Early Childhood Academics

Beginning 2025-26, the Twos Classes will be five days per week, Monday through Friday, with half-day, extended-day, and full-day options available.

Two-year-olds are introduced to school within a small peer group guided by nurturing teachers. Besides the delightful indoor spaces, the Twos Classes embrace the enriching environment of our natural classrooms in a large play yard setting. Equipment is designed to support the development of motor skills, opportunities for discovery and exploration, and child-centered play. Activities are designed to support social-emotional learning, physical foundational senses, self-care, cognitive development, and exposure to early math, science, and literacy components. The Twos consist of periods of independent play, student-centered learning, and teacher-structured group activities.

Our Interdisciplinary Approach

All activities are designed to emphasize emotional, social, physical, and cognitive development. There is an emphasis on open-ended play using sensory-rich materials to encourage exploration and discovery. The Twos Classes consist of periods of independent play and exploration, as well as teacher-structured group activities. The classes are designed to offer numerous opportunities to expand their knowledge and learn new skills.

Pre-School is a two-year experience for three- and four-year-old children who interact and learn in mixed age groups. Each day includes independent play, teacher-directed group activities, and individual instruction in a nature-based outdoor setting or delightful indoor classrooms.

The Pre-School faculty collaborate extensively to teach the classes with a 10:1 student/teacher ratio, with active participation from administrators, Early Childhood Fellows, and teaching assistants.

Our Interdisciplinary Approach

The PS experience at St. Anne’s-Belfield School is designed to be an enticing and dynamic environment which recognizes that children learn through play. We know that children need to connect through their senses, exploring through self-discovery to make sense of their world. To support this exploration, outdoor education is the inspiration and heart of our multi-age classrooms. Each natural classroom provides rich, sensory experiences and the ability to use the natural world to extend curricular concepts. Each child is able to relate to the materials in their own unique way. The teachers serve as facilitators, encouraging and supporting the child’s individual needs and interests. We know that these interdisciplinary stations lay the groundwork for the development of a curious mind and the love of learning that will extend well beyond the Pre-School years.

The Junior Kindergarten Classes are designed for children with late summer and early fall birthdays who are nearly ready for Kindergarten but would benefit from an extra year of growth. Each day in the JK includes a balance of independent play, teacher-directed group activities, and individual instruction, all within a nature-based outdoor setting and spacious indoor classrooms.

Our Interdisciplinary Approach

The Junior Kindergarten experience is for children who are ready for emotional, social, physical, and cognitive experiences beyond the expectations that are required in a Pre-School setting. Our JK is designed to provide a dynamic environment which recognizes the importance of an interdisciplinary approach that combines traditional academic areas into a cohesive learning experience through experimentation and play. We know that children need to connect through their senses, exploring through self-discovery to make sense of their world. These experiences allow children to build upon student-centered activities. Children are able to relate to the materials in their own unique ways. Teachers serve as facilitators, encouraging and supporting each child’s individual needs. Our teachers lay the groundwork for the lifelong development of a curious mind and the love of learning.