Our School Pre School
Our Pre-School
(From age 3, co-educational)
Situated within the School's grounds, the Pre-School provides a gentle balance between play, stimulating young minds, fostering values, and instilling habits that will prepare the children for entry to The Cathedral Grammar School.
The Pre-School is a modern facility; purpose built to create a safe, well-resourced physical learning environment that aids your child's learning.
Our programme
Each week, a new theme inspires interest for language, numeracy, social studies, music and nature study activities. All facilities of The Cathedral Grammar School are available to the Pre-School, and the children have gymnastics, library and chapel period each week. Within the structured framework of the programme, there are many opportunities for a wide variety of free choice activities.
Individualised attention
The Pre-School's teacher/child ratio is set at a maximum of 1:9, although the actual ratio is even lower due to the additional support of teacher-aides and specialist art, music and drama teachers. This ratio ensures that every child's needs are met.
Each child is individually catered for in pre-reading, reading and numeracy, and their progress is communicated to our primary school (the Junior School) when they make the transition there, usually at age 5.
The children also benefit from the skills and knowledge of our librarian and chaplain.
Extra tuition opportunities, such as ballet and French, are offered.
Swimming lessons are organised during the summer and full use is made of inner city facilities, such as the Canterbury Public Library, Museum, Arts Centre, Botanical Gardens and Hagley Park.
Music and art
Specialist music and art teachers from The Cathedral Grammar School take weekly sessions, nurturing and extending children's early talents.
Preparation for the Junior School
Children are encouraged to develop skills in listening, caring for their own equipment, recognising the alphabet, writing their own name, social interaction and concentrating on a set task. Playtimes and lunchtimes are concurrent with those of the Junior School and both departments combine for some activities, encouraging a family atmosphere. Senior girls and boys read regularly to pre-schoolers during language periods.
We believe each child is unique; our holistic approach to their development acknowledges this.
Our programme is designed to instil a love of learning and provide encouragement to the children to acquire knowledge. The focus on literacy, numeracy, technology, art and music ensures the children are well prepared for the transition to the junior school. The progress of each child is carefully monitored, and written reports are given to parents twice yearly.
The Pre-School hours are from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm, with supervised care available in our Family Room until 5.00 pm daily. Three, four, or five day per week enrolment options are available.
We invite you to view our Pre-School Charter, (Create link) or to view our Pre-School Brochure (Create link), or to Contact Us, to arrange a Personalised Pre-School Tour.