BHS To Offer New Programme For 4-Year-Olds
The Bermuda High School announced today [Apr 27] that it will offer an Early Years Programme [EYP] for four-year-old girls, starting in September 2016.
The programme will feature themes, creativity and play, based on the Early Years International Primary Curriculum. It will follow the school academic calendar, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with additional options for afterschool care and themed camps during school vacations.
Head of Primary, Tina Harris, explained: “We are very excited about this new opportunity to meet the needs of our BHS families. Given that BHS is the only establishment offering single-sex education to girls on the island, extending our philosophy to our Early Years Programme was a natural decision.
“The BHS Early Years Programme will provide essential learning and social skills and creative exploration opportunities to ensure a smooth transition into primary school, as well as a caring, safe environment.
“The ratio of adults to children will be 1:10. We will have teachers qualified to deliver the Early Years curriculum. While the EYP will have its own building, modified for younger children and set apart from the main school, it will be part of the Primary Department.”
A maximum of 30 children will be accepted, housed on the BHS campus in a separate building with its own dedicated play area and equipment. “Curling House”, contiguous to the Primary playground, will be renovated and repurposed especially for the Early Years Programme. The cost of the programme will be in line with other private establishments.
Linda Parker, Head of School, said: “I am delighted with the addition of the Early Years Programme to the BHS offering. For quite some time now, we have been approached by parents looking for options for their preschool girls. We are responding to market demand by launching the EYP.
“Our Director of Admissions and Inclusion, Kurte Loescher [herself a former head of a local nursery and preschool], has reached out to a number of preschools in the community. She will work in partnership with the leaders of these preschools both to share how we can contribute to the preparation for successful entry into Primary 1, and to ensure that we attract a diverse cohort of children joining BHS. There will be no obligation to enrol girls in the BHS Early Years Programme in order to apply for entry into Primary 1.”
Mariette Savoie, Chair of the Board of Trustees, added: “The decision to start an Early Years Programme was made by the Board of Trustees after thoughtful deliberation and careful review of the preparation work completed by the School’s Leadership Team. We are confident that the young children joining us will receive the high-quality, nurturing experience that characterises the BHS learning environment.”
For further information about the BHS Early Years Programme, please contact Tina Harris at 278 3008 or tharris@bhs.bm. For application information, please contact Kurte Loescher at 278 3047 or kloescher@bhs.bm.
Read More About
Category: All
Everybody’s getting on board now with preschool education, it seems. Warwick Academy not too long ago, and now BHS.
money money money.
@ watching,
Exactly!!
It’s all about the money. Next up – opening the school to boys.
It’s a tough market for private schools… only Somersfield Academy has grown its enrollment consistently over the past 5 years – maybe that’s why they can somehow remain the most expensive.