Kindergarten

A young child with blonde hair is sitting at a table in a colorful, art-filled room, excitedly playing with various art supplies.

Kindergarten at ICS Milan: Building on the Foundations for Lifelong Learning

Our Kindergarten welcomes children aged 3 to 5 years, offering a vibrant and nurturing environment that supports the balanced development of the whole child. As children transition from the EYFS framework into the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), they continue to learn holistically, developing across all areas of learning while building confidence, resilience, and a love for learning.

A strong focus is placed on each child’s social and emotional wellbeing. Teachers work in close partnership with families to ensure that every child feels safe, supported, and understood. These relationships form the foundation for a positive and empowering learning experience.

In these early years, learning is shaped by a rich blend of inquiry, relationships, environment, and holistic development. Children explore the world around them through play-based inquiry, engaging in activities that encourage experimentation, imagination, creativity, and investigation. These experiences are designed to spark curiosity and foster a sense of wonder, allowing children to construct meaning through hands-on discovery.

Central to our approach is the development of strong, supportive relationships between children, teachers, and families. These connections create a foundation of emotional safety and belonging, helping each child build a confident sense of identity. Our learning environments are intentionally designed to be open, flexible, and engaging and we design spaces that invite exploration and support independence.

Learning in Kindergarten is holistic and interconnected. Rather than teaching subjects in isolation, areas such as language, mathematics, the arts, and personal and social development are woven together through meaningful experiences. This integrated approach reflects the transdisciplinary nature of the IB PYP and supports the development of the whole child.

Teachers and Learning Assistants plan learning around each child’s readiness and interests, not only their age. Through careful observation and documentation, teachers gain insights into each child’s questions, motivations, and developmental progress. These insights guide the planning of responsive and purposeful learning experiences.

In this nurturing environment, young learners begin to build essential skills and dispositions. They develop confidence and effective communication, form healthy relationships, and strengthen their thinking and problem-solving abilities through active exploration. Foundational literacy and numeracy are introduced in real-life, meaningful contexts, supporting children’s understanding in ways that are relevant and engaging.

Our Early Years team creates an inclusive, caring, and safe setting where every child feels respected, capable, and connected. This supportive foundation lays the groundwork for a lifelong love of learning and prepares children to thrive as active participants in the IB PYP.

WHO WE ARE | Being Active Learners

In Preschool and Reception at ICS Milan, children are seen as naturally curious, capable, and active learners. Learning is driven by inquiry, where children ask questions, explore ideas, and make sense of the world through hands-on experiences. The IB PYP encourages young learners to develop agency, allowing them to make choices, express their thinking, and take ownership of their learning. Concepts are explored through play, storytelling, movement, and conversation, helping children build confidence, resilience, and a love for learning. Teachers act as facilitators, gently guiding children while creating space for independence and reflection. Collaboration and communication are nurtured from the start, laying the foundation for lifelong learning.

HOW WE ORGANISE OURSELVES| Our Learning Environment

Our Preschool and Reception environments are designed to be inviting, flexible, and responsive to the needs of young learners. Spaces are carefully curated to promote exploration, creativity, and collaboration, supporting children as they begin to understand how communities and systems work.

Through inquiry-based learning, children investigate real-world concepts in ways that are meaningful to them, whether through role play, construction, or group projects. Teachers support children in making connections between their learning and the world around them, fostering a sense of responsibility, independence, and global awareness. The environment itself becomes a co-teacher, encouraging respect, curiosity, and joyful engagement.

THE LEARNING DAY | How Learning Time is Organised

In Preschool and Reception, the learning day is thoughtfully structured to balance routine, play, and inquiry. Children engage in a variety of experiences across the week organised under their given PYP transdisciplinary theme.

Learning is fostered in a play-based, inquiry-rich schedule that supports holistic development and encourages children to explore concepts in meaningful ways. During any given week students will benefit from learning in all of the below areas:

Subject Area	Description
Language	Developing early foundational literacy skills, knowledge and understandings
Mathematics	Becoming mathematical thinkers and exploring mathematical concepts
Science	Exploring the natural and physical world
Social Studies	Learning about people and places
The Arts	Expressing creativity through music, movement and visual arts
Personal Social Physical Education	Developing a sense of who we are and understanding the importance of physical health and wellbeing

HOW THE WORLD WORKS | Daily Routines

Daily routines in Preschool and Reception are essential for creating a safe, inclusive, and caring learning environment. From morning greetings to transitions and mealtimes, routines are designed with intention to help children feel secure and confident. These moments teach children about structure, cooperation, and responsibility, while also supporting independence and self-regulation. Teachers model and guide routines with warmth and consistency, helping children understand how their actions contribute to the classroom community. Through these everyday experiences, children begin to see how systems work and how they can play an active role within them.

HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES | Collaboration and Communication

Young children express themselves in many ways—through words, movement, art, and play. In Preschool and Reception, we nurture collaboration and communication as essential tools for self-expression and connection. Children learn to share ideas, listen to others, and work together to solve problems. Whether building together, performing a story, or discussing their discoveries, children develop confidence in their voice and learn to appreciate diverse perspectives. Teachers create safe spaces for expression, modeling respectful communication and encouraging children to explore their thoughts and feelings creatively and thoughtfully.

WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME | Our Learning Journeys

Learning in the early years is a journey of self-discovery and connection. In Preschool and Reception, children begin to explore their own identities, family histories, and cultural backgrounds. Through inquiry, they investigate how people live, grow, and change over time. Children reflect on their experiences, celebrate milestones, and share stories that help them understand who they are and how they relate to others. These learning journeys foster empathy, belonging, and appreciation for the diverse paths that shape our world. Documentation and reflection are part of the process, helping children see their growth and set goals for what comes next.

SHARING THE PLANET | Our Values and the Learner Profile

We explore what it means to share the planet responsibly. Through play, stories, and inquiry, children begin to understand concepts like fairness, kindness, and sustainability. The IB Learner Profile is introduced in age-appropriate ways, helping children develop attributes such as being caring, principled, and open-minded. Teachers encourage children to take action, whether by helping a friend, caring for the environment, or making thoughtful choices. These small but meaningful steps demonstrate how young children can make a positive impact in their community, encouraging them to develop self awareness and confidence in themselves as capable, independent citizens. Our Values of Inclusive, Caring and Safe are embedded in all that we do.

A smiling woman in a patterned dress stands in front of a group of seated children, gesturing enthusiastically as she appears to be leading an engaging activity or presentation.

A Day in Kindergarten
Our Kindergarten Team

A Day in Kindergarten

Days in our Preschool and Reception classes are thoughtfully designed to support the holistic development of every child, blending structured routines with rich opportunities for play, inquiry, and exploration.

The day begins with a warm welcome and morning meeting, where students gather to greet one another, share thoughts, and prepare for the day ahead. This time helps build a sense of community and sets a positive tone for learning.

Students then move into inquiry-based learning experiences, connected to transdisciplinary themes from the IB PYP. Through hands-on activities, storytelling, creative arts, and outdoor play, students explore concepts such as identity, relationships, and the natural world. Teachers guide and support their curiosity, encouraging them to ask questions, investigate ideas, and collaborate with peers.

Throughout the day, students engage in language and literacy, mathematics, and personal, social education, all woven into meaningful contexts that reflect their interests and developmental stage. Specialist sessions in art, music, chinese, swimming and physical education add variety and depth to their learning experience.

Mealtimes and rest periods are calm and nurturing, offering children time to recharge and connect with their peers. These routines are carefully planned to promote independence, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging.

As the day comes to a close, teachers guide opportunities for students to reflect on their experiences, share their learning, and prepare for the transition home. Every moment in Kindergarten is an opportunity to grow, discover, and build the foundations for lifelong learning.

Our Kindergarten Team

Our Kindergarten team is composed of qualified Early Years teachers and Learning assistants who each bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the team. Our teaching teams createa warm, engaging, and inclusive environment where every child can thrive.

Our team reflects the diverse, multicultural nature of an international school community. With many languages, cultures and backgrounds represented in our team, we are proud to promote and role model being internationally-minded and celebrate our diversity as a strength.

Learning throughout the day is in English and as fluent English speakers all members of the teaching team are fully qualified to teach through this medium. Many of our team are also multilingual speakers themselves and utilise this as an asset to better support their students as a multilngual learners. By drawing on their own linguistic and cultural experiences, teachers are able to connect more deeply with students, foster inclusive communication, and support language development in meaningful ways.

All of our team benefit from ongoing professional development in the PYP throughout the year and those new to the PYP are provided with specific targeted training.

A young child with a wide open mouth appears to be yelling or screaming, surrounded by colorful artwork and toys in a classroom or playroom setting.

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