KRB Early Years Philosophy
The Early Years at KRB is the home of our youngest learners and the first step in the KRB journey. Inspired by Madeleine Sophie Barat, Foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart, our Early Years is a warm, innovative and exciting environment where children are encouraged to learn with both their heart and their mind.
Sophie’s Place and Joigny hold special significance within our community. Sophie’s Place honours Madeleine Sophie Barat’s lifelong dedication to education, while Joigny is named after her birthplace in France. Both spaces embody her vision for young children, places where curiosity, wonder and joy are nurtured every day.
Our educators are committed to teaching Catholic values through the Sacred Heart Goals in an inclusive and respectful way. We foster in each child a strong sense of community, belonging and citizenship. We also encourage children to care for creation and to develop a lifelong respect for the natural world.
We hold a strong Image of the Child: each one is seen as capable, confident, unique and full of potential. Children are encouraged to wonder, explore, dream and investigate alongside their educators. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, Forest Schools philosophy, Harvard University’s Cultures of Thinking Project and the Early Years Learning Framework, our program invites children to become researchers in their own learning, developing critical thinking and creativity through authentic experiences.
The environment itself is the third teacher (parents are the first teacher and our early years teachers are the child’s second teacher). Our carefully designed indoor and outdoor spaces are warm, inviting and stimulating, encouraging curiosity, exploration and discovery. From creative play to “Wild Time” in nature, children develop resilience, independence and an ecological identity, learning to love and care for the world around them.
Parents are our partners in education, and the strong connection between school and home is central to all that we do. We value and encourage family involvement in learning, celebrating the voices of children and parents together in our community.
Our philosophy is grounded in the belief that young children flourish in an atmosphere of joy, belonging and respect. It is here, at the beginning of their KRB journey, that children develop the confidence, imagination and love of learning that will carry them into the future.