Marking the end of Preschool and the first stage of Primary School, Kindergarten is a pivotal year in children’s lives and learning.
Starting Kindergarten often means less time at home, more days at school, longer days at school and for some children, it might even be their first time at school! It’s a time of rapid growth and increasing independence. As with any period of change, moving to kindergarten can also be overwhelming. Especially for children moving to a much bigger school environment.
At Forestville Montessori, Kindergarten is a little bit different…
We understand the importance of the kindergarten year for children’s development, and acknowledge their need for stability, familiarity and continuity. Accordingly, we provide a carefully structured transition to this next stage of learning, allowing preschool to blend seamlessly into kindergarten.
Students in the Forestville Montessori Kindergarten Program meet the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) requirements whilst completing their third and final year of the Montessori 3-6 learning cycle.
This final year in the Children’s House at Montessori is the launchpad for primary school. It solidifies everything children have learned and prepares them academically, socially and emotionally, for a natural and easeful progression into primary school.
Completing the Cycle
Montessori education unfolds in three-year cycles. In the final year, children revisit learned skills in increasingly abstract ways, building on earlier concrete experiences. At FMS, kindergarten children engage with new, more advanced learning materials and concepts, while putting the final touches on elements of their early learning.
A bridge between preschool and primary
Kindergarten students at FMS remain in their preschool class group, surrounded by friends and working with their trusted class educator. Thy can freely explore the greater academic and personal challenges of kindergarten with confidence and support.
Outside the classroom, FMS kindergarten students engage in specialist subjects, activities and excursions as a group, providing time to develop strong friendships and connections with their immediate peers. They also participate in a range of activities within our primary school community. These dual interactions support the 5-year-old’s growing independence and offers wider experiences among both older and younger children. This helps establish connections and a sense of belonging in the FMS primary community. This gradual integration makes the eventual transition to primary school so much easier!
Kindergarten students as leaders
In most schools, Kindergarten students are the youngest among a much larger student cohort. This can be so daunting! While at FMS students they are the youngest members of our primary community, in their classrooms, they are the leaders.
This is an intentional structure of our Kindergarten Program. It allows kindergarten students to experience the support of older role models while actually being a role model for younger students. We encourage our kindergarten students to lead, with daily opportunities to guide their peers, sharing their mastery and skills. These interactions build confidence and social preparedness along the way.
A bridge between preschool and primary
Kindergarten students at FMS remain in their preschool class group, surrounded by friends and working with their trusted class educator. Thy can freely explore the greater academic and personal challenges of kindergarten with confidence and support.
Outside the classroom, FMS kindergarten students engage in specialist subjects, activities and excursions as a group, providing time to develop strong friendships and connections with their immediate peers. They also participate in a range of activities within our primary school community. These dual interactions support the 5-year-old’s growing independence and offers wider experiences among both older and younger children. This helps establish connections and a sense of belonging in the FMS primary community. This gradual integration makes the eventual transition to primary school so much easier!
Academics: Beyond the Basics
Montessori’s approach to academics goes deeper than conventional settings. The curriculum exceeds standard outcomes, fostering true understanding. For example, hands-on math materials help children visualise concepts and explore multiple solutions independently. The advanced learning materials encourage children to think outside the box and look at various ways to master a material or solve a problem.
Learning is engaging, enjoyable, and inspires a lifelong love for discovery.
Learning this way develops skills above and beyond what standard education may offer, including:
- Independent problem solving
- Higher-order thinking
- Executive functioning
- Creative thinking
- Perseverance
- Collaboration
Better by design
The Kindergarten program at FMS has been carefully planned, to maximise the academic, social and developmental outcomes for children at this vital stage.
We intentionally combine the NESA curriculum with the Montessori curriculum so our kindergarten students not only meet the mainstream learning requirements but exceed these with an authentic Montessori education.
The Kindergarten year offers mastery and leadership. The blend of programs and activities across our preschool and primary school communities builds confidence, connections and prepares our kindergarten students for an easy progression into primary school.
