EARLY YEARS: Early Years

The Early Years Smiling International School education path marks the beginning of a wonderful adventure for your children from 2 years old of age.

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

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

In our school, teachers speak to children in both Italian and English, getting them used to the two languages from their early years.
In Early Years school grades, all activities are carried out in Italian and English, building the foundations for language skills of young pupils.

The activities of the Early Years revolve around an annual project that focuses on the physical and emotional well-being of children. The school routine unfolds through many cheerful activities, and it becomes an engaging and reassuring daily reality. During the very last year of Early Years Chinese language activities already crop out.

Educational and Didactic Projects

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 2021-2022

HAPPY HEDGEHOGS DIDACTIC PROJECT 2021-2022

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.

BEEHIVE EDUCATIONAL PROJECT 2021-2022

BEEHIVE DIDACTIC PROJECT 2021-2022

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 2021-2022

CATERPILLARS DIDACTIC PROJECT 2021-2022

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 2021-2022

BUTTERFLIES DIDACTIC PROJECT 2021-2022

TECHNOLOGY

From their early years, children have access to the interactive whiteboard to play and do many activities. This way they begin to gain confidence with this technological tool. From the age of 5 they are already engaged with robotics!
Each year the school outlines major investments dedicated to technology.

MUSIC

All Early Years grades have one hour of music per week, divided into two classes of 30 minutes each. These are fun and playful lessons, in which our English music teacher makes children try different musical instruments and teaches them many songs!

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

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

NATURE

Children have at their disposal two large gardens in which to play and have fantastic experiences, such as the day of the release of the butterflies. They take care of school animals, learning to respect them and 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

KIM BREWSTER

English Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2014

ROY DAVISON

English Teacher (music)

Smiling Teacher since 2013

ALESSANDRA PIZZARULLI

English Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2018

ANNA NIGRO

Italian Assistant

Smiling Teacher since 2016

BARBARA TUMIATI

Italian Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2013

BEATRICE COLOMBANI

Italian Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2009

CHIARA MASCELLANI

Italian Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2010

CECILIA MASINA

Italian Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2015

ERIKA ONGARO

English Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2012

FEDERICA LATTUGA

Italian Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2013

JOANITA STANDER

English Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2015

ANITA BOLOGNINI

Italian Assistant

Smiling Teacher since 2008

MARIAROSA MANTOVANI

Italian Assistant

Smiling Teacher since 2014

MARTINA BALBONI

Italian Assistant

Smiling Teacher since 2019

LAURA BUBOLA

English Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2011

PATRICIA MACHADO RIBEIRO

English Teacher

Smiling Teacher since 2021

Do you want to download teachers’ timetables?

CLICK HERE

GROWING UP WITH AN INTERNATIONAL MINDSET

In Early Years grades, children learn and develop new skills in an international context made of cultures, languages, and food, with multi-ethnic menus prepared by the school canteen.
The staff that follows the children is made up of teachers from Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and each of them makes children engage with new and enriching cultures!

Celebrating international events from around the world – Thanksgiving Day, Chinese New Year, World Book Day, Japanese Blossom Day – helps to open the minds of young pupils to the world.
Every Friday afternoon in our garden we have English Tea, and in spring the Teddy Bear Picnic is organized in which children bring their favorite Teddy Bear.

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TESTIMONIAL

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le insegnanti sono preparate e professionali, i progetti e le attività proposte innovative, interessanti e divertenti

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admin@smilingservice.it

CORSO PORTA MARE 117

+39 0532 757197

EARLY YEARS: Early Years

Educational and Didactic Projects

TECHNOLOGY

MUSIC

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

NATURE

COORDINATORS

DEBORAH ASCANI

PHILIPPA WATERHOUSE

TEACHERS

KIM BREWSTER

ROY DAVISON

ALESSANDRA PIZZARULLI

ANNA NIGRO

BARBARA TUMIATI

BEATRICE COLOMBANI

CHIARA MASCELLANI

CECILIA MASINA

ERIKA ONGARO

FEDERICA LATTUGA

JOANITA STANDER

ANITA BOLOGNINI

MARIAROSA MANTOVANI

MARTINA BALBONI

LAURA BUBOLA

PATRICIA MACHADO RIBEIRO

Do you want to download teachers’ timetables?

GROWING UP WITH AN INTERNATIONAL MINDSET

TESTIMONIAL

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