Our Day at School
Where Learning, Joy and Connection Take Flight
A Modern Curriculum: Preparing Children for Tomorrow
The world is changing at an incredible pace and children need more than knowledge to succeed in following their dreams. At Bluebird, we take a forward thinking approach to curriculum design by carefully planning, preparing, and delivering experiences that equip children with the skills they will need for tomorrow.
- Classes & Coloured Hats
- Our Pillars
- Play Based Growth
- Creative Expression
- Our Garden
- The NEST
- Enrichment Programme
- Extra Murals
Bluebird Classes and Coloured Hats
Bluebird is known for its colour-coded classes, where children feel a strong sense of identity and belonging linked to their class hat colour.
When your child starts at Bluebird, they will be placed in a specific class determined by their age and date of birth. This in turn will guide their learning experiences.
Blue Hats and Green Hats:
✓ Children who are 2 and turning 3 within the year of admission.
Yellow Hats and Red Hats:
✓ Children who are 3 and turning 4 within the year of admission.
Purple Hats and Navy Hats:
✓ Children who are 4 and turning 5 within the year of admission.
Big C’s of 21st Century Learning
We have aligned our approach with the Big C’s of 21st Century Learning:
- Critical Thinking
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Creativity
- Citizenship
- Character Development
- Critical Thinking
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Creativity
- Citizenship
- Character Development
These pillars are woven into every aspect of the school day, ensuring that children don’t just learn content but develop the competencies to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
Through this integrated approach, Bluebird children are well prepared for their entry into formal education at primary school level. Not only as capable learners, but as happy, confident individuals ready to grow, contribute and shine.
Learning Through Play: The Golden Standard
At Bluebird, play is not an afterthought, it is the golden standard for early years learning.
We believe that it is through play, exploration and discovery that children’s learning becomes rich and deep. By engaging with one another and the world around them, children develop creativity, problem solving and critical thinking in ways that are joyful and lasting.
Our play based approach provides engaging, enriching activities and facilities that help children grow and blossom as they develop:
- Perceptual Skills
- Fine & Gross Motor Development
- Social & Emotional Development
- Language & Literacy (including isiZulu & Afrikaans)
- Numeracy
- Design & Technology
- Science
- Physical Education
- Drama
- Music & Movement
- Creativity
- Coding & Robotics
Through these experiences, children are empowered to explore, imagine and innovate, thereby laying strong foundations for lifelong learning.
Drama, Music, and Movement: The Bluebird Way
At Bluebird, drama, music and movement are not occasional or paid-for extras!
They are woven into the rhythm of every week and every child gets to experience this creative dimension of their learning alongside their peers. These experiences give children the chance to move, dance, improvise, express emotions and grow in language and confidence. Each class becomes a safe space for creativity, self expression and social emotional learning.
Weekly drama sessions invite children to step into new roles, explore stories and discover the joy of performance. Music classes nurture rhythm, listening and language development, while movement to music with our specialist adds a third dimension. A trifactor of fun, laughter and growth for children and staff alike! Together, these opportunities help children build resilience, empathy and a sense of belonging.
These weekly opportunities gradually build skills, confidence, and joy—culminating in our annual concert, where every child takes the stage to celebrate their growth. The concert is not just a performance; it is the culmination of a year’s worth of creativity, courage, and connection, and a true celebration of each child’s journey. Nothing like this happens by chance. It is the result of intentionality, careful guidance and the belief that drama, music and movement are powerful vehicles for learning and connection.
At Bluebird, we celebrate these milestones with pride, knowing that each child leaves the stage not only with applause, but with deeper confidence, joy and a lifelong love of creative expression.
The Bluebird Garden of Discovery: Nature as Classroom
On arrival at the gate, everyone is enchanted by the lush, green beauty of our garden.
It is so much more than a pre-primary playground with jungle gyms, swings, sand pits and bike tracks. While being all that, it is also a wonderland of magical nooks and crannies, special curated spaces and places to breathe, to create, to think, to wonder and to marvel.
Walking up the pathway is the first part of the magic: at metre intervals, little clay creatures appear in families from one to ten, inviting children to pause, count and explore. The rolling lawn, shady trees, ceramic animals hiding in the bush, the maze and the sound of the ever present hadedas set the scene for discovery and delight.
At the heart of this landscape lies a circular, raised stage area, surrounded by various levels of lawn, grassy areas and wooden ramps and steps. This is an intentional design that invites children to climb, balance and move with confidence.
These features are not accidental; they are carefully crafted to enhance reflexes, coordination and balance in subtle, joyful ways. What looks like play is, in fact, a playground offering that quietly targets areas of growth, ensuring that every child’s development is nurtured through wonder, movement and imagination.
Authentic, real, muddy and marvellous, our garden is intentionally planned to be an extended classroom, where children experience the outdoors as it should be.
Here, the classroom extends into nature, where the simple act of caring for animals creates authentic, memorable experiences that enrich children’s growth and sense of connection. Every day in the Bluebird Garden is a unique experience: An opportunity for self expression, sensory play and artistic creation.
Some of the exciting “nooks and crannies” include:
The Maze
A child-sized labyrinth that encourages adventure, problem-solving, decision-making, and playful exploration as children discover new paths and build confidence with every turn.
The Friendship Garden
An inviting space where children imagine, create, and express themselves. Whether chatting on the Friendship Bench, talking to the wise old owl, rearranging creatures, or weaving stories together, friendships and creativity flourish here.
The Sensory Garden
A rich tapestry of textures, scents, sounds, colours, and natural elements that engage the senses, spark curiosity, encourage discovery, and support meaningful learning through exploration.
The Duck Pond
A whimsical wonderland where five little beaded ducks and their family preside over bird baths and lush greenery, inspiring children to observe, nurture, and develop a deeper appreciation for nature.
The Story Corner
A shaded nook beneath the trees, filled with beanbags and cushions for quiet moments of connection. From isiZulu lessons, 6 Bricks activities, Science experiments and Yoga4Kids to shared story time, this special space celebrates imagination, learning, and the joy of being together.
The Bunny Hutch
One of the most treasured corners of the Bluebird Garden, where children delight in visiting the bunnies each day. Feeding them, watching them hop about, and spotting tiny babies peeking out from hiding creates moments of wonder, responsibility, and joy.
The NEST: Where Every Child's Strengths Take Flight
Integrated Support for Inspired Growth
At Bluebird, we are committed to bringing out the best in every child, helping them to identify their strengths and providing reassuring support where needed.
Our Early Learning Support Specialist heads up the Nurturing, Extension, Support and Training (NEST) offering, which includes small group enrichment lessons and individual attention. All children benefit from the expertise of our Learning Support Specialist, Margareta Holleran, whose small group sessions bring thinking skills, problem solving, social emotional learning activities and more into joyful focus. She also plays a key role in supporting teaching staff by reinforcing concepts being covered in class, ensuring that learning is strengthened across the board.
Lara Breytenbach, our NEST assistant, joins the team three days a week to lead sensory adventures in our ‘Sensory Lab.’ Using overhead projectors, light tables and messy play, she invites children to explore learning through many different modalities, thereby engaging their senses, sparking curiosity and deepening understanding in playful, hands on ways.
This outstanding, fully integrated approach is part of the Bluebird offering and is woven seamlessly into the school day to provide a holistic support base and peace of mind for families. Here, every child is truly seen and celebrated, empowered to put down strong roots and spread their wings to fly.
Where necessary, an external team of specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Play Therapists provide early interventions and specialised instructional support. These services are outsourced, at an additional cost for parents involved. Margareta oversees this team of therapists, working closely with both parents and the school to ensure each child’s progress is fully supported.
Enrichment Programme
Igniting Curiosity, Creativity and Confidence.
Bluebird’s extended day includes an Enrichment Programme for all children, adding a further layer of quality input that sets our school apart.
This dynamic offering includes Coding4Kids, Yoga4Kids, Science and Environmental Discovery, and a MakerSpace approach to creative construction.
Our innovative STEAM Programme brings learning to life through integrated, project based experiences that highlight the design process in action.
The collaborative nature of these activities fosters social emotional development while nurturing curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. By embedding enrichment into the school day, Bluebird ensures that every child has access to opportunities that spark imagination, encourage resilience, and inspire a love of learning that extends far beyond the classroom.
Extra Murals
Exploring Passions, Building Skills, Celebrating Joy
Children in our middle and older groups can choose from a wide range of extra mural activities, offered onsite after regular school hours at an additional cost.
Options include:
- Playball
- Soccer Starz
- Tang Soo Do
- Pottery
- Ballet
These activities allow children to pursue passions beyond the classroom, building confidence, teamwork, discipline and creativity. Whether mastering a sport, expressing themselves through art, or discovering the joy of movement, Bluebird’s extra mural offering ensures that every child has the chance to explore their individuality, celebrate their talents and thrive in a supportive environment.
