New Warwick Academy Program For 4 Yr Olds
Warwick Academy will introduce a new Reception Year for 4 year-olds in September 2015, which they said will “provide a sound foundation for future academic, creative and physical development and success.”
Principal Maggie McCorkell stated: “After a great deal of strategic planning and time spent gathering community and stakeholder feedback, the Board of Governors of Warwick Academy have decided to implement a Reception Year Programme for 4 year-olds.”
Mrs. McCorkell continued: “The advantages of this are numerous for the students and will not only complete the school but also give our very youngest students the opportunity to learn through investigative play and take advantage of all the resources Warwick Academy has to offer.
“Learning outside the classroom, as well as inside, supports the development of healthy and active lifestyles, develops problem solving skills and children’s creativity and WA will play a beneficial role in shaping our young people to be productive members of society just as it has done over the past 4 centuries.”
“Young children need space, and the extensive playing fields, sports hall and swimming pool at Warwick Academy will become their classrooms so they can explore and discover through sensory and physical experiences. They will have the benefit of being taught by subject specialists in modern foreign languages and physical education.”
“This programme will allow a seamless transition into the Warwick Academy Primary Year 1 class and provide a sound foundation for future academic, creative and physical development and success.
“The Reception Year will be housed in a secure, stand-alone, specially re-designed building on the School Campus, and will be led by teaching professionals specifically trained for this age group.”
Mrs. McCorkell finished by saying: “Parents who are interested in receiving additional information should email Admissions Director, Mrs. Rochelle Lee, at rlee@warwickacad.bm.”
I just hope this program doesn’t force feed the kids academic learning too early. Too many schools are subscribing to the principles of force feeding the kids. Some nurseries have the kids doing homework and projects every night at age 3. What happened to learning through play? While I don’t know Warwick’s curriculum, I know some nurseries are overdoing it with the academia. I think these foundation years are really just for the schools to solidify their incomes and guarantee admissions for P1. This will be to Warwick and Saltus and Somersfield’s benefit, but to the detriment of the smaller community preschools. Next, they will be taking them at 3.
From what I’ve heard, Saltus is actually planning a 3 year old program. The one major concern I have with these programs is that they only attract parents that can afford the costs, a majority of which will be expats. I think alot of locals try to save up by using the Governmemnt Preschool programs and such to send their children to Private schools, and now the available places to them will be fewer, because the parents that can afford these early years programs already have their kids locked in. The kicker is that alot of expats get their childrens schooling paid for by the companies they work for. Warwick academy has probably the most diverse student body of any of the private schools, and I fear than by adding these early year programs they are going to unwittingly change the makeup of their student body.
I believe that if Warwick is intentional about being inclusive than they can encourage diversity. Our island needs more environments that support inclusion of different peoples, it’s for the long term good and healing for the hundreds of years that we had racial injustices. Hopefully the Board of Governors understands the significant impact diversity will have not just at WA but the entire community.
*then
Unattractive as it may sound but…not every one qualifies for the “Ivy League”…understand me now and don’t get me wrong, if you know what i mean.
I think this is a very negative and erroneous comment. Saltus are not about to open a 3 year old program and all the private schools have places available for children all the way up the school. My children have been at Saltus for years and I have only ever encountered 1 company who offered free schooling to their very highest paid executives as part of their package, so this is a massive generalisation. Saltus could certainly learn from Warwicks diversity particularly in the younger years. However to do that they would have to lower fees and I’m not sure they can afford for that to happen. Currently the lower age groups of all the private schools massively fund the older years of the schools which are significantly more diverse. So be careful what you wish for!
Saltus are certainly looking into doing a two year foundation program, and no the private schools do not have places for children all the way up the school, especially Warwick which mostly has only has two streams in each primary year, unlike saltus which has 3 or 4 I believe. Just because you may have the money does not mean your getting your child in, especially once kids will be locked in that attend the foundation year. You are correct that I may have been over reaching with the number of expats that have their kids schooling paid for, but it does happen, and the fact is they are also make more than locals on average.
Overdoing it how? Are you in the academic field? Have you studied the social and academic impact that it has on kids that start reading and writing early? Both of my kids (boy 9 and girl 6) have benefited tremendously and they are top of their class in the public school system with nothing less than a 95% in both math and english. Their grades have been like this from the first day they started P1 due to the homework and project assignments that they received in their preschool. This also allowed me as a parent to get more involved and allocate the time needed for their studies. They are thriving in sports and within any social circle. I don’t know what you have heard or experienced but for me and my growing family it was the best foundation I could have given them.
I would venture to say your kids would have been doing well regardless. If a child is gifted or has academic potential they will succeed regardless of if they are force fed at 3 or 5.
Personally, I prefer my child to be a child and enjoy playing and exploring. The learning will come automatically.
Good thing it’s not mandatory, then. It’s your choice how you want your child to learn. Though the article seems to indicate that the program will be focused on investigative play.
Congratulations Warwick Academy and welldone!
Oh please, it’s just a waste of money. My children are doing just fine in the public school system thank you very much.
Says a lot about your intelligence (or lack thereof) if you think the public system is “just fine”. Way to care about your kids’ futures… at least Chris Furbert can count on some new recruits in 15 years!
Unnecessary comment…..What does Chris furbert have to do with this?……Don’t cry down public schools..It’s what YOU make it. Private schools turn out some ‘not so great’ students as well….I know some that have been locked up, are on drugs, have attempted suicide, are drunks, etc so please stop with your foolish comments and negative personal attacks…..
and the segregation and stereotypes continue.
It’s not about white and black you tool. There are plenty of smart, talented kids of all races receiving a high quality education at the private schools and there are plenty of smart, talented kids of all races being let down by the public system.
I didn’t mean racial segregation. I meant classism and basic segregation just based on what school you attend.
You may be biting off more than you can chew! Do a better job at teaching the children you have before attracting others. Also, take the key out of that huge trash compactor in the yard before some child gets hurt, it’s there all day, every day.
Great! Another private school, who already makes lots of money, taking business away from the smaller schools and day care businesses. You get the students at age 5, parents sign their kids up with you are birth, why encroach on the 4 year old group/business. You are will limit all other facilities to babies and under 4s when many of them are qualified and have comparable preschool programs. Please rethink this. Your share of the pie is already big enough, leave something for the little guy please!
If you’re concerned about losing customers because of it, maybe you should compete better. Offer what they offer. Better still, offer something they don’t. You’ve got a year to come up with something.
There is no reason a small business can compete with Warwick Academy. In economics, its call economies of scale. They, by virtue of their size and numbers can out price the smaller businesses. We are doing what they are not doing, we education children under the age of 4 but unlike Warwick Academy we have to compete with 200 other businesses and not just a few private schools. So before you make such silly comments, please do your research in early childhood education because there are good pre-schools out there and we don’t need the added pressure of increased competition in an already saturated market.
Biting off more than you can chew? Try and do a better job at teaching the children you have before attracting others.