Early Learning Centre: Ages 3-5

Supporting Your Child’s Growth Across All Areas of Early Development

At ISBerne’s Early Learning Centre, children aged 3 to 5 develop the essential skills, dispositions, and understandings they need for a successful transition into Kindergarten —whether they continue at ISBerne, transition to the public system, or relocate abroad.

Guided by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework, children learn through inquiry, exploration, and hands-on experiences that nurture their natural curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

Your child will develop:

• Early literacy skills: Through stories, conversations, mark-making, phonological awareness, and exposure to rich vocabulary.
• Early numeracy skills: Through playful exploration of numbers, patterns, shapes, sorting, measuring, and problem-solving.
• Social-emotional skills: Such as cooperation, empathy, independence, resilience, and the ability to build positive relationships.
• Communication skills in English and German: Your child will hear, use, and develop both languages naturally throughout daily routines and play.
• Thinking and inquiry skills: As they ask questions, investigate ideas, experiment, make connections, and develop their own theories.
• Fine and gross motor skills: Through construction, drawing, climbing, movement, outdoor play, and specialist lessons.
• Creativity and imagination: Through art, music, storytelling, sensory play, and open-ended materials.

Our young learners acquire the skills necessary for thriving in the future—academically, socially, emotionally, and linguistically. Most importantly, they develop the confidence, curiosity, and joy that lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Unique Learning Experiences

🌲  Weekly Forest visits (weather permitting)
⛸️  Ice skating lessons during our schoolwide Ski and Skate Fridays winter programme
🛝  Daily outdoor learning sessions
🤸🏾  Movement sessions in the Gym
🎨  Visual Art lessons
🎶   Music lessons
📚   Library lessons with our librarian

Giving Your Child the Time, Space, and Support to Learn

• Adult-supported, freely chosen play
• Adult-led, small-group learning experiences
• Child-initiated inquiry and exploration

Language Learning

🇬🇧 English Language 

English is the primary language of instruction at ISBerne. Our ELC welcomes children with diverse language backgrounds, and our English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme supports children in developing confidence and full access to all curriculum areas. EAL specialists work closely with classroom teachers to ensure smooth integration and language growth.

A Learning Experience You Won’t Find Anywhere Else

Unique Learning Experiences

Your child will enjoy specialist-led learning experiences rarely offered in early childhood settings:

🌲 Weekly forest visits (weather permitting)
⛸️ Ice skating lessons during our Ski and Skate Fridays winter programme
🛝 Daily outdoor learning sessions
🤸🏾 Movement classes in the Gym
🎨 Visual Art lessons
🎶 Music lessons
📚 Library sessions with our librarian

These experiences support confidence, creativity, coordination, and a genuine joy in learning.
 

Staying With One School, Every Step of the Way

Families value the long-term continuity that ISBerne offers:

• Children may remain at ISBerne through Grade 12 graduation, benefiting from the stability and comfort of growing within one school community.
• After the Early Learning Centre, children may continue into our dual-language Kindergarten, taught by both an English-speaking and a German-speaking teacher.
• From Grade 1 onwards, your child may join either the Lehrplan 21 Pathway in German or our International Pathway in English.

This flexibility gives families confidence that their child is well supported today and well prepared for the future.

Learn more about Kindergarten at ISBerne
 

A Purpose-Built Environment for Young Children

Our Early Learning Centre is located on a purpose-built school campus in Gümligen, designed specifically with young children in mind. Families appreciate:

• Modern classrooms with natural light and safe playground access
• Secure outdoor play areas for fun, active learning, and exploration
• A dedicated kitchen and snack area
• Child-sized bathrooms and a cosy boot room
• Indoor gym and performance space
• Extensive library
• On-site cafeteria with nutritious lunch options
• A private, free parking lot for convenient drop-off and pick-up
• Excellent public transport connections, with fast links to Bern and the surrounding communities

This calm, nurturing environment provides the ideal space for children aged 3 to 5 to feel secure, confident, and ready to learn.

Learn more about our campus

A Warm, Supportive Community

ISBerne is known for its diverse, multilingual, and multicultural community, where families from Switzerland and abroad feel welcome.
For Swiss families — and those who have lived in Bern for many years — ISBerne offers a refreshing international outlook combined with a close-knit, family-friendly atmosphere.

Families especially appreciate:

• A welcoming community that values both local roots and global perspectives
• The opportunity for children to grow up with peers from many cultures and language backgrounds
• Events and celebrations that honour Swiss traditions while introducing global ones
• A supportive parent network that includes both long-term Bern residents and newly arrived families

Families quickly build friendships and find a sense of belonging, whether they are local to the region or moving to Switzerland for the first time.

Learn more

A Full Day of Learning and Care Available

At ISBerne, our Early Learning Centre offers flexible attendance options that support both your child’s development and your family’s routine. The school day begins at 8:30, with pick-up at 15:30 (or 14:20 on Wednesdays). These consistent hours remain the same throughout Primary School, giving families a stable schedule year after year.

Families may choose from three attendance patterns:

• Half Days — Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 12:00
• Full Days — Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 15:30 (14:20 on Wednesdays)
• Part Time — Half days plus selected afternoons

While we recommend that children attend five mornings per week for continuity and social development, our programme is flexible. Parents may adjust their child’s attendance pattern during the school year if space is available.

Eligibility and Requirements

To enrol in the Early Learning Centre, children must meet the following criteria:

• Age Requirement: Your child must be at least 3 years old before beginning at ISBerne.
• Toilet Trained: All children must be dry (toilet trained) before joining the programme.
• Space Availability: Acceptance depends on available places. If a class is full, your child may be placed on a waiting list until a space becomes available.

Year-Round Enrolment

We offer year-round entry, enabling families who are local to Bern—as well as those relocating—to join the programme when it best suits their needs. Schedule adjustments throughout the school year may be possible if space allows, offering families additional flexibility.

Welcoming Swiss and International Families

Swiss children may enrol in the Early Learning Centre without restrictions, and many long-term Bern families appreciate our warm, multilingual environment and the early educational foundations it provides.

Families relocating to the region also value joining a caring, multicultural school community where English is the primary language of instruction, and German is woven naturally into the daily routine.

Learn more about our admissions policy

We recognise the deep commitment a family makes when investing in a private, day school education. We take your investment seriously and work diligently to balance affordability with our world-class education programme. Here is an overview of the estimated fees for the 2025-2026 school year based upon your child's attendance level:

Learn more about our Tuition and Fees