PRE-NURSERY AND NURSERY
Early Years Foundation: Nurturing Excellence from Day One
Motto in Action: High Moral Standards and Academic Excellence
Welcome, dear parents, to the Early Years section of the Ladybird Group of Schools in Yaoundé. This is where the magic of learning truly begins—where we intentionally cultivate a solid foundation that sets your child up not just for academic success, but for a lifetime of confident, joyful exploration.
We believe that a child’s first experience with school should be a beautiful memory. More than just lessons, we prioritize shaping a positive self-image. We remember that knowledge enters a child’s mind gently, like a seed: it is our sacred job to sow that seed with careful instruction, tend to it with boundless encouragement and love, and provide the perfect atmosphere for it to blossom into true excellence.
In our Early Years classes—Pre-Nursery, Nursery 1, and Nursery 2—our dedicated teachers, specialists, and support staff work tirelessly to mold and nurture these little ones in a safe, stimulating, and profoundly moral environment.
The Seven Pillars of Early Years Learning
Our holistic curriculum is built upon seven interconnected areas of learning and development. We focus on balancing guided instruction with active, creative, and play-based discovery:
1. Communication and Language Development
We create a rich language environment where children feel confident to express themselves. This area focuses on developing essential listening skills, understanding instruction, building a robust vocabulary, and expressing thoughts and feelings clearly in various situations.
2. Physical Development
Learning is active! We ensure children have exciting opportunities to move, interact, and play. This development pillar is crucial for building coordination, control, and movement, while also helping children understand the fundamental importance of physical activity and making healthy choices about food and well-being.
3. Personal, Social, and Emotional Development (PSED)
This is the heart of our commitment to high moral standards. PSED involves helping children develop a positive and respectful sense of self and others. They learn crucial social skills: how to manage their feelings, form positive relationships, understand appropriate behavior in groups, and build genuine confidence in their own unique abilities.
4. Literacy
Literacy development is about opening the door to the world of reading and writing. We encourage children to link sounds and letters (phonics) through songs and story sessions, fostering the early skills needed for both reading comprehension and mark-making, which leads to creative writing.
5. Mathematics
Mathematics begins with play! We provide engaging opportunities for children to improve their skills in fundamental concepts like counting, understanding numbers, performing simple addition and subtraction problems, and exploring concepts of space, shape, and measure.
6. Understanding the World
We guide our young learners to make sense of their physical world and their community here in Yaoundé and beyond. This is achieved through exploration, observation, and finding out about people, places, technology, and the beautiful environment around us.
7. Expressive Arts and Design
This area enables children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. We encourage creativity, allowing them to share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings through activities in art, craft, colouring, music, movement, role-play, and early design concepts.
Our Learning Philosophy
In our Early Years classrooms, learning is an adventure. The focus is always on active, play-based learning where foundational skills in phonics, literacy, and mathematical concepts are absorbed naturally. Emphasis is also placed on developing and refining fine and gross motor skills through games, toys, art and craft, and exploratory play. This active discovery is balanced with teacher-led activities that provide the essential direction and structure needed for early childhood education.
We are so excited for you to join the Ladybird family and work together to achieve the very best for your child.
