EARLY YEARS

Early Years at Smiling International School marks the beginning of a truly wonderful adventure for your children which starts from the age of 2.

It features an innovative learning approach, with an international staff and a bilingual environment that stimulates the intellectual development of children from an early age.

At the beginning of the school year the teachers welcome the children by making sure that they feel at ease and comfortable in their new environment. It provides a lively and welcoming community that encourages them to learn without being afraid of making mistakes.

In our school, teachers speak to the children in both Italian and English, getting them used to the two languages from the very start of their journey with us.

In all the Early Years classes activities are carried out both in Italian and English, laying the foundations for our young learners’ language skills.

The activities in Early Years revolve around an annual project that focuses on the physical and emotional well-being of children. The school routine unfolds through many exciting activities, and becomes the engaging and reassuring daily reality. During the final year of Early Years (Butterflies), the children are introduced to Chinese.

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Educational Project, Annual Project and Welcome Sheets

Happy_Hedgehogs (2 years)BEEHIVE
(3 years)Caterpillars (4 years)Butterflies (5 years)

The children start their journey of self-discovery as they develop a secure relationship with their teachers. They slowly begin to explore their surrounding environment. With support and guidance, the children learn new skills, develop existing ones and adapt to school life.

For many of the children, their time in Happy Hedgehogs marks their first school experience. All parents are invited to meet the class teachers at the end of August to create a plan for their child.

This plan evolves as they spend more and more time at school.

HAPPY HEDGEHOGS EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

HAPPY HEDGEHOGS ANNUAL PROJECT 2023-2024

HAPPY HEDGEHOGS WELCOME SHEET 2024-2025

The Busy Bees classrooms are a hive of activity, which are home to our three-year-old children. They are supported by a team of qualified mother tongue Italian and English teachers, who guide the children on their individual learning paths.

An initial settling-in period helps them to develop a secure relationship with their teachers and to feel at ease in their new environment. They can explore the space and meet new friends. Their classrooms are divided into various areas in which the children can take part in structured play activities. From role-play to construction, from dancing to telling stories, from painting to running and from creating to exploring, the Busy Bees are constantly engaged in interactive tasks. Teachers are on hand to help them make connections in their learning and to develop their language skills.

BUSY BEES EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

BUSY BEES ANNUAL PROJECT 2023-2024

BUSY BEES WELCOME SHEET 2024-2025

The four-year-old Caterpillars follow a programme organised by our team of qualified mother tongue Italian and English teachers. The children typically spend their mornings between their classrooms, the gym and the school gardens. They are encouraged to take part in various structured activities, while also engaging in play.

In these classrooms, languages are further explored as the children begin to communicate verbally, in both English and Italian. The children have various opportunities to also explore languages through painting, dancing, counting, clay modelling, small world play, drama, writing and creating.

CATERPILLARS EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

CATERPILLARS ANNUAL PROJECT 2023-2024

CATERPILLARS WELCOME SHEET 2024-2025

The Bubbly and Lively Butterflies classes are the last year of Early Years. Both classes follow the same plan, which is organised by our team of qualified mother tongue Italian and English teachers. Their classrooms, rich in print and stimuli for the children, are found on the first floor of the school.

The Butterflies typically spend their mornings between their classrooms, the gym and the school gardens. They loosely follow the same timetable as Primary students; this helps the children transition into Primary school. The children are encouraged to experiment with and develop pre-writing and reading skills through cross curricular projects, role-play areas, structured activities and play times.

From the Butterflies onwards, the children are divided into ‘houses’: Quicksilver, Acrobats or Druids. Throughout the year the children receive points towards their house which, at the end of the year are added up to produce a winning team. Through various activities throughout the year, the children work together in their teams, thus creating numerous opportunities to socialise with the other children in the school. The Butterflies attend monthly assemblies with Primary School, where certificates and diplomas are awarded.

BUTTERFLIES EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

BUTTERFLIES ANNUAL PROJECT 2023-2024

BUTTERFLIES WELCOME SHEET 2024-2025

TECHNOLOGY

From a young age, children in Early Years use an interactive whiteboard to play games on and to do many activities with their teachers. In this way, they begin to gain confidence with technology. From the age of 5 they also begin to interact with robots!

Each year the school allocates significant fund to technology.

MUSIC

Every Early Years class has one hour of music per week which is divided into two 30 minute sessions. These are fun and playful lessons, in which our English music teacher encourages children to try different musical instruments and teaches them many songs!

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

In each class there are two main teachers: one Italian and one English. Each of them uses exclusively his/her language with the children, and the children speak to the teacher in the same language. In this way children learn English as a first language and not as a foreign language.

NATURE

There are two large gardens for the children to play and have fantastic experiences in, such as participating in the day we release our butterflies. They take care of the school animals, learning to respect them and to be responsible for them.

COORDINATORS

DEBORAH ASCANI

Position: Early Years Coordinator

Smiling Teacher since 2017

PHILIPPA WATERHOUSE

Position: Early Years Coordinator

English Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2001

TEACHERS

1 2 3 4 5 6

FRANCESCA MANCINO

Pedagogic Coordinator

Smiling Coordinator since 2024

ROY DAVISON

English Teacher (music)

Smiling Teacher since 2013

ANNA NIGRO

Italian Teacher

Italian Assistant

Smiling Assistant since 2023

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GROWING UP WITH AN INTERNATIONAL MINDSET

In Early Years, children learn and develop new skills in an international context consisting of cultures, languages, and food with multi-ethnic menus prepared by the school cooks.

The staff consists of teachers from Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States, and each of them encourages the children to engage with new and enriching cultures!

Celebrating international events from around the world – Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year and World Book Day – help to open the minds of our young pupils to the world.