Early Years: Nursery

Every day at MILE Nursery, children aged from 12 to 36 months share discoveries and enjoy new experiences together in a safe and welcoming environment.

The Nursery is a place of learning, care and shared activities which ensure every child’s physical and mental well-being and the development of their cognitive, emotional and social potential. Every part of the environment, from the furniture, wooden games and choice of colours is chosen specifically for the benefit of the children and for their learning activities.

At our Nursery, particular care is given to the autonomy of the child, with a strong emphasis on increasing self-esteem. Through songs, fairy tales and nursery rhymes, the child is accompanied in the discovery of the world around them, with special attention to the seasons and the things that characterise them. Grapes, leaves, chestnuts, pumpkins, snow, rain, flowers and wind are the source of experiences and exciting discoveries.

Days at Nursery are characterized by routines and “times”: time to play, time to eat, time to dance, time to rest and finally the time when Mom and Dad arrive.  The formative foundation years of your child’s school experience are crucial in establishing positive attitudes and confidence, together with skills and knowledge and a love for learning.

Bilingual kindergarten for children aged 3 to 5 years

There are three Kindergarten classes, for children aged 3, 4 and 5. The program for 3 and 4 year olds provides 50% Italian language and 50% English language, while in the last year (children aged 5) the ratio grows and becomes 70% English and 30% in Italian. In the Reception class (5 year olds), there is also learning linked to fine motor skills, spontaneous reading and writing and mathematics with the aim of achieving a solid preparation for primary school.

As a bilingual school, there is always a teacher with either English or Italian as their mother tongue in every class. Activities are related to “doing”, discovery, knowledge and social exchange with respect to individual learning styles and the family and social experiences of the children. Knowledge of nature and its cycles and how that relates to the balance and harmonious development of the child plays a prominent role.

Our approach to English learning is through the phonical method (phonics) carried out with playful and fun activities for the children. Every day, the English mother tongue educator assists the Italian educator by exposing the children to the two language codes in a natural way, as happens in bilingual families. In this way the phonemes of both languages enrich the child’s vocabulary. The different approach of the educators guarantees a multicultural experience for the child with unique moments from each culture.

In MILE Kindergarten great importance is given to expressive language and the creative imagination of each child – particularly through experiences, materials and design. Great value is given to natural and recycled material, considered an inexhaustible source of invention.

Both MILE Nursery and Kindergarten use KinderTap, the new logbook system for nurseries and kindergartens which aims to facilitate daily communication between educational staff and families.