Young Minds Pre–school celebrates 15 years
View(s):Fifteen years ago, in November 1997, a dream came true for three ladies. In a house on a lane off Bagatelle Road, a traditional lamp was lit, marking the founding of a new Pre-school in Colombo. This school, Young Minds Pre–school, was the realisation of the long-term dream of Mrs Shermila Rajaratnam, who was to be Principal of this new school, Mrs Nelun Ratwatte and Mrs Laila Ismail, three teachers who had worked for years in the pre-school of a leading girls’ school and who now wanted to establish a school of their very own, where they could put into practice their many years of experience in the field of pre-school education. 
On that day in November, they started their own school with just seven students.
Fifteen years later, Young Minds Pre-school has grown from strength to strength under Mrs Rajaratnam’s extremely able stewardship, and is recognised as a premier pre-school in Sri Lanka. In its present premises off 5th Lane, Young Minds Pre-school now employs 26 fulltime teachers to guide the fortunate students who attend the school. The school now has four levels of classes which cater to both boys and girls from two years in age to five plus years. With its excellent reputation for providing a happy introduction to school life and a sound preparation for school, Young Minds Pre-school has a long waiting list for admission. Numbers are restricted at present by the physical limits of the present premises and the determination of the management to maintain small classes.
The ethos of Young Minds Pre-school is to prepare its young students for school through play and in a manner that lays the foundation for a life-long love of learning. At this stage in the child’s development, the school promotes learning through discovery rather than instruction. The emphasis is on learning in a happy environment where coming to school becomes a positive experience for the children.
The curriculum of the school has been set up so that the children are able to proceed to and fit in easily in both local and international schools. Music, drama and oriental dancing enhance the more academic areas relating to learning numbers and letters. The school produces two concerts a year, so that from a very young age, the children acquire the confidence to sing and perform in front of a large audience. The quality of these concerts is a testimony to the high standards set by the school, though these standards are achieved without pressurising the children.
The school encourages the children to enjoy expressing themselves through art. They are given the opportunity to use different media and techniques and each year, Young Minds Pre-school holds an art exhibition which showcases their creative enterprises.
The children at Young Minds Pre-school are encouraged to realise that there are less privileged children in the world around them. Celebrating diversity and multi-culturalism is an important concept at Young Minds. Tolerance of differences is encouraged and the children learn something about the different religions and celebrate each other’s festivals.
Physical activity is promoted to foster coordination and confidence in movement and children spend a part of each school day at supervised play in the well-equipped school playground, swinging, climbing, and jumping , developing their physical skills and gradually extending their capabilities. An annual Sports Meet is held where the emphasis is on participation rather than competition. The older children of the two top grade levels are given swimming lessons by a qualified and experienced instructor at a nearby swimming pool.
An extension of the children’s experiences of the world around them is also achieved through field trips, often in connection with a topic that has been discussed and ‘studied’ in class.
The lucky students of Young Minds Pre-school enjoy a fun-filled eventful year. When they graduate from the pre-school they do so as confident youngsters well-equipped to handle the challenges of school. The graduates of Young Minds Pre-school are now in leading schools in Colombo, doing very well academically and in extra-curricular activities. As it celebrates its 15th anniversary, Young Minds Pre-school and its Principal,Mrs Rajaratnam, must really be proud of the way the school and its alumni have developed. This success has much to do with Mrs Rajaratnam being its Principal throughout its fifteen years, guiding the school with a sure and experienced hand, always with meticulous attention to detail and unwavering dedication to the well-being of its young students.
| The ethos of Young Minds Pre-school is to prepare its young students for school through play and in a manner that lays the foundation for a life-long love of learning. At this stage in the child’s development, the school promotes learning through discovery rather than instruction. The emphasis is on learning in a happy environment where coming to school becomes a positive experience for the children |
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