Preschool

Learning begins with relationships.

We support each child with presence, care, and respect for their own pace.

At CRIAR Preschool, we create the foundations for learning experienced with emotional security, curiosity, and confidence.

It is during this early stage that relationships, the body, play, and discovery take centre stage, respecting each child’s pace and their unique way of being in the world.

We believe that learning begins long before formal content: it begins with the way a child is seen, listened to, and supported every day.

Our Distinctive Approach

How Preschool Is Experienced at CRIAR

Day-to-day life is organised with intention, balance, and presence.

Relationships and Emotional Security

Each child is supported closely and consistently, in an environment where they feel safe to explore, make mistakes, and grow.

Nature as a Learning Context

The outdoors is part of everyday life. Contact with the earth, the vegetable garden, and outdoor spaces is integrated into the routine and broadens the experience.

Structure and Routine with Intentionality

The day is organised with a balance between predictability and discovery. The routine integrates artistic, physical, and creative experiences that enrich each child’s journey.

English Integrated into Everyday Life

English is naturally present in the daily routine, through relationships and experience.

Play as a Driver of Development

Play is the space where children develop thinking, language, emotional regulation, and relationships with others.

What Is Part of Our Everyday Life

Throughout the week, different experiences structure the children’s growth, combining organisation, enrichment, and attentive support.

Pedagogical Organisation
- Mixed-age groups
- Small- and large-group work
- Individual choice moments
- Class diary and weekly council
Emotional Development and Self-Regulation
- Moments of pause
- Emotions Workshop
- Spaces for listening and support
Expression and Creativity
- Arts, movement, and music
- Vegetable garden and cooking
- Projects based on the children’s interests
Body and Nature
- Daily time outdoors
- One morning a week outside the school
- Vegetable garden and contact with the earth
Specialised Support
- Sound Workshop (5 years old)
- Emotions Workshop
- Psychological support integrated into the school

Preschool as the First Stage of a Coherent Journey

What we experience in Preschool is not isolated; it is part of a broader educational project that accompanies each child throughout their growth.

Relationships, rigour with humanity, and meaningful learning are principles that run throughout the entire school.

Explore the Pedagogical Project

Words from Those Who Are Part of CRIAR

Experiences lived in the day-to-day life of the school.

My daughters are valued for their individuality, and each of their interests and abilities is carefully considered in the learning process and in their school experiences. The teachers are warm and welcoming and know each student deeply, creating an environment of affection and attentiveness. In addition, the children are encouraged to respect differences and to foster collaboration among themselves.

Carolina, mother

More than just a school, at CRIAR we found a community that our family belongs to, where the children’s development is thought through together. A place where our daughters are seen and respected as individuals who live in society, and who have unique personalities, characteristics, and rhythms of development and learning.

Joana, mother

CRIAR School is, without a doubt, my children’s second home. A place they go to every day with joy, where they feel safe, respected, encouraged, welcomed, and valued.
Always supported by a fantastic, caring, and approachable team, who are there to support them on their unique journey. And, to top it all off: healthy food, outdoor space, and time to enjoy it!

Carolina, mother

Any Questions? We Have the Answers.

Flexible hours: from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

All meals are provided by the school, including the morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack. All meals are prepared daily in our kitchen, using mostly organic food, respecting seasonality and excluding processed products.

Children do not need to be toilet trained when they join our school. Toilet training is carried out in partnership between the school and the family when the child shows that they are ready.

There is no specific age at which children stop napping. A child naps for as long as they need to rest.

In preschool, English is integrated into the daily routine, and the teacher is in the classroom for an average of 3 hours per week. In addition to integrating English into the daily routine by speaking only in English, the teacher tells stories, sings songs, and plays games with the children.

The adaptation process is planned gradually and individually. We respect each child’s pace and coordinate this process with the family, adjusting timings and strategies whenever necessary.

The goal is for the child to feel safe, confident, and truly welcomed from the very first days.

Whenever we identify a specific need, we coordinate the pedagogical team with the school’s therapeutic team. The support may include observation in context, coordination meetings and, when necessary, assessments or individual sessions.

We work closely with families to ensure support that is coherent, continuous, and respectful of each child’s individuality.

The transition is built progressively throughout the final year of Preschool. We work on skills such as autonomy, self-regulation, language, and phonological awareness, always through experience and play.

Rather than anticipating formal content, we seek to ensure that each child arrives at Primary School with emotional security, curiosity, and a love of learning.

Would You Like to Get to Know CRIAR at Your Own Pace?

We are available to talk or welcome you for a visit.

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