Getting ready for

primary school

Building confidence and capability for a bright future

By this stage in life, your child is at the point where they start consciously absorbing information and thinking critically about what they learn. Their core beliefs about the world, and their place in it, are forming in their young hearts and minds. So it’s time to set them up for success throughout their coming school years, and life in general!

Guided by the child’s interests, our educators build discovery paths for each child spanning the core Montessori curriculum, incorporating STEM subjects into the framework for extended learning. Kids learn at their own pace and are free to explore emerging talents and interests, while also becoming equipped with the level of education required for entry by their intended primary school.

The Discovery Bay philosophy for kindergarten aged kids

Learning approach & curriculum

Library + language + home office

Language and Communication

Building communication and language skills using hands-on learning materials and guided group exercises.

Preparing for reading and writing

Being able to communicate effectively through written language is an essential skill for success in today’s world. Our program has a strong focus on language and literacy, with all activities leading back to a language discovery.

We prepare the child for reading and writing by linking the child’s experiences with language, both written and phonetic. They begin to recognise that they can make language visible to others (writing), and they can also ‘listen’ to the words of others that aren’t present (reading).

  • Sorting letters by shape and putting them in their correct position in the alphabet
  • Developing the grip and wrist movements required for them to write clearly
  • Understanding the functions of basic grammar principles
  • Expanding and enriching vocabulary by using more specifics
  • Building their phonetic awareness by identifying sounds within words

Blended Montessori + STEM

Discovery Bay’s industry-first methodology delivers an expanded early learning program that incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) within a Montessori curriculum.

This means your child gets all the development that Montessori offers, while also being introduced to foundational STEM concepts along the way.

Sensorial

Sensorial

Developing use of sight, touch, smell, taste, sound, and kinaesthetics. Kids refine their motor skills and build their ability to recognise and classify different things

Refining the ability to recognise details

We focus on further developing your child’s ability to order and classify the information received by their five senses. Investigations into different discoveries delve deeper into more detail. Kids learn to classify sub-categories of sensory data and further explore the physical properties of their environment.

  • Identifying primary, secondary and tertiary colours
  • Distinguishing between shades of colour within the spectrum
  • Constructing more sophisticated shapes and forms
  • Discriminating between different colours, textures and sounds accurately
  • Classifying objects found outside in nature into different shapes, colours, and types
  • Building new forms using different shaped and coloured objects

Blended Montessori + STEM

Discovery Bay’s industry-first methodology delivers an expanded early learning program that incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) within a Montessori curriculum.

This means your child gets all the development that Montessori offers, while also being introduced to foundational STEM concepts along the way.

Mathematics

Mathematics

Kids learn about numbers and basic mathematical functions through familiar materials that can be quantified, such as their pieces of fruit.

Building abstract mathematical understanding

By now, your child has been introduced to numbers and is familiar with what they mean and their basic functions. Mathematics from 3-6 is focused on helping kids learn and understand more advanced abstract concepts.

Their lessons are weaved seamlessly into practical life, sensory and other subjects, so the child learns through experience, integrating their new lessons with what they already know. The principles they learn during this stage of their development acts as a bridge to the curriculum they will be expected to understand when they start primary school.

  • Differentiating between odd and even numbers
  • Understanding the concept of zero
  • Able to add, subtract, multiply and divide using beads or other common objects
  • Learning to understand units of ten and count to 100
  • Telling the time on the hour and half hour
  • Making judgements in relation to distance, sequence, and identity

Blended Montessori + STEM

Discovery Bay’s industry-first methodology delivers an expanded early learning program that incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) within a Montessori curriculum.

This means your child gets all the development that Montessori offers, while also being introduced to foundational STEM concepts along the way.

Practical Life

Practical Life

Life skills to help develop self-awareness, independence, and confidence. Activities include food preparation, gardening, social interaction, and moving quietly.

Becoming confident and considerate little people

Practical Life includes many of the tasks kids are familiar with from home. Preparing food, cleaning, washing dishes, getting dressed and interacting with others in a positive way are real life tasks that carry many embedded lessons for your child. They develop concentration, self-discipline, independence, empathy, and sociability, all of which prepare the child for both school and life!

By being introduced to so many Practical Life activities at a young age, kids grow up feeling more confident to handle whatever new experiences come their way. So when it’s time for the transition to primary school, they have the resilience to navigate the change with ease.

  • Following a task from start to finish
  • Learning when and how to interrupt, how to be polite
  • 2 or 3-step activities that require dexterity and control in different parts of the body
  • Quiet opening and closing of doors
  • Preparing their own snacks
  • Having polite conversations with others

Blended Montessori + STEM

Discovery Bay’s industry-first methodology delivers an expanded early learning program that incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) within a Montessori curriculum.

This means your child gets all the development that Montessori offers, while also being introduced to foundational STEM concepts along the way.

Cultural + botany / geography / animals

Cultural Studies

Kids build their understanding of the world around them through geography, botany, zoology, science, history, music, and art.

Developing early interests

By this age, kids are becoming aware of the things they are particularly interested in the most. Cultural activities give them the opportunity to further explore areas of interest and develop greater depth of knowledge and skill.

They have opportunities to apply the lessons from our core curriculum to the world around them in a more meaningful way. Kids learn critical and investigative skills, and develop a respect for all living things – and our planet!

  • Learning the difference between living and non-living things
  • Caring for animals and becoming responsible for their basic wellbeing
  • Becoming familiar with maps and learning the names of different countries
  • Recognising and classifying different weather conditions and their symbols
  • Knowing their days of the week and months of the year
  • Time tracking using clocks and a calendar
  • Understanding time measurement (days, hours, years)
  • Learning the functions and life-cycles of plants

Blended Montessori + STEM

Discovery Bay’s industry-first methodology delivers an expanded early learning program that incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) within a Montessori curriculum.

This means your child gets all the development that Montessori offers, while also being introduced to foundational STEM concepts along the way.

The highest quality and care

Every inch of Discovery Bay has been meticulously created to give your child the best start in life within the safest environment possible.

Wellbeing

Emotional wellbeing

We’re committed to providing a safe, nurturing and caring environment that’s designed to build your child’s physical, emotional and mental health

Creating capable kids

We’ve done our job when your child develops the resilience, confidence, and critical thinking ability they need for a great head start and progression through school and in life.

Nutrition

nutrition_Chef-prepared menus

Chef-prepared menus

All of your child’s meals and snacks are prepared by a qualified Chef using fresh and nutritious ingredients.

Nutritious and delicious!

Our seasonal menus follow Australian Nutritional Guidelines specific to early learning.

Educators

Highly trained

Our educators are Montessori trained and educated in the Discovery Bay methodology. We also offer mentorship and training to assist in their development within their profession.

educators_Child-led program (1)

Child-led program

We never over-instruct your child. Kids choose what they want to focus on and are then guided through activities within that area.

Turning kindy kids into lifelong learners

Our Discovery Rooms promote the explorer spirit to create confident and capable kids.

Vasco da Gama

During the Age of Discovery, de Gama found new sea routes between Europe, Asia, and India that established a new era of world trade.

Bartolomeu Dias

Dias led the first European expedition around the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, proving that a sea trading route around the southernmost tip of Africa was possible.

Marco Polo

Italian adventurer Polo was a prolific traveller who opened up trade routes to East India and China, introducing Europeans to many Asian inventions we still use today

Your child is also on an exploratory adventure every single day.

Join us

Ready to get started? Book an orientation meeting to establish your learning and development goals for your child.

Make a Booking

Want to check things out for yourself? Click below to book a guided tour of your closest Discovery Bay Early Learning Centre.