Our curriculum
The MTK Preschool cares for and educates children aged 2-6 years.
In Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception, ages 2-5 we teach the internationally respected Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum (EYFS), a UK-authored curriculum adapted to an international context.
In Transition, ages 5-6 we teach the internationally respected Cambridge curriculum, a UK-authored curriculum adapted to an international context.
EYFS (Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception)
We take the approach that each child is unique, with special talents and abilities and an individual learning style. We acknowledge that children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates, and believe that all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected.
We see our children as resilient, capable, confident, self-assured and naturally competent learners from early ages. It is vital to develop positive supportive relationships to nurture an inquisitive approach to learning where making mistakes is viewed as an important part of the learning process. In educating our children to become strong, responsible, independent learners, our teachers recognise that the learning environment plays a key role in supporting and extending a child’s development.
Our Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception classes offer a safe, caring learning environment, which promotes physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being, with good communications skills, as part of the core curriculum. We have a strong focus on developing key literacy and numeracy skills, artistic abilities and interests and a general knowledge and understanding of the world.
Areas of Learning and Development
The EYFS curriculum is organised into seven areas of learning and development:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
We provide children with experiences and support which will help them to develop a positive sense of themselves and of others, respect for themselves and others, social skills and a positive disposition to learn.
- Communication and Language
Children’s learning and competence in communicating, speaking and listening is constantly supported and extended.
- Mathematical Development
We develop children’s understanding of Maths in a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practise and talk about their developing understanding.
- Understanding the World
We support children in helping them to make sense of the world through offering opportunities for them to use a range of tools safely; encounter creatures, people, plants and objects in their natural environments; undertake practical experiments and work with a range of materials.
- Physical Development
The physical development of students is encouraged through the provision of opportunities for them to be active and interactive and to improve their skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement.
- Expressive Arts and Design
Children’s creativity is extended by supporting their curiosity, exploration and play. Our students are provided with opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings, for example, through a variety of art, music, movement, dance, imaginative and role-play activities.
- Literacy Development
Children’s learning and competence in beginning to read and write is constantly supported and extended.
CAMBRIDGE STAGE 1 (Transition)
In Transition Class, ages 5-6 we teach the Cambridge Primary Stage 1 curriculum, an internationally respected curriculum for ages 5-11 that is specifically designed for delivery in an international setting.
Cambridge Primary Stage 1 provides a fun and imaginative basis for teaching and learning, incorporating rigorous and effective teaching of reading, writing, speaking and listening, mathematics and science.
Transition Class Curriculum Subjects:
- English
- PSHE (RULER) *
(Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) - Mathematics
- Azerbaijani
- Science
- STEAM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths with Computing skills) - Social Studies
(World History & Geography) - Music
- Art
- Physical Education
(Includes sports, games, gymnastics, dance and swimming)
What is PSHE and RULER?
Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence’s RULER programme forms the basis of students’ learning in PSHE lessons.
RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER supports the entire school community in:
- Understanding the value of emotions
- Building the skills of emotional intelligence
- Creating and maintaining a positive school climate
We’re proud to be Azerbaijan’s first (and currently only) RULER school!
For more information about the RULER approach, which permeates the whole school environment and all relationships at MTK, please see the link https://www.rulerapproach.org/
Meeting the needs of students who speak English as a Second or Additional Language
MTK is an internationally minded school based in a country where the native language is Azerbaijani; as such, our teaching staff are specialists at delivering lessons in English that are accessible to a diverse student group including children with beginner, intermediate and advanced/native levels of English.
We achieve this by providing differentiated tasks to students of different abilities, dual language resources, through widespread use of practical and experiential learning, through the provision of additional lessons for some learners and in a myriad of other ways.
In addition to the core teaching staff in your child’s Section (Preschool, Primary, Secondary) the school employs a qualified, experienced English as a Second Language & Learning Support (ESL & LS) Coordinator and a dedicated team of 7 additional ESL & LS Teachers who provide support and interventions to the students in Transition to Grade 8 with the explicit aim of raising their achievement to the level of age-related expectations in the fastest possible time.
Please ask our admissions team and academic management staff for further details.
Assessment
We closely monitor pupil progress and wellbeing, using methods such as the following:
- Upon entry, children are observed to inform a baseline assessment of their social skills, strengths, needs and interests. This provides an excellent basis to plan their learning.
- Every child in Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception’s progress is recorded using photos, videos and written comments which are shared with parents via the Seesaw online learning journal; these are regularly updated by teachers. Their progress is also tracked against age-related learning objectives by an EYFS profile document; it is regularly updated by teachers and shared when teachers and parents meet.
- Every child in Year 1 (Transition) completes phonics screening assessments, to assess the development of their reading skills, and a range of other age-appropriate standardised assessments tracking their achievement in the core curriculum subjects.
- Face-to-face Parent-Teacher Consultations occur on three occasions during the academic year. The first consultation focuses on children’s personal, social and emotional development and informs parents about their children’s settling in. The second meeting focuses on children’s achievement in the curriculum subjects, as well as their ongoing social and emotional development. The final consultation summarises the children's learning and personal development throughout the academic year.
- An end of Term 1, Term 2 and end of year written report is issued to every Transition Class student, providing feedback on their personal development and learning as well as their readiness for entry to Grade 1.
What makes MTK’s Preschool special?
The MTK Preschool provides pupils with:
- a high level of personal attention for every child
- high-quality teaching delivered by first-rate international and local teaching professionals
- a fully equipped contemporary learning environment with interactive whiteboards in every classroom
- (For ages 2-5) a varied and engaging Early Years curriculum
- (For ages 5-6) the prestigious Cambridge Stage 1 curriculum which provides an ideal foundation for children to achieve success in English, Mathematics and Science in their Primary and Secondary schooling.
- regular, high-quality feedback on personal development and learning, both face-to-face and via the SeeSaw app
- a rich and exciting programme of events, educational visits, clubs and performances, with regular opportunities for parent involvement
We designed our curriculum so that students who complete their education at MTK have a high level of choice and flexibility.
MTK graduates will possess full academic proficiency in English and fluency in native language also, meaning that a wide range of educational and career paths will be open to them at home or abroad.
More information: +994552028401
Registration: https://www.mtk.edu.az/en20/
E-mail address: admissions@mtk.edu.az
