The UNNS differs from other pre-schools in several ways.
The setting
A bucolic setting in an urban environment, the school nestles amid greenery in a quiet little cul-de-sac far from the noise and bustle of city streets. The children enjoy a private sunny garden itself surrounded by greenery (1500 square metres). Here they learn to observe nature and animal life, plant flowers and grow vegetables. The garden is a source of fundamental discoveries which enrich their understanding of the world.
Teacher-child ratio
Class size is limited to 18 children, enabling the teachers to get to know each child and his/her parents particularly well. This leads to an exceptional relationship between teacher, child and parents, not often found in larger schools. The headteacher meets with parents regularly to talk about their child’s development.
The child can come and play in the garden several times before he/she actually starts school and parents are welcome to stay at school during their child’s first few days to help him/her settle in and adapt . Once the school year is underway, parents who so wish can arrange a time with the teacher to come into the class and conduct a workshop or join in a particular activity with the children.
Multi-cultural contacts
The school is a place where the children come into contact with a variety of different cultures which widens their experience and broadens their outlook. They come to understand and then to respect other cultures and all that these entail: foreign languages, special customs, different kinds of food etc. On average, there are over twenty five nationalities represented in any given year.
This is not a bilingual but an international, multicultural school; the staff use English and French without actually teaching either one. The staff are all qualified teachers and they too are of various nationalities.
Preparation for primary school
The importance of the first five years of a child’s education is today widely recognised.
Children who come to the United Nations Pre-School will therefore be spending their most formative years here, years that will have tremendous significance on the rest of their lives.
The United Nations Pre-School does not seek to prepare children for any particular primary school; it is an independent institution organised to meet the specific needs of early childhood. The school aims to teach children how to learn by providing them with a multitude of experiences and the possibility of making their first discoveries under optimum conditions. The introduction they receive to the social aspect of life and the knowledge they gain permit them to adapt to any kind of primary schooling when they leave the United Nations Pre-School.
