Get Ready for Big School

Get Ready for Big School!

Give your child a gentle, confident start to big school.

Our programme helps children aged 2–4 settle happily into the rhythms of school life through guided play sessions and fortnightly parent information workshops. Designed by Early Years experts at BIS Abu Dhabi, it’s a supportive, nurturing introduction to learning, for both children and families.

Free • Ages 2–4 • Join anytime • Limited spaces

Who It's For

This programme is perfect for families with children aged 2–4 who may be joining our Nursery or FS2 classes, either this year or next. It offers a warm, friendly introduction to Early Years at BIS Abu Dhabi, helping your child feel at ease in a new environment while giving you a clear picture of their next learning steps.

What to expect:

Meet our caring Early Years team and connect with other families.
Let your child explore our learning spaces through short, play‑based sessions.
Join specialist‑led parent sessions on school readiness, early learning, wellbeing, and how to support your child at home.
Help your child build confidence for a smooth and happy transition into “big school.”

🔗 Find out more about our EYFS curriculum here.

🔗 View the scheduled sessions here

What to Expect

Get Ready for Big School is a free, weekly series designed with busy families in mind. Each session alternates between Parent Information workshops and Child Play mornings, giving both you and your child meaningful, age‑appropriate ways to prepare for school. You’re welcome to join the full series or simply attend the sessions that work best for your family.

Dates: Tuesdays, starting 17th February, running through to 23rd June 2026*
Duration: 1.5 hours per session
Timings: 8:30–10:00am

🔗 View the scheduled sessions here

* This programme is put on hold until school has re-opened. At this moment, the earliest date sessions could resume is Tuesday, 28th April. Due to holidays, there will not be a session on 26th May and 16th June.

How The Programme Works

Each week, the series alternates between two session types that support both you and your child:

Parent Information Sessions
Short, focused sessions with Q&A, led by our specialists. Topics include routines, positive behaviour, early literacy and numeracy, bilingualism/EAL, and digital wellbeing. Each session offers clear, practical takeaways you can use right away. You can bring your little one along if you like, a soft play area is available to keep them busy.

Child Play Sessions
Guided, age‑appropriate play with our Early Years team, from sensory and motor play to early STEAM exploration and eco‑garden discovery. These sessions help children feel comfortable, curious, and confident in a school‑like setting.

Supervision: Parents/guardians are to remain with their child throughout, with our teaching team supporting and guiding the activities.

🔗 View the scheduled sessions here

primary

Early years

A TYPICAL DAY AT BIS ABU DHABI

Every day is packed with purposeful play, as our littlest learners sing, dance, swim, experiment, paint, read, explore our Eco-Edventure area, and so much more.

Get Ready for Big School - Copy of Visual Time Line Tabs - A typical day

Friendly faces

Your child will be greeted at the gates by our amazing early years teachers. There's a packed day of singing, dancing, painting, and exploring ahead – and everyone’s excited!

Friendly faces

Learning through play

First up, it’s play time – but with a twist. Our youngest children learn through purposeful play, which teaches basic literacy, maths, and social skills through fun experiences. You’re invited to come into school and join us, too.

learning through play

Fun and phonics

Telling stories, listening to music, reading and writing – your child will develop vital phonics and communications skills, ensuring they hit key EYFS developmental milestones.

fun and phonics

Recharge and refresh

Unsurprisingly, our children love lunchtime! Our chefs prepare tasty snacks and healthy lunches that will keep your child active and engaged all day. ‘Tidy up time’ teaches them about responsibility – and is always done with a song and a smile.

recharge and refresh

Creative classes

There’s no limit to our youngest students’ imaginations. Playing instruments, learning a dance routine, and experimenting with paint, textures and colours – our creative sessions get children excited about the arts.

creative classes

The great outdoors

Learning in the fresh air is so much fun. From running, jumping and climbing in our colourful playground, to getting tactile with water, sand and mud, and planting or caring for our animals in their Eco Edventure, our multi-sensory outdoor spaces help students develop fine motor skills while connecting with nature and exploring the world around them.

The great outdoors

FIND US in Abu Dhabi

current time in Country

11:57 PM

Office Hours: Mon–Thurs: 7:30 am–4.30 pm Fridays: 7.30am-12.30pm

Current weather

Get Ready for Big School - Copy of Local Area Map-weather icon

23.3 °C

Cloudy

Our address

The British International School Abu Dhabi, PO Box 60968, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Physical Address: Behind Abu Dhabi University