Bilingual Harvest Camp at the Gift School
For children aged 3 to 10
Join our wonderful Gift School camp team for 1 week of automn-inspired activities! For more information please contact 07 67 55 26 44 or .
Gift Wednesdays
Registrations open now!
Half Day try-out for free, on Wednesday Sept 6th! Sign up by email: .
For children aged 3 to 10
Every Wednesday year-round (except during school holidays)
For more information please contact 07 67 55 26 44 or .
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 3 classes this year and will be opening a 4th class next year (2021-22).
Maximum number of students per class 15.
2-3 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 and two days in French. A 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.
4-5 year olds:
Learning to do it by myself
Two head teachers lead the class, two days in English and two days in French. An assistant is present all four days of the school week. Together, they provide the caring, stimulating and positive environment that children this age thrive on.
6-7 year olds:
Learning about the world
In this class, Montessori material is progressively replaced by project-based learning. Two head teachers lead the class, one English teacher and one French teacher. The children have two days of class in English and two days of class in French each week and they change classrooms mid week so that their learning environment is also adapted to the language they are learning in. Teachers prepare learning activities which correspond with the level and interest of each child, so as to accompany each one to reach their highest potential… without losing sight of the pleasure of learning which we know is crucial to developing skills and self-confidence. Science, art and sports are integrated into the curriculum, in French, in English or in both languages.
8-10 year olds:
Learning my place in the world
In this class, children create content and manage information through operations, exercises, manipulations, experiments and field trips. They are introduced to the topics and subjects which will satisfy the bubbling curiosity specific to this age and open up new windows for their future and life choices. Children are still given the possibility to move freely during their learning activities in an effort to respect their individual needs, though more « academic » moments are also integrated into the school day. This allows for greater adaptability into any middle school environment at the end of the year. Two head teachers lead the class, one English teacher and one French teacher. The children have two days of class in English and two days of class in French each week and they change classrooms mid week so that their learning environment is also adapted to the language they are learning in.
Press & Feedback
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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