PRE-PRIMARY OVERVIEW

Following on the foundations of our Playschool, each child at SAHETI Pre-Primary School is regarded as an individual with their own thoughts, feelings, and potential. This holistic approach is based on our school motto Know Thyself. In conjunction with the guidelines provided by the ISASA ECD Curriculum (2022), careful planning of play‐based learning opportunities, creates opportunities for exploration, investigation, conversation, and a platform for the development of essential 21st century skills. In this manner, every area of a child’s development is targeted through the enriched programme we provide.

Our teaching principles and beliefs remain firmly rooted in a framework of Hellenic traditions and values. We endeavour to remain ahead of developments in education and set dynamic and relevant standards for pre‐school education in our country. We believe learning should be meaningful, stimulate curiosity, and build connections to prior knowledge and experiences. Conversational Greek is introduced at an early age and is presented in fun and engaging lessons. The Greek curriculum is designed to be immersive and is integrated into the daily routines of the school.

At the Pre-Primary level, the focus of sports is on fostering enjoyment, participation, and skill development rather than competition. Kinaesthetic activities are integrated into every lesson, whether it involves numeracy, literacy, or life skills. Teachers support the development of children’s gross motor skills through guided ring times. Furthermore, our Grade 000 and Grade 00 students take part in weekly Tumbling Tigerz sessions. In Grade R, students participate in weekly sports lessons, where they are introduced to a range of skills by SAHETI’s specialist coaches.

All children in the Pre-Primary School participate in Digital Literacy lessons with a Digital Literacy teacher. This begins in Grade 000 where children first explore whole body activities to develop directionality, laterality and spatial orientation over the course of the year before working with coding resources. Our Grade 00 and Grade R children enjoy a weekly lesson where they have the opportunity to problem solve and code.

Our values are deeply entrenched in Christianity through the traditions of the Greek Orthodox Church. The children are regularly taken to the church to engage with these traditions, fostering a strong sense of cultural and religious identity.

While we respect individuality and promote the growth of individual thought in the Pre‐Primary School, we also recognise that each child is part of a greater whole. It is therefore of the utmost importance for us to collaborate cohesively with parents. We recognise that a good parent‐teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success and view the journey in education as one we embark on together.