Year 1 at QuIPS is targeted for children aged 5 to 6 years and in line with the UK framework which marks the first year of Keystage 1. QuIPS’ philosophy encouraging play, exploration, learning, creating and thinking, remain paramount to students learning even as they enter the formal stages of education.
Children continue to learn best through play, and their malleable minds make this a prime time for introducing new concepts and more structured learning.
Our teachers offer a blend of child-directed play and teacher directed activities through a well-recognised UK literacy programme which addresses the Keystage 1 goals. Students abilities are addressed and learning is personalised to ensure that every child is progressing according to their pace.
From daily journal writing, scope and sequence phonics, to reading comprehension, literacy forms one of the core components at QuIPS and is actively in play throughout every school day. Station-based Numeracy activities address the numeracy goals for Keystage 1, as children solidify the very foundations of math from the concrete to the abstract, exploring, practising and finally, consolidating. Children are expected to apply concepts through everyday activities and the outdoors, making sense of their learning, and increasing familiarity of the topics covered.
Underpinning QuIPS’ approach to early childhood education is the International Primary Curriculum (IPC - UK). The IPC is a comprehensive curriculum with a focus on Subject Learning Goals, International Learning Goals and Personal Learning Goals. Within every unit of Inquiry, children learn through the lenses of different subjects including Science, History, Geography, Music, Art, ICT and Computing, Technology, PE, Society, International / World Languages. Each unit looks at various aspects of each subject which helps every student make connections by seeing how subjects are both independent and interdependent leading to what is called the ‘Big Picture” of learning. Nothing can be more exciting than looking at a theme from multiple perspectives!
The IPC Personal Goals underpin those individual qualities and learning dispositions that children are essential throughout the first half of the 21st Century while the International Learning Goals will help young children begin the move towards an increasingly sophisticated national, international, global and intercultural perspective and develop a sense of international-mindedness.
Students take part in additional Specialist Programs QuIPS including Mandarin three times a week, Art, Drama, Yoga and Library. Year 1 students are encouraged to apply their learning actively through their surroundings on the island of Sentosa with frequent organised field trips off the island as well. A low student-teacher ratio of 6:2 ensures every child receives individualized attention and support throughout the school day.
