Early Years and Primary

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Time for discovery

Creativity, curiosity and independence

At our school, we believe that the early years of a child’s education are a time of discovery, growth and wonder. Everything we do in Early Years and Primary is designed to foster a love of learning, creativity and curiosity, and to encourage pupils’ independence within a safe, supportive and stimulating environment. We strive to provide every child with a solid foundation that will serve them throughout their academic journey and beyond. We recognise that every child is unique and are committed to offering a learning experience tailored to their individual needs and aspirations. Early Years and Primary encompasses The English Nursery (Pre-Nursery and Nursery) and Pre-Primary up to Year 4, catering for children aged 2 to 11. From the very start of their school journey, we offer a bilingual educational model that empowers our students to achieve B1 or B2 level proficiency in English by the end of primary school. Furthermore, we introduce French as a third language from Year 3 onwards, broadening their linguistic and cultural horizons.

Our aim is not just to teach children, but to empower them: by encouraging them to think critically, explore their interests and build meaningful connections with their classmates and teachers.

Key Information of our Section

Dedicated support

Full-time Teaching Assistant in the classroom from Pre-Nursery to Grade 2.

Collaborative support

Full-time Teaching Assistant working across Grade 3 and Grade 4 classrooms.

An enriching school day

The school day begins at 7.30 a.m. with a period set aside for organisation and settling in, followed by six 50-minute lessons, a 30-minute morning break and an hour for lunch and break time.

Multidisciplinary learning

We have specialist teachers for Spanish, Art, Music, Drama, Physical Education and Rhythm, who teach in both English and Spanish.

Exploration clubs

An opportunity to join clubs run by teachers and chosen by students during school hours.

Comprehensive services

Ofrecemos refrigerio matutino, almuerzo, actividades extracurriculares y el programa deportivo TES (desde Primaria).

Exceptional resources for cutting-edge learning:

Interactive whiteboards in every classroom.

ICT Room for Early Years with 25 iPads.

Primary school ICT room with 25 Windows devices.

Mobile classrooms equipped with iPads and Android tablets.

A makerspace equipped with robots (BlueBot, MatataLab, Mtyni, Botley, Lego WeDo 2.0, Lego EV3 – Spike – Arduino – Microbit), electronics and sensors.

State-of-the-art 3D printer.

Various construction tools.

Interactive learning platforms.

Specialist library for the early years.

A fully equipped library for primary school pupils.

Robust and engaging teaching materials.

Dedicated rooms for occupational therapy.

Versatile multi-purpose rooms.

A kitchen designed for teaching and experimentation.

Modern science laboratory.

School garden for hands-on learning.

Specialised venues for music, theatre and art.

Mirror room for psychomotor development.

A gym with mats for safe physical activity.

Safe and stimulating playgrounds.

How do our Early Years and Primary pupils learn?

At The English School, learning flourishes through wonder, curiosity and the magic of independent discovery – a process we call inquiry, which lies at the heart of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). Our approach goes beyond academic knowledge, fostering a holistic education in which children become curious inquirers, critical thinkers, effective communicators, and well-rounded, reflective and caring individuals. During this crucial stage, we foster autonomy in learning and the construction of knowledge through active exploration and meaningful connections with the real world, integrating various areas of study within a transdisciplinary conceptual framework.

Meet our dedicated team

We have a team of educators who are passionate about helping our students thrive and inspiring them.

Kristine Ertl

Directora de Años iniciales y Primaria

In 2009, I left the United States to embark on a long career in international education. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Education and, later, my master’s degree in Education, specialising in the globalisation of education and educational research. Over the course of those 10 years, I taught and led the curriculum in South Korea, Turkey and Mexico before joining The English School in 2019, where I began as the PEP coordinator and, three years later, took on the role of Head of Early Years and Primary. On my journey to leadership, I also obtained certifications and specialisations in learning and teaching, as well as in educational leadership, from prestigious universities such as Cambridge and the Harvard Business School and Graduate School of Education. I look forward to continuing my professional career at The English School, raising my daughter within this wonderful community, and continuing to make a positive impact on the life of every child who joins The English Nursery and The English School.

We have a highly qualified and experienced teaching team, all of whom hold degrees in Education with postgraduate qualifications in Education and Early Years Education, and in some cases, PhDs. The school offers ongoing professional development in the IB and teaching and learning, and, just as we do with our students, we encourage our staff to be lifelong learners.

In this section, we have more than ten foreign teachers. In each year group, we have at least one foreign teacher, maintaining a balance between local and foreign teachers in each year group to offer our students both global and local perspectives.

We have an interdisciplinary team comprising occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, school counsellors and subject teachers, who provide preventive support to children as they develop skills and consolidate their knowledge, whilst respecting the diversity and uniqueness of their learning journeys.

Through our social-emotional learning classes, we provide a space dedicated to understanding the emotional world, managing emotions in a healthy way and building positive relationships with peers, thereby cultivating essential life skills.

What makes us different?

At The English School, we maintain high standards in both academic achievement and personal development. However, we recognise and value the uniqueness of every child, understanding that not all paths lead to a traditional academic career. For this reason, we actively promote individual growth and celebrate the unique strengths of each student.

We firmly believe that, whilst there is no such thing as a perfect school for everyone, for those families seeking a solid education that also allows their children to flourish in their individuality, The English School is an exceptional place for them to shine and reach their full potential. We are a prestigious school in Bogotá that values authenticity.