Daily Routine and Schedule

Our Classes

We have two classes. The younger children are in a class named Sprouts (2 to 3 years olds) and the older children are in a class named Explorers (4 to 6 year olds). Our morning session has an international teacher working alongside our great Timorese teachers 3-5 days a week. Our afternoon sessions are run by our Timorese teachers and as well as our international volunteers. We also accommodate full-day children which stay for lunch and have a rest time and they then join with the afternoon session.

Children will move automatically from one class to the other when they are ready, this is not always based on their age but can also be based on their development and their readiness for a more structured classroom environment. During the transition period between classes all teachers will work together to make it as smooth, transition as possible.

Arrival and Departure Time

Arrival and departure time provides children and parents with the opportunity to have a relaxed start and finish to their school day. The morning session starts at 9am and we please ask parents not to arrive before 8:45am.  Our afternoon session starts at 2pm and again we ask parents not to arrive before 1:45pm.  Our morning session finishes at 12pm and our afternoon session finishes at 4pm.

Children must always be brought into their room by a parent or caregiver and we ask that you sign in on the attendance roll. We encourage you to spend a few minutes with your child before leaving and also spend a few minutes at pick-up times to either view your child’s work or have a quick chat with a teacher to discuss your child’s day.

Parents please contact the preschool coordinator or the Ba Futuru office if you’re going to be late picking up your child.  If you are late we ask you to sign a late form and after three times we will send out a late letter asking you to pay an extra 10% to the monthly fee.

When registering your child we ask parents to provide details on authorized persons to collect your child at pick up times.  We will only allow authorized people to collect your child as stated in our health and safety policy. We will ask the person who has come to collect your child/children for ID.

If there’s a family emergency and you cannot accommodate the regular pick-up and drop-off times please contact our Ba Futuru teaching team.

Small Group Learning

Small group learning activities are planned and facilitated by teachers relating to the curriculum content. Children are encouraged by teachers to join these activity groups.  They consist of 2-6 children, which we believe provides valuable teaching and learning moments for all the children.

Play-Based Learning P.B.L

During play-based learning our children can engage in any of the many activities on offer. These consist of water, sand, dough, arts, music, carpentry, physical movement (fine and gross), science, gardening, construction, cooking, dramatic play, stories, a large variety of manipulative resources, or Maths and literacy areas. Children may choose to work independently, with another peer, or in small groups. During these sessions there is ample opportunity for teacher supported learning in the context of children’s self-directed play.

Mat Time (Big Group Learning Time)

Big group learning time starts with our welcoming songs. We share general information, followed by brain gym.  We discuss the calendar and weather. We use this time to share ideas about our planned learning project, finding out what our children know and don’t know.

Children have opportunities to practice and enhance their social skills by actively participating in these mat times and sharing their ideas and knowledge, thereby building up competence and confidence in a large group.

Story Time

Story time is usually at the end of the session, but teachers also read stories to small groups of children spontaneously throughout the day. Books are a great way for children to get exposure to print and language. It helps children to become familiar with sounds and words. Children learn to listen, comprehend and enjoy stories. Reading stories stimulates children imagination and helps them learn about the world around them. It’s also a great time for teachers to bond with students and share time together one-on-one.

Transition Class for gifted children and children of five years

Our programme gets children ready for grade one of primary school. When children are in their fifth year we expand our Jolly Phonics Programme, so children learn to blend sounds together and start reading.  We also encourage children to write correctly by learning the correct way to form symbols.  Our Montessori Maths Programme is delivered and moves according to the rate of the learner. Therefore our students are very well prepared to start grade one.

Snack time (Morning and Afternoon Tea)

Snack time, is a time for children and teachers to recharge their energy and hydrate their bodies. We provide local fresh healthy food that is prepared by our cook (sometimes our children also help to prepare food). Children sit at a supervised table to eat and drink, usually after one hour of the session starting, however if a child is thirsty or hungry at other times, they will be provided for. We ask parents to pack a named drink bottle with water only, if your child has other requirements please speak to your child’s teacher.

Physical Movement Programme (P.M.P)

Movement is the center of young children’s lives. Through active movement experiences children explore their physical space and understand how their bodies move in space. Gross motor development requires thought and deliberate movement, our teachers set up a stimulating and challenging physical movement programme for children to practice their skills of, throwing, catching, bouncing and kicking.

Place Based Education (P.B.E)

Our Explorers Class goes on an excursion once a week to explore what’s happening in the larger Dili community. These experiences are enriching for our children. They gain knowledge about the place that they live. We use these experiences as a foundation for learning more about language, art, maths, science, and other subjects across the curriculum.