1. Does the kindergarten divide classes into junior, middle, and senior grades by age? What is the minimum age for enrollment? How many children are there in each class?
A: The kindergarten offers three class types: the Toddler Class for children aged 1.5-3, the Montessori Mixed-Age Class (PreK Class) for children aged 3-5, and the K Class for children aged 5-6. Each class has a maximum enrollment of 20 children (excluding faculty and staff).
2. What is the kindergarten's faculty strength like?
A: The teacher-to-child ratio for the Toddler Class is 1:5, with one foreign teacher present in the class throughout all day around, one Chinese lead teacher, and two teaching assistants. The Montessori Mixed-Age Class is staffed with four teachers: one full-day foreign teacher, one Chinese lead teacher, and two teaching assistants. The K Class has three teachers: one full-day foreign teacher, one Chinese bilingual lead teacher, and one teaching assistant. All foreign teachers are certified professionals with relevant backgrounds and hold TESOL or TEFL certificates. The kindergarten does not have dedicated nursery nurse positions; all teachers hold a bachelor’s degree or above and are fluent in English. Currently, 44% of Chinese teachers are returnees from overseas, and 40% hold a master’s degree or above.
3. Does the kindergarten provide school bus service?
A: Yes, the kindergarten currently operates 4 school bus routes, covering a radius of approximately 10 kilometers.
4. Do the kindergarten students have enough outdoor activity time?
A: Children have about one hour of outdoor activity time and various physical education courses every day.
5. Does the kindergarten enroll students with non-local household registration?
A: The kindergarten has no restrictions on household registration and nationality for admission.
6. What are the kindergarten's daily drop-off and pick-up times?
A: The kindergarten opens for drop-off at 7:45 AM daily. Breakfast starts at 8:00 AM, followed by class activities at 8:30 AM. Pick-up time is 4:45 PM from Monday to Thursday, and 3:00 PM on Fridays. An optional one-hour extended care service is available after school (not mandatory).
7. How does the kindergarten ensure food safety?
A: The kindergarten provides three daily meals and two snacks (no dinner is served on Fridays). It has its own kitchen and a permanent chef team. All food ingredients are accompanied by inspection reports, and no pre-prepared food is used.
8. Does the kindergarten have winter and summer vacations?
A: The kindergarten follows an international school calendar, with 180 school days per academic year. Winter and summer vacations are provided, totaling three months. An optional summer camp and childcare program is available during the summer vacation (non-mandatory).
9. Does the kindergarten hold official school-running qualifications?
A: Yes, the kindergarten holds official private non-profit kindergarten qualifications and is listed in the kindergarten directory of the Haidian District Education Commission.
10. Can kindergarten graduates be directly admitted to the primary section of Daoxiang Lake School?
A: Students who meet the requirements can be directly promoted to the primary section of Beijing Haidian Daoxiang Lake School or THISDL International School.