Early Years
(Pre-K & Kindergarten)
Welcome Information

The Early Years at ISH

ISH has two programs in the Early Years:

1. Pre-K (for 3 and 4-year-olds). 

• If your child is three at the beginning of the school year in August, they will be in Pre-K for two years. If your child is four at the beginning of the school year, your child will be in Pre-K for one year before entering Kindergarten. 

• For the 2024-2025 school year, Pre-K classes will be on the ground floor across from the school reception.

2. Kindergarten (for 5-year-olds). 

• If your child is five at the beginning of the school year in August, they will be in Kindergarten.

• For the 2024-2025 school year, Kindergarten classes will be on the lower ground floor across from the canteen.
  
  

First Day of School Timings: Monday, August 12th, 2024:

*Please refer to your child's class Welcome Letter for the following school day timings (settling-in schedule) as they vary by class.

Early Years families will be notified the week before about which group they will be in for their child’s first time in the classroom. 

• Pre-K: 8:45-9:45 (Group 1 ) & 10:00-11:00 (Group 2)

  • • Pre-K Families will meet their teachers outside the classroom doors on the ground floor. During this time, you will meet your child’s homeroom teacher and pedagogue(s), see the classroom environment, place items in your child’s cubby, join our morning circle and enjoy a little playtime. We ask that only one parent accompany their child at this time.

• Kindergarten: 8:30-10:00 (Group 1) & 10:30-12:00 (Group 2)

  • • Kindergarten children will be dropped off outside the front door and independently enter the school with their teacher. Before dropping off your child, it’s a good idea to talk to them about how you will say goodbye and that you will be back soon to pick them up. A quick goodbye is best (even if there are tears). We always have a good time once we start our day. During this time, your child will meet their homeroom teacher and pedagogue(s), see the classroom environment, place items in their cubby, join a morning meeting and enjoy a little playtime. 

We ask families to leave the school grounds as soon as possible after drop-off and pick-up and not remain on the school premises between drop-off and pick-up to reduce the number of people on the playground.

First Day of School Practical Information:

The first few school days are essential for new and returning children's transition, adjustment, and well-being. We recognize that this transition can be emotional for both parents and children. To make your child’s transition as comfortable and pleasant as possible, we have shorter days in the beginning so that your child feels at ease during their introduction to a new classroom, routines, and people. Your child’s teacher or pedagogue may contact you for an early pick-up if we feel it would benefit your child. 

Each Early Years class has a settling-in schedule for your child’s first days. This information can be found in the Welcome Letter. Familiarising yourself with your child’s class settling-in schedule is necessary, as all new and returning children will follow this schedule.

Within the settling-in schedule, you will see a date for a “Listening Conference.” This 10-minute meeting with your child’s teacher and pedagogue will be an opportunity for you to share any information you feel is important about your child or family, as well as your hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Please see the Welcome Letter for more information. 

Online Parent Information Sessions (per class): 

These are required sessions. The sessions will be online:

• Pre-K & Kindergarten sessions are: Friday, 9th August, 13:00-14:00 

• Pre-K link: meet.google.com/ptf-dqdp-uzz

• Kindergarten link: meet.google.com/gbw-xhsr-ore

Class Lists: 

• You will receive information on your child's class a few days before the first day of school via Toddle (our communications app in the Early Years Programme - details on the Home-School Communications page).

Morning Club and After School Care Program (ASCP) Information: 

• For Pre-K and Kindergarten, read the Welcome Letter to see when Morning Club and ASCP are available for your child. 

• All Early Years students must enroll or re-enroll using the online ASCP enrollment form.

• School closes at 17:00 sharp. You must pick up your child on time (not after 16.55). In case of repeated lateness, a late fee of 200 DKK will be charged on the following month's invoice. 

Morning Club opening hours are from 7:00 - 8:15, and ASCP is operative from 14:20 - 17:00 Monday through Thursday and 13:30 - 17:00 on Fridays.

For more information on the ASCP Programme, contact Ms. Chiara Giani at cgiani@ish.dk

Holistic and Integrated Learning Approach

At the International School of Hellerup, we continuously strive to enhance the educational experience for our students. Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, we are excited to announce that our Pre-K and Kindergarten programs will adopt a more holistic and integrated approach to learning. To provide more consistency and better support the developmental needs of our young learners, we will continue to incorporate Physical Education (P.E.) and Music into the daily classroom activities to a greater extent rather than having separate specialist classes.

This enhancement will allow our skilled early years educators to seamlessly integrate physical movement and musical exploration into the IB units of inquiry. By doing so, we ensure that children experience these vital aspects of their development every day rather than just once a week. This approach aligns with our commitment to IB transdisciplinary learning and the Danish Pedagogical Curriculum and ensures that physical and musical development are naturally woven into the children's educational journey, fostering their gross and fine motor skills, creativity, and overall well-being.

Children will engage in regular physical activities and musical experiences as part of their play-based learning, supported by our educators, who will monitor and guide their progress closely. This integrated approach will provide a more cohesive and nurturing learning environment, minimizing transitions and supporting continuous and holistic development.

We believe these enhancements will create a more enriching and consistent educational experience for your child, aligning with our core educational philosophy and the IB PYP framework.