Kindergarten
Bilingual Learning Environment
We welcome your child into our Kindergarten, regardless of their language background. All cultures and languages are celebrated and provide us with teaching and learning opportunities to broaden our understanding of the world around us.
Our Kindergarten and OBS+ team offer specialist small group support in English and German language acquisition for children who need it. This provides a safe and unintimidating environment for language learning. Each Kindergarten class is taught on alternate weeks by their native English and German speaking teachers, who are supported by our dedicated team of Kindergarten assistants.
While English and German instruction change on a weekly basis, your child is exposed to both languages every day through joint class activities, collaboration with other primary school classes and our wider school community. Through speaking, singing, poems, stories and role-play, your child will acquire a rich, bilingual vocabulary.
Our Kindergarten Programme and Facilities
Our theme-based Kindergarten programme uniquely combines the competencies of Lehrplan 21 (the Swiss National Curriculum) and the International Primary Curriculum. We provide a holistic education, placing great emphasis on social, emotional and academic competencies.
We offer carefully guided child-centered activities which interchange with creative free play and opportunities for independent learning.
Through cross-curricular teaching and learning your child is exposed to early literacy and numeracy and the sciences and humanities and will have the opportunity to express his or her creativity through arts and crafts, music, sports and coding. Our high-quality learning materials support the excitement of experimentation
Exercise and Fun Outdoors
Once a week your child will take part in physical education classes in the nearby sports hall or in the outdoors. The equipment and activities provide your child with teaching and learning activities that focus on the development of gross motor skills, teamwork and self-discipline. In addition, each Kindergarten class visits the OBS movement room at least once a week for the further development of gross motor skills and creative movement.
We attach a great deal of importance to outdoor teaching and learning opportunities. A nearby forest, a large playground and the school’s own play-areas act as extensions to our already stimulating learning environment.
Our forest program is held in autumn and spring. Your child will gain increasing awareness of the changes in the natural world around them, help to build and cook on a fire and take advantage of the teaching and learning opportunities on offer in the outdoors.
