Starting at age three, children enter the second cycle of Early Childhood Education. For many, this means getting out of the environment of a small Nursery to enter a school of other dimensions, both in terms of facilities and in the number of students. It is, therefore, a decisive step that is going to develop over the course of three school years in which children, with eyes wide open, look at everything around them with curiosity and wonder, willing to get to know themselves and discover the world.
The purpose of Early Childhood Education is to help children grasp the meaning of reality in its entirety, as well as their own identity, through the development of physical, sensory, cognitive, emotional, social, moral, and critical capacities that shape a child´s life.
The company of an adult to grow and learn
Children can only grow and learn if they are accompanied by adults who live the educational relationship as a gesture of love toward them. For this reason, the presence of parents and other adults who are able to share their view of life with children—offering it and living it alongside them—is essential. In this sense, the relationship with families is key, as parents are the primary educators of their children and entrust them to us as partners in this task.
For this reason the relationship with the family has to be open, warm, and marked by a spirit of availability on the part of the school, hence the variety of channels of communication that we offer. What truly enables a child to move with freedom and confidence, to act, explore, connect, and express themselves without fear of making mistakes or being corrected, is the ongoing emotional bond they maintain with the adult. This bond is the engine that propels them boldly into life. That’s why in school, our first aim is that every child feels loved just as they are, experiencing that they have a unique value and are made for happiness.
To educate is to discover what each person is made of
To educate is to accept the child as they are and accompany them in their search for truth, surrounding them with opportunities to walk their own path. We recognize that each child is the protagonist of their own story, with needs and rhythms that are not our own.
In Early Childhood Education, our aim is to help bring out the full potential each child carries within. To achieve this, we must let them take the lead in their own adventure—supporting them without replacing them, encouraging them to grow through everything that happens, both big and small.
This idea of helping what’s within to emerge is captured in the etymological root of the word “educate” (“Ex and Ex-ducere”), that is to say, to accompany and to draw out the best from within.
In the eyes of the one loves me, I start to be myself
For this reason it is very important to give security, to convey to them that they can do it. They come to understand their value when we invite them to do things they think they can’t do alone. This is called autonomy. To be autonomous is not to do things alone, but to grow in a relationship with someone that helps you go beyond yourself, step by step. Our challenge as teachers is to never stifle their desire, but rather to nurture and deepen it each day, so that they are drawn with joy and interest to the experiences offered at school.
The children live every moment of the present with intensity and amazement. For them, happiness is never in the “when” but in the “while.” To do this we must always begin from where they are, respecting each and every step of the way, following patiently for their rhythms, without haste, and staying grounded in what they live in the moment.
In addition, small children need their biological rhythms to be well cared for—rest, nutrition, cognitive needs to understand and learn, emotional needs to be hugged, listened to, and looked upon with compassion and affection.
Respecting their needs and rhythms
The child has an internal clock, and he himself is not what he asks, but the natural manifestation of what they truly need. To respect the rhythms of the child is also to respect the stages of its development without rushing them. They need us to respect their cognitive and emotional development, to protect their innocence, without yielding to the temptation of cutting their childhood short.
The joy of sharing everyday life: habits and routines
We strive to offer an environment that is safe, warm, and calm. Throughout the day, children are invited to take delight in and live out the habits and routines of daily life. It is very important to give clear points of reference so that they understand that the time goes by in an orderly fashion, that every moment is meaningful, accompanying them with simple, clear instructions. They need to know that “now we need to do this and nothing more.”
Every moment is an opportunity for children to act, feel secure, and take center stage: sitting in a group circle, going to the bathroom on their own, tidying up, taking part in activities, buttoning their smocks, hanging up their belongings, and taking responsibility for their things.
In Early Childhood Education, we strive to turn every moment into a chance for children to realize their own worth and take the lead in classroom routines: choosing a helper each day, inviting them to solve the small problems in the classroom with the teacher, encouraging them to assist classmates who need help…
Learning through real-life experiences
At this stage of development, children learn through direct contact with reality, so they spend the day observing, manipulating, experimenting, and asking questions about everything around them.
That’s why in school we promote play and sensory experiences as they are the door to the acquisition of knowledge and learning.
We carefully design both our environment and methodology that is conducive to the development of activities that are tangible and hands-on for them.
Sharing questions, to share life
Any small moment of the day is an opportunity for the child to feel moved to learn, to satisfy their curiosity, to be autonomous in order to understand the natural mechanisms of the objects that surround them through their everyday experiences. We just have to accompany the child and provide a favorable environment for their discovery. They, in a natural way, are baffled by the world around them, and their curiosity leads them to ask many questions.
These questions come not from a need for technical answers, but from a need to understand the deep meaning of each thing, the famous “why” that expresses their hunger for truth and fulfillment. It is a stage where we must protect and nourish their questions, not giving answers made by us, but by sharing with them the beauty and the mystery of life.
Discover the meaning of reality
Help students discover and understand the meaning of their own being and the reality around them, recognizing the inherent goodness of all things as revealed through a Christian understanding of existence.
Educate interest and curiosity
Nurture students’ natural interest and curiosity for everything that happens, awakening their sense of wonder and encouraging them to ask questions—helping them to observe, be amazed, and reflect on all aspects of reality and life.
Encourage family participation
Promote the active involvement of parents in the life and activities of the Early Childhood stage.
Self-Knowledge
Help children become aware of their own bodies and their potential for action, developing a positive and accurate self-image and recognizing their fundamental longing for truth, beauty, goodness, justice, freedom, and happiness.
Develop sensory awareness
Foster the development of sensory perception as a key tool for understanding both the world and oneself.
Observe family and social reality
Encourage children to observe and explore family, social, and natural environments, recognizing their value through the lens of a Christian understanding of life.
Cultivate and appreciation for beauty
Foster an appreciation for beauty, order, cleanliness, and the proper use of school resources and facilities, inviting children to collaborate in creating and maintaining beautiful, welcoming spaces around them.
Build autonomy
Support the gradual development of autonomy in daily activities, helping students learn to take on responsibilities and act creatively.
Acquire healthy habits
Instill, maintain, and encourage the value of basic habits related to hygiene, health, nutrition, and safety.
Learn to relate to others
Help children develop social skills, discover the unique and infinite value of each person, and respect the basic guidelines of living together in harmony.
Develop communication skills
Encourage oral communication skills while introducing children to the basics of reading, writing, and new information technologies.
Begin to develop core skills
Introduce children to basic logical-mathematical and numerical skills, as well as the foundations of science.
Foster creativity
Promote creativity through artistic expression, appreciation of valuable works of art, and a deepening fascination for beauty.
Support English language learning
Encourage English language learning across all Early Childhood courses as part of the school’s bilingual education program.
Throughout Early Childhood, language development is essential, as children begin the process of learning to read and write toward the end of this stage. Respecting each child’s developmental pace, we approach language learning in a holistic way—fostering a love of communication through a wide variety of games and activities. Sessions take place daily.
Doing mathematics means understanding how reality is structured and learning to describe it. In Early Childhood, math is primarily experimental and play-based. We create challenging situations in which children can develop strategies, solve problems, discover patterns, and reason through possibilities—gradually developing mathematical thinking. We use hands-on materials and board games adapted to their age. Sessions are held every day.
Our students experience immersion in English from oral communication to early writing throughout all stages. In Early Childhood, we follow a communicative approach, where English becomes the natural language of interaction between teachers and students. Little by little, through games, songs, stories, role-play, arts and crafts, dancing, and more, children begin to enjoy the new language and start using it to communicate with teachers and classmates. Sessions are held daily.
Through games and activities that support sensorimotor development—movement, balance, coordination—children explore their bodies and learn to express themselves within a social and emotional context. Sessions are led by a specialist teacher in a dedicated psychomotor room. We also incorporate neuromotor circuits: structured exercises designed to support neurological development.
In music class, we express ourselves by singing and playing instruments, following rhythms, dances, melodies, and songs that encourage movement and body expression. We also learn to listen attentively and enjoy classical music and other styles.
We begin each day with a prayer, helping children recognize all the gifts they receive: life, family, the sky, friends… At times, we visit the school chapel to pray for something special. We celebrate holidays together, but above all, we help children discover the kind and loving presence of Jesus in their everyday experiences at home and school. Religion sessions are held twice a week.
Art is a form of language that allows children to express mental, emotional, and aesthetic content creatively. Through artistic activities, they develop sensitivity, self-esteem, and creativity. Art is an essential tool for fostering critical thinking, artistic taste, and an appreciation for the beauty around them. We have two sessions per week.
At Colegio Newman, we use the ‘learning corners’ methodology. This methodology divides the classroom into areas that reflect the range of skills we develop at this stage through play.
The teachers select the materials and activity proposals for each corner based on the weekly content plan. They always have a playful element, so pupils feel they are playing most of the time, but from an adult perspective, this is the best way to learn what has been identified as important.
In the way they choose, we can see their mood, their desire to seek a more or less active space, whether they are looking for materials that attract them more at that moment because of the transformation possibilities they offer or because they allow them to create artistically.
This methodology encourages observing, choosing, planning and doing things independently, and evaluating what has been done cooperatively in order to improve.
Is there an adjustment period for 3 year olds?
Yes. The school day begins one day earlier for 3-year-olds than other students in other stages. The first includes two hours of welcome time with this head teacher.
Are there any classroom assistants in Early Childhood Education?
Yes. We have three assistants at this stage. They support all year groups, but in the first term their presence is mainly for the 3-year-olds.
How is toilet training handled?
It is common for children to have achieved bowel and bladder control before starting school. In the event that this has not occurred, we work closely with the families to support the child in this process.
Do children take a nap?
Only the 3s. From the second year, families who wish may also sign up for an extracurricular activity at that time (13:30h-14:30h).
Can anyone else authorised by the family pick up the child?
Yes, only the persons authorised to do so by the family. At the start of the year, families are given collection cards so that they can authorise specific individuals, who must show the card to the teacher at pick-up time.
Are there extracurricular activities for Early Childhood Education?
Yes. These are offered at the beginning of the course to the students of the 2nd and 3rd years (4- and 5-year-olds classes). They include sports, drama, English reinforcement and more. You can find them on the school’s website.
Is there a speech therapy service at school?
Yes. In the school we have a specialist in Hearing and Language that works to support children with articulation difficulties or language development. As an added bonus, we’ve got a speech therapist that works internally in the school to identify, work with, and resolve potential difficulties in language or learning.
How does the school communicate with the families?
Through different channels: communication CIFRA Platform, which is the official communication tool of the centre, private parent emails, social networks and web.
What is the Early Years Education timetable?
Is there the possibility of extending the opening hours?
Yes. There is the possibility of extending the hours for the families that need them in the morning and in the afternoon. From 7:30 to 9:00h and from 16:45 to 18:00h. There is also the option of booking 30-minute morning slots.
What are the hours of the dining room at school?
Lunchtime is from 12:30 to 13:15 hrs.
Does the school have its own kitchen?
Yes. The kitchens are located in the school and the food is prepared daily on-site. Parents can view the menu of the dining room through the school website or via the CIFRA platform.
Where do the children eat?
In the pupils’ dining hall, at a separate time and in a space set up specifically for them.
Is there a separate playground for Early Childhood Education?
Yes. It is of exclusive use for Early Childhood Education, with direct access from the classrooms. It is equipped with everything needed to support motor development at this age: a sandpit, rubber flooring, an area for football, swings, climbing equipment, and playhouses.
Is there space or room for psychomotor activities?
Yes. We have a designated room for motor skills development, equipped with all the materials for that activity and with the technical characteristics needed, including a mirrored wall and climbing apparatus.
What materials are needed to start the course?
The school shall provide the school supplies necessary for the entire course so that every child has the same resources and can share them.
Do the students have a uniform?
Yes. The uniform for Early Childhood Education is a tracksuit, a t-shirt and a smock.
What is the bilingual approach in Early Childhood Education?
For the learning of English we use a method of Full immersion with native and bilingual teachers. Every day children have between 1 and 2 sessions of English, depending on the course. In addition, we work with a method of Phonics in a bilingual, communicative environment, and with small groups (desdobles) for language work. For more information on bilingualism, visit our website.
Do pupils receive religious education?
We have one session per week of religion adapted to these age-groups: a first approach through music, small sentences, dialogue in class, and celebration of some holidays.
How is the administration of medications handled?
At school, we have a nurse who is responsible for recording and monitoring all medications needed.
How are allergies and intolerances handled?
The nurse maintains close communication with families and puts a monitoring plan in place. In the dining room, we offer different menu options to suit various needs. Children with food requirements have an indicator, and their table clearly shows their allergy or intolerance to ensure extra care is taken during mealtimes.
Do you offer accident insurance?
Yes. The school provides optional accident insurance.
Is there a parent association (AMPA) at the school?
Yes. The AMPA is a link between the parents, the school and the students with the idea to provide support and resources for the best performance of the school community. More information and how to get involved can be found on the website.