Lily Valley

Going on your first preschool tour can be overwhelming. At the same time, you might feel a bit of urgency about sorting through your options efficiently. With the Early Childhood Agency (ECDA) overseeing over 1,500 centres today, you want to find the right fit fairly quickly! Knowing what to investigate is the key. This guide will give you a checklist of the questions to ask so that you can look beyond the surface and see how the school truly operates. 1. What’s the Teacher-Student Ratio? The ECDA sets mandatory minimum requirements for this, but many premium centres will try to provide even smaller groups of students per teacher. Ask specifically about the ratio for your child’s age group, as it may vary by group. Note that lower ratios are often associated with better social and emotional development, as well as more personalised learning.  2. What are the staff qualifications and turnover rates? What’s the professional background of the centre’s educators? How long have they sta...

  Choosing a childcare centre can feel like choosing a second home for your child. Beyond convenience, most parents want a place that supports learning, protects well being and helps little ones grow into confident, kind humans.  If you’re searching for a childcare centre in Singapore that families can trust, it helps to know what good looks like day to day.  A glossy brochure is nice, but quality shows up in routines, relationships and how teachers respond to real moments when in tears, conflict, curiosity and joy.  Here are key factors to guide your decision, with practical signs to look for during tours. And trust your instincts, too! A Warm, Responsive Teaching Team  In early childhood, relationships are the curriculum. A good centre hires educators who are trained and emotionally attuned.  Watch how teachers greet children, kneel to their eye level and speak with patience, especially when a child is upset or refusing to share.  Green flags includ...

Finding the right nursery school in Singapore for your child is perhaps one of the most challenging tasks any parent has to do! How do you even start with the overwhelming number of choices you have?   The good news is, whatever your parenting style is, there’s surely a nursery school out there that matches it!   To make things easier for you, we’re here to share our top picks for the best nursery schools in Singapore , with help from parents all over the island.   Read on below to learn what makes these nursery schools special!   1. Lily Valley   If you’re looking for an international nursery school in Singapore, then make sure to add Lily Valley to your shortlist!   This preschool is particularly known for its specialised learning ateliers where children can develop their critical thinking and creativity outside of the traditional classroom setting. Some of the target learning areas include language, visual arts, gardening and food literacy.   Using...

Need help rounding up prospects for nursery schools in Singapore? You’re in luck because we have some great recommendations we’d love for you to check out! Most parents don’t know where to start when it comes to finding the right preschool to kickstart their child’s education, so we’re here to make things a bit easier by doing some legwork ourselves. Here’s a quick introduction to some of the best nursery schools in Singapore ! 1. Lily Valley Lily Valley is an international preschool that’s open to children aged eighteen months to six years old, providing them with an inclusive and encouraging learning environment. It’s also a non-profit institution! Their teaching philosophy and pedagogy is based on the Reggio Emilia approach. This means their programmes focus on experience-based learning, developing children’s skills and interests by exposing them to stimulating learning environments. That’s why they have specialised learning ateliers designed to foster creativity, streng...

Singapore’s education system remains one of the best in the world, with its students consistently scoring high in worldwide education rankings. Just like any other education system around the world, Singapore’s starts with preschool. It’s not mandated by law, but parents choose to send their children to nursery schools to equip them with the necessary skills and attitude that prepare them for lifelong learning. Read on below for an overview of what makes nursery schools in Singapore great! Preschools in Singapore Preschool in Singapore is categorised into four levels: nursery 1, nursery 2, kindergarten 1 and kindergarten 2. The purpose of nursery and kindergarten schools is to look after children and help them develop a wide range of skills (physical, emotional, social, and cognitive) that will prepare them for Singapore’s rigorous formal education system. More than anything, preschool should be safe and encourage space for children to grow, play, learn, and discover their...