A plain-English guide to the most common international school curricula, what they are, how they work, and which might suit your family best.
Curriculum guide
By Giulia Ceccon · Chief Marketing Officer
Reggio Emilia is an early-years educational philosophy that originated in the Italian city of the same name after WWII. It treats children as capable, curious "researchers" and uses long-form projects driven by their own questions. Common at international preschools and nurseries serving 0–6 year olds.
Small, calm environments centred on relationships. Educators observe and document; the room itself is a "third teacher".
The classic Reggio classroom. Emergent projects (progettazione) run for weeks or months, driven by children's genuine interests, expressed across the "Hundred Languages".
Reggio Emilia
The teacher's job is to document — photos, transcripts of conversations, displays of children's work — and to use that documentation to plan next steps. The physical environment is treated as the "third teacher": natural light, open spaces, real materials (clay, wire, wood).
Is Reggio Emilia right for your child?
It tends to suit families who…
It may be less ideal if…
Common questions
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