BILINGUAL EARLY YEARS (PRESCHOOL)
Discover Early Years (Age 3-5) at ICS Côte D’Azur
Education is the greatest gift we can give our children. Here at ICS Côte d’Azur International School , we provide a world-class IB education in a warm, stimulating environment from age three upwards.
We are the only bilingual IB school on the French Riviera offering the Primary Years Programme. Exceptional teachers ensure a nurturing and personalised experience, offering students an inquiry-based approach to learning.
One of the best ways to get to know us is to visit. Simply fill in the form and our Admissions team will be in touch to arrange an appointment.
We can’t wait to show you how we nurture each student’s unique journey!
Why choose our international preschool near Nice, France ?
Exceptional teachers
A culture of care
STE(A)M programme
LEGO Partnership
IB PYP programme
Bilingual school (ENG/FR)
Dedicated facilities
Specialist-led classes
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"The school is definitely a breath of fresh air."
- Aleida Restrepo, parent
Welcome from the head of the bilingual preschool
"It is with great humility and gratitude that I am responsible for the Early Years department and for the well-being and safety of students at ICS Côte d'Azur.
Passionate about early childhood, I have always admired the human capacity to learn, evolve, and self-reflect. I am aware of the challenges young children face growing in a world created by and for adults. At ICS, we are honoured to build a secure environment focused on the child, and their physiological, physical, and emotional needs.
The influential role of adults in the evolution and lives of young children is a subject the school takes very seriously. In my view, it is our duty to provide our students with the best conditions, and the most innovative programs and methods that resonate with the latest discoveries in neuroscience to enable them to learn and grow in complete serenity.
We dedicate a lot of energy to differentiating and adapting our teaching methods according to the personality and cognitive functioning of our learners. It is essential for us to support our students in who they are and what they aspire to become; without putting them into boxes that are sometimes far too narrow for their ambitions.
To achieve these objectives, I am proud to be accompanied by a team of passionate teachers and assistants, chosen and recognized for their professional skills, but also their human and emotional qualities. Kindness and rigour are two essential and complementary values that guide our daily routine.
A child's first years at school are crucial for their development and to nurture a love of learning. In the Early Years at ICS Côte d'Azur, we strive to fill each day with joy and happiness for every child. We impart knowledge and cultivate skills, but most importantly, we forge lasting memories and meaningful connections.
Welcome to ICS Côte d'Azur, where our culture of care is the beating heart of our school."
Morgane Scherlen,
Head of Early Years & Pastoral Care
The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) from the age of 3
At ICS Côte d’Azur, our early childhood education follows the bilingual IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for ages three to five.
Our early years children join Kindergarten 1 (KG 1), for ages 3 to 4, and Kindergarten 2 (KG 2) for ages 4 to 5. Children are in a class group with a maximum of 22 students and once of primary-age, they continue through Years 1 to 6 before moving to their next chosen school.
Our bilingual preschool
Our bilingual preschool is housed in a separate area, complete with a French classroom, an English classroom, a library, an afternoon sleep facility, a customised outdoors area and a playground.
Early learners have specialist-led classes in music and sports in dedicated spaces both indoors and outdoors.
A bilingual French-English education
Each child at our international school in Valbonne has two homeroom teachers: one who teaches in French and one who teaches in English. Early learners are also supported by our teaching assistants. Students study one day in French, the following day in English.
Our early years classes have the same hours as the primary section, from 8:15 to 15:45, except for Wednesdays, when our teachers and assistants provide a complimentary half-day programme between 8:15 and 12:00 that early learners attend for activities, crafts and play.
Click the image below to see an example of a weekly KG1 timetable.
Our bilingual preschool curriculum
The curriculum integrates England’s national guidelines for early learning: the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework.
The EYFS outlines seven areas of learning that engage children through project-based and play-based learning:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
These areas are integrated into the inquiry-based approach of the IB PYP.
During the early years, children are nurtured physically, socially and intellectually through a combination of personalised care and group interaction. Through a hands-on approach to learning, children experiment and play in a stimulating indoor and outdoor environment.
We pride ourselves on cultivating an atmosphere where children learn at their own pace through art, storytelling, songs and imaginative play.
Teachers at our bilingual preschool enjoy taking learning outside of the classroom; these experiences might include a visit to an aquarium or a local museum. Craft makers and external specialists are also welcomed into the school to spark curiosity in students through activities such as cheese-making or meeting a beekeeper and live performances.
Our students are supported and encouraged by our dedicated Early Years team as they become confident and independent, igniting a love of learning until they are ready for Primary School.