Curro Hillcrest Preschool | Durban

Curro Hillcrest has a preschool in Hillcrest, Durban, that provides high-quality early childhood development for children from 2 years (turning 3) to Grade R. Our classes are divided by age, and we carefully control the number of children per class to ensure that they are all cared for and entertained. Our internally developed preschool programme engages inherent curiosity and love of play, while supporting their well-being all-round. We also have aftercare and an early drop-off time. Children learn by discovering the world around them – and anything learned while playing at a young age is remembered much faster and more efficiently compared to anything learned while sitting at a table in a forced learning environment. As part of the Curro school group, our children enjoy a programme that supports their physical, social, emotional and cognitive well-being. This approach to early childhood development is built around learning and developing through play rather than strict milestones. This means that children feel supported and encouraged instead of anxious and pressured to develop at someone else’s pace. With us, learning during childhood starts with young toddlers learning the basics of mathematics by playing with building blocks, balls, manipulating objects around their bodies, and other ways. Older toddlers learn the basics of writing and reading with comprehension by drawing, painting, singing, and generally discovering objects that centre around a specific theme. Here are some examples of the areas that are developed by learning through play: Mathematics: shapes, size, time, counting, adding, subtracting Communication: speech, listening, reading, understanding Creativity: drawing, painting, correct pinching of a pencil, dancing Physical well-being: balance, movement, safety Identity and belonging: personality, morals, caring, friendship, sharing We help your child get ready for the formal learning that starts in Grade 1. By accommodating them in our preschool building, they have more time to grow accustomed to more formal learning while feeling safe in familiar surroundings. They learn the basic foundations on which all further learning is based: Language (read, spell, understand, speak, listen) Mathematics (count, understand numbers, addition, subtraction and multiplication) Life skills (physical education, real-life experiences, problem-solving, creativity) As a Curro School, we believe that participation in extramural activities plays an important role in early childhood development. Therefore, our daily programme is packed with a variety of physical and cognitive activities where children play while they learn, which are included in our school fees. Extramural activities are offered as additional opportunities to strengthen focus areas or hone certain skills. Many of these are designed to help children gain valuable skills that require more time for development than can be provided during the daily programme. Our extramural activities are offered by external tutors or coaches at an additional cost, and generally take place on the school’s premises. See which activities we offer on our fact sheet (see Downloads).

Our preschool accommodates working parents by allowing children to be dropped off early in the morning. To ensure our children’s safety, they remain in class – or at aftercare – until they are picked up. Our aftercare service is available at an additional cost, as stated on our fees letter (see Downloads). As a Curro School, our classes are divided by age group and each teacher has one or more assistants, depending on the age group and number of children in the class. That way, all children receive the same level of love and nurturing that they would at home, as well as devotional care based on Christian values (ethics and morals). Our strict security measures ensure the safety of our children. Visitors need to sign in to gain access and the number of visitors per class is limited. Furthermore, CCTV cameras monitor the playgrounds as well as the classrooms. Children are collected from the classroom and are signed in and out daily to ensure that they remain safe and accounted for. Furthermore, designated teachers have first-aid training. Children learn by interacting with the world around them. Our preschool classrooms themselves are considered to be inanimate teachers of sorts. They are designed to allow maximum room for play and movement while being stimulating on a visual and tactile level – all essential aspects of early childhood development. An additional indoor play area allows a change in play space on days that the weather doesn’t allow for outdoor play. Our outdoor play areas include jungle gyms, playhouses, shaded areas for creative and sensory play, and more. These areas are designed to encourage physical play, and generally have synthetic grass to prevent allergic reactions. Children are taken outside to play on days with moderate weather conditions to prevent excessive cold or sunburn. Additional safety measures are taken on sunny days. Curro Hillcrest has a preschool in Hillcrest, Durban, that provides high-quality early childhood development for children from 2 years (turning 3) to Grade R. Our classes are divided by age, and we carefully control the number of children per class to ensure that they are all cared for and entertained. Our internally developed preschool programme engages inherent curiosity and love of play, while supporting their well-being all-round. We also have aftercare aand an early drop-off time. Take a look at the video below to see what you can enjoy with us!