ᐅNURSERY in WATERLOO, Brussels

Early Years at St. John's

Welcome to Timbertops, St. John's International School's self-contained campus for young learners located in a leafy part of Waterloo.

Our approach to Early Learning is grounded in the belief that our youngest children are competent, curious individuals who build theory and understanding about the world they inhabit through the relationships they construct, both with one another and the environment.

With wonderful outdoor spaces and rooms designed to encourage exploration, our day-care facilities provide a stimulating and safe start to your child's inquiry-based learning journey.

Why Choose Our Early Learning School?

At our Early Learning School we provide a holistic, cooperative style of education, laying the groundwork for our students to begin developing the skills they will need to move on to the next stage of their learning journey. We encourage problem-solving, collaboration and negotiation, leveraging the power of relationships between students, teachers and parents, to build a community of learners who will be ready to make a seamless transition into the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP).

We offer a fluent English and French environment, combining a Reggio Emilia-inspired approach to learning with the IB's PYP programme and philosophy. Our secure, natural and engaging learning environment ensures our young students can safely explore the world around them and make the best possible start to their inquiry-based education.

Early Years Programme

From the very beginning our curriculum focuses on small-group, concept-based exploratory learning. We help the children to think about big ideas, rather than subject-specific content, so that they have the context necessary to connect their knowledge and understanding with the "real world".

We encourage our learners to work together and communicate with one another as they explore and play. Childhood is a special time and we want the children in our care to enjoy their time with us, while also preparing them for the next stage of their educational journey.

Engaging & Stimulating Environment

At our Early Learning School, children from 12 months to 5 years enjoy an outstanding space in which to learn, with purpose-built buildings and extensive grounds providing ample opportunity for them to explore and play.

Our dedicated and highly skilled practitioners ensure that classrooms and open areas offer stimulating opportunities for the holistic development of our students, in line with the Reggio Emilia Approach to education, which considers the environment to be a third teacher.

Early Learning School students have an active and healthy daily routine, with plenty of time for outdoor learning and play. Students take part in PE sessions to develop their physical fitness, which are part of our curriculum and under the guidance of our qualified coaches.

Our young learners enjoy a healthy nutritious lunch every day and teachers guide them as they learn positive eating habits and start to appreciate the social aspects of mealtimes.

Dedicated Teachers

Teachers at St. John's have been carefully chosen for their exemplary experience and dedication to supporting learners to reach their full academic potential. During our Early Years programme, children benefit from teaching ratios of 1:6 in EY1 and 1:7 in EY2. Our expert practitioners guide students to discover talents and develop skills which will form the foundations of a lifelong love of learning and ensure they thrive in the nurturing and happy environment of our school.

Activities and Wraparound Care

Alongside our engaging Early Years curriculum, we offer our young students a range of activities designed to support their learning. These include:

Kid's Dance
Cooking Club
Kid's Gym
Lego Club

We also offer daily CUB Care, our 'garderie' or wraparound care which looks after students after normal school hours. This service is available from the end of the school day until 18:00 and is available to all children in the Primary School (Timbertops - Grade 5).

For more information about CUB Care, please get in touch.

Discover how our Early Years programme at St. John's International School can provide a stimulating and safe start to your child's inquiry-based learning journey, developing key skills and learning to explore the world around them.

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