Foundation Stage and
Lower Primary Organisation

Children aged 2 to 7 are comprised in five year groups: Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception (equivalent to UK Foundation Stage and Brazilian Maternal and Jardim I and II), and Infants 1 and 2 (equivalent to UK Key Stage 1 and Brazilian Jardim III and Classe de Alfabetização = 1o ano). Class sizes range from 12 in the Pre-Nursery to 16 in Nursery and up to 24 in the Infants. Each class is led by a qualified teacher and supported by a qualified teaching assistant.

• Nicole Shore (née Bianchi) – Class of 1995 on her visit to the school for the admissions of her son Max Shore, to enter Pre-Nursery in 2012:
  “How cute was my visit to The British School's Nursery! Wish they had all that stuff when I went there.”

Language Acquisition & Skills

The language emphasis is on speaking and listening. Vocabulary, day-to-day phrases, parts of speech and correct sentence structures are acquired and developed through a practical and active approach. Songs, stories, poems, action rhymes and jingles, as well as practical classroom equipment, are the basic materials used to develop and enrich language.

When the children complete the Foundation Stage and enter Key Stage 1, they are expected to use only English in the classroom except during Portuguese lessons. They will have acquired language skills in both Portuguese and English. By the time children are seven years old and ready to go into the Upper Primary School they can speak, read and write in both English and Portuguese.

Foundation Stage: Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception

In the Foundation Stage children are introduced to the basic skills, concepts and attitudes that form the foundation for a successful and meaningful education. Activities are designed for children to develop their gross and fine motor coordination, intellectual thinking, questioning and understanding, as well as social skills and self-discipline.

In a specially prepared environment, and with specific direction, the child is encouraged to develop a sense of order, organisation, independence, self-confidence, responsibility and respect. Opportunities for repetition, reinforcement and enrichment are offered to meet the needs and pace at which each child learns while also catering for individual levels of attainment.

The curriculum programme is based on the UK ‘Early Years Foundation Stage Principles` which identifies the skills, knowledge and attitudes children should acquire in the six areas of learning

• Personal and Social Development
• Physical Development
• Language and Literacy
• Mathematics
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World
• Creative Development

We have a dedicated Early Years team which ensures that each child makes a smooth transition from home to school by linking school experiences with those of home. We believe that it is vital for children to feel secure within the school setting and we are committed to maintaining a warm and friendly environment. We provide a range of activities which take into account your child’s developing physical, intellectual, emotional and social abilities and aims to give motivating and pleasurable learning opportunities that develop a sense of achievement.

The staff at The British School promotes an open door policy, welcoming parents to take an active part in school life. Parents should feel confident that they can come into school with any enquires.

Key Stage One: Infant 1 and Infant 2

During these two years the children continue to develop their language, reading, writing and Mathematics skills in English and Portuguese simultaneously.  The curriculum is planned so that all subject areas are linked where possible.

The organisation of the curriculum throughout Foundation Stage and Lower Primary Sections is split into six themes or ‘learning units’ per year - three per term.  All subject areas are planned to link wherever possible.  Children’s skills and knowledge progressively build each year. 

Overview of the Primary Curriculum

Our primary curriculum is unique to the philosophy and needs of learners at The British School.

All the skills and knowledge our children learn is based on the British National Curriculum (http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/primary/primaryframework). All subject areas are planned to link wherever possible. Mathematics, English and Portuguese are taught as specific subjects. 

All other subjects are linked into six themes or learning units per year specifically focused to ensure a complete coverage of skills.  In Foundation Stage (Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception) the Early Learning Goals are followed.  (www.nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/earlyyears).

At the beginning of each new learning unit an overview (core learning web) of all skills and knowledge to be covered is e-mailed to parents.  For all information on the learning units follow the subject areas links: