Early Years | Greengates School

OUR EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM

At our Early Years international school (nursery school, reception, and Year 1), we teach the highly regarded International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC). The first accredited IEYC school in Mexico, our innovative programme immerses our young learners in the English language and provides a strong academic foundation, delivering playful, thematic activities that encourage curiosity and discovery.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM (IEYC)

Our Early Years programme at Greengates Primary School is fully accredited in delivering the International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC). This curriculum has been designed to foster the comprehensive growth of every child between the ages of three and five.

The International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) was launched in 2016 as the precursor to the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), will engage in upon entering Primary School. The IEYC has been designed to recognise the importance of early years’ education and focuses on learning through play.

Greengates was the first school to achieve both IEYC and IPC accreditation in Mexico and across Latin America. The IEYC and IPC are part of the International Curriculum Association (ICA), which has been helping schools worldwide develop children’s learning since 1984.

THE IEYC’S APPROACH TO LEARNING

Through the IEYC, our Early Years international school children enjoy exciting, engaging, and challenging play-based activities that nurture academic, personal, and social growth. Our curriculum sparks our students’ passions and ignites their curiosity, encouraging them to become active participants in their learning journey.

Learning takes place through a series of thematic units, which are taught across different subjects. Each unit begins with an interesting hook or entry point that engages our children, motivates them to find out more, and develops their knowledge, skills, and understanding.

Our young students work towards personal goals that inspire them. They also gain a sense of identity, while simultaneously developing a profound respect for the nationalities and cultures of others.

WHAT STUDENTS GAIN FROM THE IEYC

Through the IEYC, our young students build the knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary to confidently face the world of tomorrow.

At Greengates, our approach to learning also includes our relationship with our host country of Mexico and the educational authorities of the Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP). Mexican nationals and other native Spanish speakers can achieve certification for the learning targets of SEP, through Spanish language lessons and IPC Social Studies lessons.

For our young international students, we expect them to achieve literacy in Spanish by the end of their Primary School years, and we give them the tools for success beginning in Early Years. By the end of Primary, we also expect they’ll develop knowledge of Mexican history and geography and an appreciation of our country’s rich culture and traditions.

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A TYPICAL DAY AT GREENGATES SCHOOL

Our days are full of many exciting activities that help us build our confidence and explore everything we’re curious about. With growing independence, we begin to lead our own learning.

Early Years | Greengates School | Nord Anglia - Visual Time Line Tabs

MORNING GREETINGS

Our teachers greet us at the main gate, before we all gather in the classroom next to the entrance and begin a hands-on morning activity. We greet our peers as they join us and get ready for a day of learning activities ahead.

GETTING READY

STORYTELLING

We love to express ourselves! Through Jolly Phonic activities, we begin to practice our skills that will lead us to read and write stories, following the IEYC – and we practice our English following the English National Curriculum, too.

READING AND WRITING

LUNCHTIME NIBBLES AND PLAY

We eat our packed lunches in our classroom before going out to play with our friends. We can build our motor skills by running, riding tricycles, digging in the sand box together, or playing hide and seek with our teacher and peers.

PLAYING WITH OTHERS

LEARNING TOGETHER

We love creating stars as part of the IEYC unit, Blast Off! Whilst our teacher leads us through some activities in small groups, in others, we get to choose what we want to work on from our unit learning goals and take the lead.

CREATING AND CONNECTING

ARTS AND CRAFTS

We become more independent and confident through arts and crafts that show us what we can do on our own, like putting together small gadgets or practicing our handwriting. These also help us develop our fine motor skills.

DOING IT YOURSELF

GET ACTIVE!

We enjoy physical education activities twice each week, and this includes swimming together in the pool. We feel empowered as we discover how to use our strokes, support our bodies, and keep an active lifestyle.

FLOATING AND SPLASHING

THE ENGLISH NATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS

We start with 100% English immersion in the Early Years. This encourages our students to attain a fluent level and helps them become confident, fluent, and multilingual global citizens.

We follow and meet all the goals and targets of the English National Curriculum in the subjects of English and mathematics.