Bilingual Nursery School
Educational Project
Activities are primarily structured for age-homogeneous groups, without neglecting opportunities for inter-age play.
Saint Denis School aims to be a "second home" for the child, offering:
A serene and welcoming environment
to ease the temporary separation from parents and support meaningful growth experiences.
Authority
Warmth and kindness
At Saint Denis School children grow to be:
Happy and well-adjusted
Sociable
Increasingly independent
Confident in their abilities
Respectful of themselves and others
Intellectually curious and motivated
Bilingualism
One of Saint Denis School's distinctive features is introducing and fostering English language learning from an early age.
From the first days of school, teachers immerse children in a context enriched by extensive use of English (listening and speaking). This includes greetings, instructions, naming objects, questions and answers, rhymes, songs, group activities and visual experiences. Initially, gestures and visual aids support verbal communication. Over time, children memorize sounds, associate them with meanings and develop the ability to understand and use them without needing Italian as an intermediary.
To facilitate English learning, teachers use various resources, such as: flashcards for vocabulary games, songs and rhymes to familiarize children with the sounds of English in a fun way.
Children naturally and spontaneously learn English through playful, engaging activities.
Throughout the three years of Nursery School, all morning educational activities (up to and including lunchtime) are conducted in English for 20 hours per week. Afternoon activities are conducted in Italian by the section’s class teachers.
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Activities with Saint Denis School
The Saint Denis School’s Three-Year Educational Plan aligns with: the European Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning, the 2012 Ministerial Guidelines, Law No. 107/2015, pedagogical, psychological and neuroscientific theories from Piaget, Bruner, Montessori, Visalberghi, De Bartolomeis, Gardner and Goleman.
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Daily activities for children follow the guidelines for Nursery School's areas of experience:
Self and Others
Body and Movement
Images, Sounds and Colors
Speech and Words
Understanding the World
Objects, Phenomena, Living Beings
Numbers and Space
observation and description, listening and creative production
expressive and manipulative activities
musical activities
recreational activities, both free and guided
preparation for celebrations and holidays
preschool readiness activities (pre-writing, pre-reading, pre-math)
The teachers develop specific choices regarding content, methods, organization and evaluation. Specifically:
they observe the child's initial conditions, emotional-relational dimensions, learning rhythms and pace, evident interests, the evolution of autonomy and the level of acquisition of early skills;
Among the various proposed activities, an interesting one is "body language": the children gradually become familiar with the surrounding space and their body. In doing so, they discover themselves and develop their abilities, learning not to fear new motor experiences. Using hoops, balls, ribbons, cubes, tubes and more, the children develop good coordination for various motor actions such as walking, running, jumping, crawling and rolling. They learn to recognize different body parts, control their movements and gain confidence in interacting with others in shared spaces, without fear or insecurity.
The continuity project
In a perspective of educational continuity, the Preschool teachers coordinate programming of objectives, methodologies and observation tools with Primary School teachers. They share data about each child and conduct joint educational and recreational activities.
Preschool students and first-grade primary students follow a shared path in preparing for various celebrations while also participating in "open lessons," where they have the opportunity to sit together and carry out joint activities. On these occasions, primary school children act as "tutors."
A TYPICAL DAY
7:30 – 9:00: Arrival
Children and their parents are greeted with a smile and a warm gesture: everything contributes to starting the day positively!
9:00 – 10:30: Educational activities in English
Painting, crafting, salt dough, collage, pouring activities and more. The first activity of the day is done together to establish a positive and friendly group environment.
10:30 – 11:00: Snack and free play
Morning Snack
A small break with seasonal fresh fruit to recharge!
Free Play
Children are encouraged to engage in a game for a relatively extended period to gradually foster their sense of autonomy.
11:00 – 12:30: Educational activities in English
The second part of the morning involves more individualized work: teachers work one-on-one with each child, creating a closer and more trusting relationship.
12:30 – 13:00: Lunch
Pre-Lunch Routine
It’s a joy to gather together for roll call, share stories about the morning and sing a few songs. Then, it’s time to wash hands and eat!
Lunch
Special attention is paid to children’s nutrition, offering a balanced menu designed specifically for them. Everything is carefully prepared in the school's internal kitchen.
13:00 – 13:30: Personal hygiene and departure for half-day attendees
13:30 – 15:30: Nap for younger children / Preschool activities in Italian for older children
Nap time for younger children
Stories, rhymes and lullabies help guide children to sleep. Soft, relaxing background music and dim lighting do the rest.
Preschool activities for older children
Children are taught elements of pre-writing, pre-reading and pre-math to prepare them for Primary School.
