literacy lessons, the children are active in Cooking, Sports, Art, Music and Drama productions. Spanish lessons are taught for one period (50 minutes) every afternoon.
As we are a British International school, children tend to pick up other languages from their fellow classmates quickly and effortlessly, bonding new friendships irrespective of their religion or nationality. Many of our students by the age of ten can converse fluently in three or more languages.
We believe all children at this age can develop important values of life and therefore shape their pathway to future success.
World Book Day
Pre-Nursery and Nursery years
Pre-nursery is for children aged 2-3, and Nursey is focused on children aged 3-4. This stage in education is important and beneficial for any child as it gives the child a head start through social interactions, using cognitive, psychosocial and physical development-based learning. A child in this stage will learn about their environment and how to verbally communicate with others. Children who attend Pre-Nursery/Nursery learn how the world around them works through play and communication.
Children are capable of absorbing more information during these years as the brain grows most rapidly in the early years. The high quality teachers that BIC offer have a long-term effect on improving a childs outcome for later years.
The following main themes offered are:-
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Personal, social, and emotional development
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Communication (including sign language), talking and listening
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Creative and aesthetic development
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Mathematical awareness
Reception
Your child has now started Primary school! The Reception class is about much more than colours and shapes, numbers and letters. This is the year that your child becomes ‘school-ready’; developing their independence, confidence, resilience and curiosity. It’s an exciting time, for children and parents, as their Primary school career begins.
This year your child will continue to learn by doing things for themselves, by exploring and investigating, watching and listening, talking and discussing, creating and communicating.
All children in Reception follow a curriculum called the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and this is broken down into 3 prime aspects and 4 specific areas of learning.
Personal, social and emotional development: One of the prime aspects of your child’s first year at school will be a focus on their personal, social and emotional development, and their teacher will be aiming to give them a good start to their school experience by helping them form positive relationships, build confidence and self-awareness, as well as manage their feelings and behaviour.
Physical development: Physical development is important too: you will hopefully notice that they are starting to move more confidently and to understand how to look after themselves and be healthy.
Communication: The final prime area this year is communication. Children learn through speaking and listening first and foremost, and this year you may notice your child communicating in a variety of ways at school — for example, through stories, in conversations with adults and their friends, or through facial expression, movement or dance.
