The Early Childhood program at Berkeley Hall, which begins at age three, is the seed of our K-8 program, in which a love for learning, respect and appreciation for others, and a joyful discovery of each child’s own unique gifts, are nurtured and cultivated.
- Nursery applicants must turn three prior to September 1 of their entry year. If accepted, they must be fully potty-trained prior to beginning school in September.
- Early Kindergarten applicants must turn four prior to September 1 of their entry year.
- We evaluate all Early Childhood applicants for development readiness during a morning visit in January and February.
Young children learn best from the satisfaction of hands-on immersion in a variety of experiences. Letting the children’s interests be the engine, academic investigation in the nursery and early kindergarten is self-paced and fun. We believe all children are gifted in special ways, and activities are designed to nurture and highlight their individual talents.
As with our K-8 program, the Early Childhood Department focuses on a balanced program with activities that are appropriate for the maturity and readiness of each child and cover all areas of development — social, emotional, academic, and moral.
The work of young children is play, and our teachers provide opportunities to experience this vital activity. The Golden Rule is the basis by which the nursery and early kindergarten students learn to get along.