Primary School (K1–G1)
Welcome to Infant School
Welcome to Infant School
Pauline Markey
Primary School Principal
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to you and your family. UWCSEA is a diverse and vibrant community and a very special place to learn and grow. We are confident that you and your family will feel settled and a valuable part of our community very soon.
The Primary School is made up of the Infant School and Junior School. It is organised into smaller teams (grades) to ensure that students feel welcome and supported. For many families joining the Infant School (ages 4–7; Kindergarten–Grade 1), this will be your child’s first experience of Primary School. Our teachers and staff create a learning environment that is welcoming, supportive and appropriately challenging for all our students as they establish routines and develop a love of learning that will serve as a firm foundation throughout their education.
We are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to engage with such diverse and incredible students in the Infant School. Our students love their time at school; they share and look after each other and make the most of the opportunities they are given to learn, explore and play. We consider our students to be capable, curious and competent individuals who bring with them a wealth of knowledge, understanding and experiences that they are ready to share. It is this image of the child that underpins everything we do.
We are an international community with a diversity of experience, cultures and passions and our learning programme reflects this. UWCSEA is different in many ways to other schools, as our learning programme reaches far beyond academics. Along with our stimulating play based, inquiry-driven academic programme, our Activities, Outdoor Education, Personal and Social Education (PSE) and Service programmes are integral aspects of all our students' learning. Each element is valued equally and they combine to provide our students with a holistic, values-based education, where academic understanding is developed in harmony with a full range of social, emotional, creative and physical skills.
Although the Infant School is very much part of the Primary School, it does have some distinct structures in place to support the specific needs of students in their first years of school. Each class has two adults to support the students' learning. An assigned teaching assistant works alongside the class teacher in the classroom and a team of specialist teachers provide learning in Music, Physical Education (PE) and Languages. We also have a slightly different structure to the day, with school beginning at 8am along with the rest of the East Campus and finishing an hour earlier at 2pm.
We benefit from a committed parent community who work in partnership with the school to support our learners. As such we invite you to join us in creating and maintaining strong relationships, ensuring together we maximise learning experiences for all students.
We invite you to learn more about the school and our learning programme through this website, the admissions materials and by visiting campus. Thank you for your interest in UWCSEA.
Pauline Markey
Primary School Principal
Learning in Infant School
The Infant School has distinct structures in place to support the specific needs of students in their early years of schooling. Central to each child’s experience, learning takes place in a highly intentional, supportive and developmentally responsive environment. Each student is intentionally surrounded by a team of caring adults who know them personally and with whom they feel safe. Classroom routines support Infant School children in developing the mindset and attitudes of a learner.
The classroom teaching team that includes their classroom teacher and dedicated teacher assistant. Specialist teachers deliver Music, Languages (Chinese and Spanish) and Physical Education (PE). In addition to this, each class has a Head of Grade who is responsible for the students in that grade, and all are supported by the Infant School Vice Principal and Primary School Principal.
Technology
The use of technology to enhance student learning is deeply embedded in the Infant School, and we provide an appropriate device for all primary aged students to use in the classroom. Students use individual iPads or laptops , which stay in the classroom and are not brought home.
Parent partnership
A solid partnership with parents is a critical part of ensuring the wellbeing of our youngest students and parents are encouraged to play an active role in their child’s learning. We encourage parents to be as connected as possible to their child’s experience in school, providing several opportunities to meet with the teacher through the course of the school year. A grade-level blog gives parents a window into their child’s learning and students build an eportfolio learning journal over the year which they share with their family.
Throughout the year we provide parent workshops and information sessions in addition to the regular parent-teacher conferences which provide feedback on the individual child.
School week
Students spend most of the day in their classroom, moving between shared class and grade-level learning spaces and dedicated playgrounds. While students visit the Primary School Library, they spend most of their week in the purpose-built Infant School building with dedicated, age-appropriate facilities for Music, Languages, Learning Support and PE, including a learn-to-swim pool.
Classes remain together for the majority of lessons, except Languages other than English in K2 and Grade 1.
School begins at 8am and finishes at 2pm.
