The four nursery schools teach the same curriculum throughout the year and follow the same timetable day by day. Here’s what a day in the schools look like.
7.30-8.00 WELCOME
As the children arrive they join in with their classmates singing the days of the week, months of the year, colours, counting and a whole host of other foundational learning. They also do a few exercises to start the day
8.00-8.30 TIME TO LEARN
The teachers introduce new learning during this time. The curriculum covers a range of topics and the teachers focus on one a week. Some of the topics covered are colours, numbers, weather, families, transport and the body.
8.30-9.00 OUTDOOR PLAYTIME
One of the highlights of the day is an outdoor playtime where children enjoy races, parachute games, playing ball games, skipping, hopping and lots more fun activities.
9.00-9.30 TIME TO EAT
The children enjoy one bowl of Likhuni Phala, a fortified porridge which provides all their nutritional needs for the day. The nurseries partner with Mary’s Meals who organise the feeding program and deliver it to the nurseries.
9.30-10.00 STORY TIME
Each of the nurseries have been provided with a culturally appropriate set of children’s books. The teachers use these to entertain the children with stories, it is exciting through the year to hear the teachers use less and less Chichewa when telling the stories and the children beginning to understand English. The children also enjoy the teachers telling them stories traditional to the area.
10.00-10.30 INDOOR LEARNING
During this time of day the children are taught skills to help them when they start primary school. This may be drawing basic shapes, writing numbers and letters, recognising colours and lots of other useful skills.