Gift Wednesdays
New this year : After-hours daycare and a group for native English speakers!
Reserve a visit on Wednesday June 26th, 2024: or 07 67 55 26 44
For children aged 3 to 10
Every Wednesday year-round (except during school holidays)
Cultivating a Relationship with Nature
The Gift School is devoted to teaching children to connect with Mother Nature as part of their daily routine. All four classes go on a monthly hike in the forest. Supported by the local ONF as well as by the national French association Teragir, the Gift School undertakes projects year round to develop environment consciousness, including tree planting, vegetable gardens, composting, recycling, the use of dry toilets, and more.
Meet the Team
Meet the Gift School team, a team of caring and experienced teachers and assistants, dedicated to holistic education and providing a loving school environment in which all children can thrive.
A Bilingual, Innovative and Eco-Friendly School in Ventabren
The Gift School is a private, independent and non-religious preschool and primary school.
The Gift School welcomes children from the age of 2 years old. Multiple teaching methods, including but not limited to Montessori, are the inspiration behind the Gift School’s mission in education.
The Gift School is a school which respects the developmental needs of each child individually, thereby encouraging independent thinking and building self-confidence so that each child can reach his or her full potential. Children also learn the benefits of working together through teamwork and cooperation which are emphasized in the school’s programs.
Non-violence and respect are key values in the Gift School’s approach to education. The Gift School endeavors to instill in each child the necessary tools to experience life to the fullest. We believe that these tools go far beyond the realm of academic programs and must include learning mindfulness, self-esteem and tolerance.
To join the Gift School’s community of families and staff is to join a team of people dedicated to the principals of mindfulness, listening and sharing.
The Gift School’s methods rely on six fundamental principles:
- Organic learning: teachers adapt to the rhythm and needs of each child
- Self-confidence: Learn to know yourself and to make choices in accordance with who you are and what your strengths are
- Non-violent communication: a fundamental tool for interacting with others
- Well-being: demonstrate empathy, tolerance and respect to yourself and to others
- Choose cooperation over competition
- Choose dialogue and understanding, over punishment
The Gift School faculty is dedicated to supporting children and leading them down a path of self-fulfillment and self-confidence, while at the same time valuing their uniqueness.
Our Values
Our Classes
The Gift School has 4 classes, each with a limited number of students to ensure personalized attention and an optimal learning environment.
3-4 year olds:
Learning to be myself
The Gift School preschool children are immersed in a positive and caring environment. The learning environment is Montessori-based and bilingual. Two head teachers lead the class, two days in English with Taya and two days in French with Morgane. Katia, bilingual assistant, is present all four days of the school week. At this age, Gift School children are learning to develop awareness of others and the sense of being a part of a group, in which each child can make a contribution.
3-4-5 year olds:
Learning to do it by myself
6-10 year olds: French classroom
Learning about the world
Emmanuelle, an experienced and caring teacher, ensures the individualization of each child’s French curriculum. Children receive her full support, and talents and difficulties are always taken into account. Gradually, Montessori material is replaced by more project-based work. Children are more motivated to learn when they are interested and when it “makes sense” to them, in their everyday lives. History, Math and the French language are subjects taught in the French classroom. All elementary children spend two days a week in French class with Emmanuelle.
6-10 year olds: English Classroom
Learning my place in the world
Frances and Carolyn are our school’s English elementary teachers. Their respective experience, charisma, and caring attitude enable an innovative approach to learning English (and in English). They adapt to each child’s level and work hard to not only advance beginners, but also native English speakers in their class. Students spend two days each week in the English class to promote language learning through immersion. Science, Art, Geography, Sports, Music and the English language are subjects which the children work on in the English classroom.
Press & Feedback
-
My 2.5 years old daughter attended The gift school and since September her speech has really improved she also gained great confidence being around people younger and older. the teaching staff is so kind and so loving towards the kids and small group makes the children Learn and participate more actively.
I really recommend the gift school for parents that require a personalized approach to education with kind and friendly staff, in a safe environment. Thanks to the brilliant team. 🤗❤Cigdem Yilmaz Latif march 20, 2020 -
Die Gift School ist der beste Kindergarten den wir uns für unseren Sohn vorstellen können.
Das pädagogische Konzept ist ganz auf die individuellen Bedürfnisse des Kindes ausgerichtet und das Team vermittelt aktiv Werte wie Respekt, Integrität und kulturelle Vielfalt.
Unser Sohn hat sich von Anfang an wohl und gut angenommen gefühlt.
Durch den zweisprachigen Unterricht hat er beeindruckende Fortschritte in Französisch und Englisch gemacht.
Wir empfehlen die Gift School uneingeschränkt!!!Antonia Slaby April 13, 2020 -
Mes enfants de 8 et 4 ans fréquentent la gift school tous les mercredis depuis septembre 2019 dans le cadre des mercredis en anglais. Ils sont ravis d y aller, ils y passent d excellentes journées, encadrés par des adultes très pro, très à l écoute et d une grande bienveillance. La gift school fait partie des rares lieux d accueil pour enfants où l on s adapte aux besoins de chaque enfant, ou le respect de chacun est la priorité (et où l on élève pas la voix!).
Ils ont fait de gros progrès en anglais. Après 5 mois, mon aîné estime qu en une journée de gift school, il apprend plus qu en une année entière à l école.
Une école vraiment exceptionnelle à de nombreux points de vue !Hélène Macrez Scherrer February 1st, 2020