Reggio Emilia Approach for Early Years (Nursery-KG2)
The Reggio Emilia Approach is an innovative and inspiring approach to early childhood education which values the child as strong, capable and resilient; rich with wonder and knowledge. Every child brings with them deep curiosity and potential and this innate curiosity drives their interest to understand their world and their place within it.
- Children are capable of constructing their own learning
- Children form an understanding of themselves and their place in the world through their interactions with others
- Children are communicators
- The environment is the third teacher
International Baccalaureate -Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Diploma Programme (DP)
The IB Programmes were established to provide a challenging and comprehensive education that would enable students to understand and manage the complexities of our world and provide them with skills and attitudes for taking responsible action for the future. Promoting open communication based on understanding and respect, the IB encourages students to become active, compassionate, lifelong learners.
IB learners strive to become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective.
The IB-PYP programme begins in the Early Years and ends in Grade 6. While the IB-DP programme is offered in the last 2 years of school. Only eligible students who show commitment to the program are able to join the DP programme.
High School Diploma Program
Students who have a legal exemption from the Lebanese National Curriculum graduate with a US High School Diploma. The High School Diploma Program provides a college-preparatory program to be eligible to enter Freshman year at the university level. The program allows students to select courses which adhere to their personal abilities and interests. Students have to complete a set amount of credits in various disciplines alongside a required set of community service hours.
Lebanese National Baccalaureate Program
Students of Lebanese nationality go through this program and acquire the skills and content knowledge to graduate and join the Sophomore class at the university level. Students are required to sit for two major national standardized assessments, the Brevet exam in Grade 9 and the Baccalaureate exam in Grade 12. The program is varied across disciplines and allows students to select the path which best suits them. Students have the option to choose between the following streams – Life Sciences, Literature, and Socio-Economics.
Enrichment and Support Programs
English as a Foreign Language Program (EFL)
The English as a Second Language offers non-native speakers of English the opportunity to improve their language skills in small classes that use an integrated-skills approach. Classes are designed around general topics and themes, which focus on all four skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and grammar.
The goal of the EFL program is to improve the students’ level of English to allow them to mainstream into the regular courses. In one year, students should be able to progress through the entirety of the program to reach regular classroom proficiency. Classes average 5 students and allow students a maximum amount of individual attention and an opportunity to develop conversational skills.
Special Rights Program
Students with mild learning difficulties are able to learn within inclusive educational settings. Every student who joins the Special Rights program receives an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) which outlines specific learning outcomes – social emotional and cognitive – and tracks the student’s progress throughout their learning journey.
French Section (Nursery-KG2)
The year 2016 has seen the launch of the French section for students in the Early Years. In this program, French is the main language of instruction. Students are exposed to the Reggio Emilia approach to education within a French language setting. In their learning experiences at school, young children are offered daily opportunities to encounter many types of materials, many ways to express themselves, and many points of view. Students work actively with their hands, minds, and emotions, in a context that values the creativity of each child.
The French Section will grow by grade level with every year. Teachers are all native speakers and students learn Arabic daily and English twice per week.