YCIS Shanghai Hongqiao Campus in June celebrated students’ momentous move from ECE to Primary. This came after  commencement ceremonies of this years’ Secondary Year 13 students.

This year’s Kindergarten 4 (K4) students have been busily preparing for the big move to the Primary school routine. To help prepare these young learners for this change, YCIS puts  various transition-preparation activities into its ECE curriculum. Some of the transition activities this semester included:

• Organising a K4 to Year 1 transition presentation for K4 parents
• Gradually reducing nap times for the students
• Providing opportunities for K4 students to experience some of the subject lessons they will participate in Year 1, including Art, Information Communication Technology, PE, and Violin
• Attending a K4 Assembly every Friday throughout the last several weeks of school
• Visiting Year 1 classrooms and talking with their older peers

As a celebration of the students’ growth, development, and successes in K4, and in recognition of the next step, all K4 classes came together for the recent Celebration Assembly, and performed in front of their family and friends. The audience was entertained with a programme that was put together by the children about their interests, and featured songs in both English and Chinese. Before the event, each class discussed and determined what they would perform, and the students made their own colourful costumes.

The performance testified to that the K4 students, confident of taking to the stage, are ready for school with the “big kids”, and the performance also showcased the effectiveness of the ECE programme.

Ms Veronica Martin, ECE Co-ordinator, summarised the productive year in saying, “The K4 children have spent a successful year, or years in the ECE, becoming curious about the world and building a desire to wonder and learn. They have developed numerous academic skills that will help them make a smooth transition into Year 1 and beyond.”