Early Years in Santiago

The adventure of learning begins

At Chester College in Santiago de Compostela, the Early Years stage lays the foundations for each child’s learning and personal development within a nurturing, stimulating environment that invites them to discover the world with curiosity, confidence and joy.

Our approach combines real linguistic immersion in English (approximately 50% of school time, with native-speaking teachers), personalised attention to identify and nurture natural talents and areas for growth, and daily activities in music, art, sport and nature. The aim is clear: to build a solid base for long-lasting, meaningful learning, while nurturing curiosity, creativity and a genuine love of learning.

What makes our Early Years unique

A bilingual English-Spanish programme

From day one, children learn and use English naturally throughout the day, immersed in rich communication with teachers and peers.
Spanish develops alongside it within a carefully balanced bilingual environment that helps children become confident, expressive, and curious learners.
Our Early Years team includes native English-speaking teachers and highly qualified Spanish-speaking specialists who guide each child with warmth, professionalism, and a deep understanding of early development.

Personalised attention: the privilege of supporting each child closely

Our small class sizes allow us to truly know each child, nurture their strengths, and support areas that need encouragement.
This close attention builds a strong sense of trust and belonging, supporting each child’s balanced emotional development.

Learning and playing go hand in hand

Our active methodology combines play, hands-on learning, and exploration. We encourage children to enjoy learning through direct experience: observing, touching, experimenting, and creating.
The school’s natural surroundings on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela provide an ideal setting for movement, discovery, and a meaningful connection with the environment. Music, visual arts, and physical expression form part of everyday life.
And yes—touching soil, getting messy, and discovering with their hands is essential, because that is how real learning happens.

Learning areas in Early Years

At Chester College, we do not simply accumulate subjects: we help shape people.

The daily life of our Early Years children is organised around key areas of learning that we consider essential for their holistic development:

Communication, language and early literacy in English

Children learn and use English naturally and progressively through daily exposure and continuous interaction with native-speaking teachers specialised in early childhood education.

Language development, thinking skills and early literacy in Spanish

Spanish develops in parallel, stimulating comprehension, reasoning and oral and written expression. Vocabulary growth, reading comprehension and early writing are encouraged in a playful and motivating environment that teaches children to think, to express themselves and to share what they feel and discover.

Lingua Galega

Through weekly sessions, children become familiar with our Galician language, with learning centred on oral communication. This opens their minds —and their ears and hearts— to this language that is so much part of our culture.

Early mathematical thinking

Mathematics is approached through concrete, hands-on activities: grouping, classifying, counting, comparing, measuring… Children learn by playing with real materials and discovering patterns and relationships. We foster mathematical understanding and reasoning, alongside early numeracy skills.

Knowledge and understanding of the world

No abstract concepts: we use real life as our classroom. What they see in the park, at home or on a school outing becomes the starting point for learning.

They discover animals and insects, plants, seasons, food, and their own bodies. Each meaningful theme becomes a laboratory of exploration, observation and wonder.

Music

We promote early musical stimulation through singing, rhythm and movement. Listening skills, attention, coordination and musical awareness are all strengthened.

From age 5, children are introduced to the violin through an age-appropriate methodology that nurtures artistic sensitivity.

Art and creativity

Creativity is practised daily. Children explore materials, textures, colours and shapes, developing imagination, fine motor skills and hand–eye coordination. Art is approached as a space for freedom, expression and discovery.

Physical education and motor development

Daily movement in contact with nature. Through play and physical activity, children strengthen their bodies, improve coordination, learn to cooperate and enjoy the outdoors.

Daily physical education is an essential part of our educational project.

Values

We promote the Christian values that inspire school life —generosity, respect, service to others and personal growth— within a warm and empathetic environment where every child feels part of a community in which everyone matters.

Supporting children’s learning

Progress reports

Three times during the school year, teachers prepare Progress Reports that highlight the child’s achievements, effort and attitude, as well as any areas that may require further attention or reinforcement.

They are a key tool for monitoring progress and supporting continuous development

Parent-teacher meetings

The teaching team is always available to discuss any relevant aspect of a child’s development.

Chester College actively encourages the involvement of families and a shared educational approach: we all work together in the same direction, for the wellbeing and growth of every child.

Learning Newsletters

Each month, families receive our Learning Newsletters, which summarise the objectives that will be worked on in class and beyond across the different areas.

Their purpose is to strengthen the bridge between home and school, supporting communication about what children are learning and offering guidance for families who may wish to accompany their progress at home.

Next steps

By the end of the Early Years stage, children have acquired the tools they need to begin Primary Education with confidence.

This next stage consolidates and expands the foundations laid in Early Years, fostering autonomy, critical thinking and a love of learning — always within a nurturing, stimulating environment.