Maternelle / Nursery School
The start of a rewarding journey
Fulfilment and kindness combined with discipline and high expectations are the values we seek to impart to children from 36 nationalities
The start of a rewarding journey
Fulfilment and kindness combined with discipline and high expectations are the values we seek to impart to children from 36 nationalities
Welcome
Claudine Chardon, directrice du primaire
Welcome to our primary school Simone Veil,
At our school you will find a skilled, dynamic and supportive team, which supports the progress and success of each of our pupils.
The richness of our school lies in the multilingual and multicultural composition of our pupils. We have made this a major asset in the development of our linguistic offer, starting from nursery school onwards.
We embrace diversity and do our utmost to include pupils with special educational needs. The entire teaching team is working to ensure that everyone thrives in a school that is progressive and adapted to its environment and times!
Claudine CHARDON
Directrice du primaire
Welcome
Claudine Chardon, directrice du primaire
Welcome to our primary school Simone Veil,
At our school you will find a skilled, dynamic and supportive team, which supports the progress and success of each of our pupils.
The richness of our school lies in the multilingual and multicultural composition of our pupils. We have made this a major asset in the development of our linguistic offer, starting from nursery school onwards.
We embrace diversity and do our utmost to include pupils with special educational needs. The entire teaching team is working to ensure that everyone thrives in a school that is progressive and adapted to its environment and times!
Claudine CHARDON
Directrice du primaire
Our Maternelle / Nursery School
A French approach
La maternelle is not a childcare service but a full educational programme led by qualified, certified teachers. It is structured to stimulate young children’s imaginations and meet their fundamental needs in terms of play, discovery, development of physical fitness and rest.
Pedagogical organisation
Petite section – age 3
Moyenne section – age 4
Grande section – age 5
Petite section – age 3
Moyenne section – age 4
Grande section – age 5
Curriculum - five key areas
Using language in all its forms
Language is of the utmost importance in pre-school as it plays a key role in achievement for all children. Stimulating and structuring oral language on the one hand and gradually learning to write on the other are key priorities across the board.
Behaviour, self expression and understanding through physical activity
These programmes help children to explore their potential, to develop, learn fine-motor skills and improve balance. They help them to understand their own body and improve spacial and temporal awareness.
Behaviour, self expression and understanding through art
A range of activities allow for the development of interactions between movements, feelings, the imaginary world, sensitivity and thought.
Learning the basics of mathematics
Pre-school gradually introduces children to numbers, how to use them and helps them to explore shapes and sizes. Teaching staff present pupils with age-appropriate problems to solve in order to stimulate thinking.
Exploring the world
Developing an initial understanding of their surroundings and prompting children to ask questions. By exploring their initial understanding and their own unique experiences, pre-school introduces a programme to help children appreciate, understand and makes sense of the world around them.
Introduction to multilingualism
Fun and educational activities taught in French, German and English: an excellent way to learn
Teaching French abroad is based on a multilingual and multicultural educational approach. From Maternelle through to Terminale students learn new languages and discover a range of cultures.
Over their three years in our Maternelle, children discover the world through the languages they are taught: French, German, English as well as the various languages they speak at home. This also heightens their awareness of cultural diversity.
Awareness of linguistic diversity follows two main strands: developing an awareness of the multitude of languages followed by exploring two or even three languages, paving the way for a coherent linguistic pathway that aligns with the elementary school approach.
The children are regularly exposed to short, varied periods when teaching staff introduce the modern languages taught in our school. Little by little, these moments in time when they play, listen, move, repeat, talk and sing become familiar and a normal part of the school day.
By creating an environment that encourages interaction, our staff gradually guide students with care in activities that have been designed to encourage their speaking skills to develop, both in terms of their articulation (pronunciation of sounds) and prosody (intonation, rhythm, stress).
French
The children are taught fully in French following the curriculum of the French Ministry of National Education which provides an academically excellent and internationally recognised education.
German
German plays a key role with up to 2 hours of teaching per week in small groups.
One German teacher is assigned to the maternelle, joining in with classes throughout the day: welcoming the children, learning motor skills or working on vocabulary in small groups.
English
1 hour per week of English is also taught from the second year of Maternelle.
This allows the school to offer a full and diverse education while preparing the children to become multilingual and receptive to other cultures.
My child does not speak French
Gentle introduction to French
Joining a French school if you’re not French could be discouraging for some families. Our school welcomes children of any nationality, irrespective of their native language.
For children who speak little or no French, we offer an enhanced learning programme called FLSco (Français Langue de Scolarisation or French language for education). This programme is offered from age 5 in our Grande Section. The children work in small groups so that the teacher can personalise the course as much as possible. The children therefore make rapid progress and this personalised approach continues into our elementary school where they can consolidate their learning.
A project-based pedagogy
“Living together” – A project highlighted in every class and in shared moments between classes.
Many projects are developed by our teaching staff throughout the year: artistic, seasonal or cultural projects. Children learn at their own pace, together or independently, as part of a working group with a teacher or while working an individually tailored activity. We use digital technology to exchange information or explore the world.
Every year, we celebrate St. Martin’s day, Saint Nicholas Day, Christmas, Chandeleur, Carnaval and the Fête du Printemps (festival of spring) and parents are welcome to attend.
La garderie
The school day ends at 2.30 pm. However, it is possible for children to stay on by signing up for the Garderie (day care).
Working in partnership with AWO DUS GmbH, we offer a day care service from Monday to Friday from 2.00 to 6.00 pm (in term time) at our premises.
AWO is an association that specialises in personal services and partners with many schools. With its qualified team, AWO cares for young children and offers a range of age-appropriate activities. Two services are available during term time: an annual service or an ad-hoc service.
Benefits of our Maternelle
- A full educational programme
- Qualified and certified teaching staff
- A caring learning environment
- Stressing individual progress
- Social skills, citizenship and respect for others
- Social and emotional learning
- Development of individual progress
