Curriculum

English

Children must learn to read, write, and speak English. To our youngest students, good
stories offer fresh vocabulary, practice in listening, basic cultural knowledge and, above
all, the sense that reading can be fun. The progression from ‘learning to read’ to ‘reading
to learn’ is visible by the time children reach Class II.

Nursery and Preps

In preparation for reading and writing, elementary phonics is introduced and letter-sound
associations are emphasised. A significant part of each day is devoted to teacher-directed
story time, which stimulates students’ interest in reading and gives them the opportunity
to experience and discuss various forms of imaginative literature: fables, fairy tales,
poems, short stories and nursery rhymes. Teachers’ transcriptions of student stories
provide first experiences with the process of writing. Students are introduced to the
school library, where they learn its layout and rules and the proper care of books.

Classes 1 and 2

Phonics instruction continues, integrated with a carefully designed programme of reading
and writing. Students build vocabulary while they read – silently and aloud – a variety of
stories, poetry, fairy tales, folk tales and legends. Group reading of imaginative literature
emphasises the development of interpretive skills: making generalisations, drawing
inferences and determining character motivation and plot sequence. Grammar is
introduced: nouns, verbs and their agreement; elementary rules of punctuation and
capitalisation; and simple sentence structure. Instruction in writing begins and includes
attention to the alphabet, handwriting, spelling, syllabication, and reinforcement of
grammatical lessons. Children have frequent opportunities to share their reading and
writing with classmates. During library visits, students learn to identify books by their
titles, authors and illustrators. 

Number

Instruction in number emphasises thought, not just methodology and results. Story
problems are introduced early – not as a topic like addition or subtraction – but as an
indispensable tool of explanation and application.

Nursery and Preps

Children use woodblocks, interlocking cubes and other manipulatives to develop number
sense and to count and compare the sizes of sets. They solve story problems that
introduce simple addition and subtraction, classify objects, identify simple geometric
shapes and learn how to tell time.

Classes 1 and 2

Children learn to count, count back and skip count; estimate and compare sizes of sets;
recognize geometric shapes in a number of positions and classify them according to their
properties; measure time, volume and compare lengths; read simple graphs; solve story
problems that involve addition and subtraction of one and two digit numbers and are
introduced to the concept of simple multiplication and division; discuss coins and money
system; and are introduced to fractions.

Science

The aim of teaching science is to build on children’s natural sense of wonder and
curiosity. Science investigation involves exploring the environment through free and
structured play where children construct their own understandings from the experience of
discovery as well as develop important skills and attitudes.

Nursery and Preps

The emphasis is on the observation of familiar, everyday things. Children identify
common plants and animals; sense organs and their functions; the sun, Earth and moon;
heat and cold; light and shadow; common colours; and groupings of like objects.
Instruction encourages hands-on discovery and the exploration of objects and
phenomena.

Classes 1and 2

Topics include the characteristics and habitats of animals; pet care; the parts and growth
patterns of plants; differences between day and night; forms and sources of energy;
electricity; and materials. Children handle and observe growing plants; monitor and
record facts of their development; and perform simple experiments, predicting results and
testing their hypotheses. Topics in health include hygiene; nutrition; parts of the body and
ideas about growth; disease prevention; first aid and safety.

Social Studies

Although  young children may not be prepared to absorb sophisticated causal
explanations of our world’s complicated past and present, most of them come to the
Kindergarten already aware – through television and other media – of people and places
far beyond the streets between home and school. The children are introduced to the
meaning and importance of the flag and the national anthem.

Nursery and Preps

Historical understanding is encouraged by a focus on important holidays and the
individuals or groups they celebrate. Geography lessons begin with identification of
home and school address and include the names of community, region and nation.
Students are taught elementary concepts of distance and direction. Initial citizenship
education concerns the importance of school rules; the value of honesty, fair play and
hard work.

Classes 1 and 2

Civics instruction encourages good character through stories about moral problems and
their solutions; develops individual responsibility through assignment of classroom
chores. Students expand their understanding of the past through study of the lives and
accomplishments of important leaders. Timelines are used to promote a more concrete
understanding of past, present and future. Where appropriate, students explore their own
family backgrounds and discuss the customs and beliefs.

Urdu

The use of talk and discussion is central to teaching of Urdu language. It helps children to
gain fluency in the spoken language; clarify and interpret experience and acquire new
concepts. Story-telling is employed to extend vocabulary in all classes.

Nursery and Preps

The main focus is on listening and speaking. Through stories and rhymes children extend
their vocabulary. Recognition of the letters of the alphabet and their phonic association;
counting in Urdu up to 20; the names of colours and handwriting patterns are taught in
the initial years.

Classes 1 and 2

Further development in the areas of speaking and listening takes place through stories,
poems, role-play and group discussion. Children practice reading and writing simple text.

Islamic Studies

Classes 1 and 2

The main focus is to acquaint the students with introductory Islamic themes and
practices. Colouring, crafts, songs and rhymes; simple duas and manners in greeting and
eating; and stories from prophets’ lives are employed to reinforce values and basic
manners.