Waterstone College Preschool | Kibler Park

Waterstone College has a preschool in Kibler Park, Johannesburg, that provides high-quality early childhood development for children from 2,5 to 5 years. 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 form part of the Curro school group, and have early drop-off times and half- and full-day options. 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. Learning during childhood starts with babies exploring their touch and taste sense while playing with squishy pasta, jelly, and other texture-rich objects. Later on, young toddlers learn 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 As part of the Curro school group, learners enjoy preference when applying to us from any school in the group, such as nearby Curro Oakdene. Children need lots of attention and nurturing. That is why our classes are divided by age, and we carefully control the number of children in each class. Our teachers also have one or more assistants, depending on the age group and number of children in the class. By having a limited number of children in class, our teachers can give each one the individual care and attention they need to flourish and feel loved. Our daily programme is packed with a variety of physical and cognitive activities where children play while they learn. We also offer additional, optional extramural activities as additional opportunities to strengthen focused areas or hone certain skills. Our extramural activities are offered by external tutors or coaches at an additional cost and take place on the school’s premises. As a preschool in Kibler Park, these extramural activities are tailored to the interests of you and your family. This ensures that your child can grow and excel in areas that they truly enjoy. Your child is sure to find something that will pique their interest.

Our preschool is open during school holidays and runs a full holiday care programme as part of our school fees. Our regular early childhood development activities continue, although we may arrange some extra fun activities during this time. We are closed only for a specified period during December and January. As a Curro Select school, our classes are divided by age group and each teacher has one or more assistants, depending on the group and the number of children in the class. There are often more assistants for the younger ones to ensure that each child in our small class sizes get the necessary love and attention. As a Curro Select school, our on-site kitchen is fully equipped to prepare well-balanced, wholesome meals and snacks for children in all age groups at our preschool. All meals are prepared with fresh ingredients just before being delivered to the classrooms. These meals are also included in our school fees and we carefully accommodate allergies and other dietary requirements – catering to individual needs is possible due to our small class sizes. At Waterstone College, we know that children wholeheartedly run, climb, and play in ways that could sometimes lead to bumps and scrapes. They might also fall ill during the day. This is why we have a registered nurse on-site during the school day, and all our teachers have first-aid training. As part of our commitment to early childhood development, our academic support centre provides personal support for children who require additional support in academic, behavioural or emotional aspects. Children receive tailor-made programmes aimed at meeting their individual needs, and we emphasise early intervention to prevent difficulties later on. Our academic support centre offers the following: On-site team of multi-disciplinary therapists and psychologists School-readiness assessments for learners in Group 5 Early identification of academic, behavioural, or emotional challenges Parental guidance and support Children learn by interacting with the world around them. As a Curro Select school, our 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. An additional indoor play area allows a change in play space on days that the weather doesn’t allow outdoor play. Our outdoor play areas include jungle gyms, playhouses, jumping pillows, 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. Waterstone College has a preschool in Kibler Park, Johannesburg, that provides high-quality early childhood development for children from 2 years to 5 years. With dedicated teachers, small class sizes and an internally developed play-based curriculum, we aim to build strong, caring relationships with each child.