At Joe Simon Pre-Primary School, we offer a curriculum that covers all learning areas prescribed by the Western Cape Education Department. Our curriculum is designed to maintain a high standard of education while providing extra assessments to our students. We follow the National Curriculum Framework for 3-4 and 4-5-year-old learners, while Grade R learners follow the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).
SPECIAL PROGRAMMES OR APPROACHES (baseline assessment)
During the first two weeks of school we do a lot of observation and assessments with them, which is called baseline assessment. In doing so we are able to make an analysis of the current situation to identify the starting points for our programme for that specific class to determine some benchmarks for future progress and things that can be assessed.
We firmly believe in a holistic approach where we would like to establish the child’s overall well-being and focus on the following: social skills, emotional well-being, physical well-being, mental development and intellectual growth. We do not only focus on the academic advancements.
Here at Joe Simon Pre-Primary school we focus a lot on independence and put a lot of emphasis on life skills. Learners need to learn to think for themselves, to make plans and to do things on their own, without the help of an adult, but with support and clear guidelines on how to do so.
Daily Routine for Advancing Forward (3-4 years)
Our Advancing Forward curriculum for 3-4-year-old learners provides a comprehensive daily routine that promotes learning, socialization, and creativity. The routine starts with arrival and free play outside and includes toilet routines, welcome and discussion rings, aprons, creative activities, snacks, music and movement, and free play outside. The routine also includes educational games in maths and language.
- 08:00 – 08:25 Arrival and free play inside
- 08:25 – 08:35 Toilet routine
- 08:35 – 08:45 Morning ring (attendance register, weather, Bible story, days of the week, Bible song, rhyme)
- 08:45 – 09:00 Outside free play
- 09:00 – 09:10 Toilet routine and wash hands
- 09:10 – 09:20 Discussion ring (theme of the week)
- 09:20 – 09:25 Put on aprons, teacher explains creative activity
- 09:25 – 10:00 Creative activities
- 10:00 – 10:25 Free play inside / Music ring / Movement ring
- 10:25 – 10:30 Wash hands
- 10:30 – 11:00 Snack time
- 11:00 – 11:45 Free play outside
- 11:45 – 12:00 Pack up, pack bags, toilet routine
- 12:00 – 12:10 Maths or language activity
- 12:10 – 12:30 Inside playtime (educational toys and assessment)
- 12:30 – 12:45 Story time
- 12:45 Home time
Daily Routine Towards Grade R (4-5 years)
Our curriculum for 4-5-year-old learners is designed to prepare them for Grade R. The daily routine starts with arrival and free play inside and includes mental maths, discussion rings, creative activities, maths, music and movement, snack time, and free play. The routine also includes educational games in maths and language.
- 08:00 – 08:20 Arrival and morning tubs (toys rotated daily)
- 08:20 – 08:25 Toilet routine
- 08:25 – 08:30 Welcome ring
- 08:30 – 08:40 Discussion ring (theme of the week)
- 08:40 – 09:00 Free play outside
- 09:00 – 09:10 Preparation for creative activities
- 09:10 – 09:55 Creative activities and free play after completing activities
- 09:55 – 10:00 Pack up
- 10:00 – 10:20 Exploration (inside or outside) / Music ring / Movement ring
- 10:20 – 10:25 Toilet routine
- 10:25 – 10:45 Snack time
- 10:45 – 11:45 Free play (outside or inside)
- 11:45 – 11:55 Pack up, pack bags and toilet routine
- 11:55 – 12:30 Quiet play time with educational toys, individual assessments
- 12:30 – 12:45 Story time
- 12:45 Home time
Daily Programme for Grade R
Our Grade R curriculum is designed to prepare learners for the formal schooling environment. The daily routine starts with free play outside/inside, welcome rings, mental maths, discussion rings, creative art, language, and maths. The routine also includes life skills such as music and movement, snack time, free play, and educational games in maths and language.
- 08:00 – 08:15 Arrival and free play inside
- 08:15 – 08:20 Morning ring (register, birthdays, news, calendar, weather, Bible story)
- 08:20 – 08:25 Maths ring
- 08:25 – 08:35 Life skills (theme discussion)
- 08:35 – 08:45 Toilet routine
- 08:45 – 09:00 Free play outside or inside
- 09:00 – 09:55 Creative activities
- 09:55 – 10:05 Pack up and toilet routine
- 10:05 – 10:25 Maths ring / Music ring / Movement ring
- 10:25 – 10:45 Snack time
- 10:45 – 11:45 Free play (outside or inside)
- 11:45 – 11:50 Pack up and toilet routine
- 11:50 – 12:00 Literacy ring
- 12:00 – 12:30 Quiet playtime (educational toys and individual assessments)
- 12:30 – 12:45 Story time
- 12:45 Home time
Aftercare Daily Programme
Our Aftercare programme provides a structured routine that includes breakfast, free play with educational toys and watching TV, hand washing and bathroom use, lunch, quiet time, outside play, snack time, inside play and watching TV. The programme ensures that our learners are engaged in both educational and leisure activities.
Morning care:
- 06:30 Morning care opens
- 06:30 – 07:40 Breakfast is served (parents supply cereal, we supply milk and sugar); children play with toys inside the aftercare hall
- 07:45 – 08:00 Pack up toys, clean dining area, get ready to go to different classrooms
- 08:00 Children go to their classrooms
Aftercare:
- 12:45 – 12:55 Children arrive at aftercare and pack their bags into their lockers. They wash hands and go to the dining area
- 12:55 – 13:20 Children eat lunch, provided by their parents. Children bring a second lunch box to school. Food can be warmed up in the microwave.
- 13:20 – 13:25 Children lie down on mattresses. They may choose to sleep or stay awake, but this is a time to rest
- 13:25 – 14:00 Quite time / relax on mattresses
- 14:00 Get up, pack away mattresses, toilet routine
- 14:45 – 15:00 Get ready to go and play outside; carry toys from storeroom
- 15:00 Outside playtime
- 15:30 Snack time
- 15:45 – 16:30 Play outside
- 16:30 – 17:30 Play inside
- 17: 30 Aftercare closes (Monday to Thursday)
- 17:00 Aftercare closes (Friday)
At Joe Simon Pre-Primary School, our curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive learning experience for learners in different age groups. Our daily routines include various activities that promote creativity, learning, socialization, and development. We strive to maintain a high standard of education and prepare our learners for formal schooling environments.
