La Maternelle Makati, in partnership with Cornerstone Preschool and Childcare Center, is the first preschool in the Philippines teaching in two languages: French and English.
Our bilingual program allows children from an early age to develop and strengthen their ability to express themselves, create, and imagine in both languages in a playful and learning environment.
Our bilingual system adheres to the following principles:
Children are immersed in a bilingual environment, one day in French and one day in English. The goal is to maintain a good balance between the two languages. Children have two sets of teachers, one set French-speaking and the other English-speaking. This setup allows children to associate a language with a person and to learn two languages at the same time without confusion.
For the older children, given that exposure to the English language comes easily in the Philippines, more hours are dedicated to French.
In addition, we choose common themes every week allowing the children to discover the world around them while improving their vocabulary in both languages.
All nationalities are welcome in our multicultural school where culture and language are an integral part of our teaching. The children discover French in a French environment where the teacher and her assistant are French. The French language is learned by hearing it spoken throughout the day as in a French family.
Each class is composed of several workshops: music and dance, science and experimental activities, art, math, logic and reasoning, language and reading. Because we believe that children learn best through play, we encourage them to choose activities that are fun for them.
Our mission is also to teach children the values that will give them a solid foundation by developing patience, kindness, honesty and responsibility, self-reliance, self-control, self-regulation. Our teachers do not dictate to the children what they should do, they facilitate learning situations that are as interesting and rewarding as possible for the child.
Meals are a time of pleasure, exchange, and discovery of new tastes and textures for the children. Our team encourages the children to learn progressively and at their own pace how to eat independentl y with their own cutlery. Meals are also essential moments of community life to learn to wait one's turn, to listen to others, to say "thank you," "please," to wash one's hands before and after the meal.
Each child brings their own meal. We have a dedicated refrigerator for storing food and a microwave for heating when necessary.
A valuable activity to help train younger children how to fall asleep independently of their parents or primary caregivers, the nap schedule was thoughtfully designed to allow the child to rest after a full morning of mental and physical stimulation and awake refreshed for the final activity of the school day, as well as not impede into an appropriate bedtime schedule at night.
This activity becomes optional for our students in the Moyenne Section after the half-term of the 1st trimester. Quiet-time activities will be offered instead.
Students in the Grande Section do not have Naptime.
Diapers must be changed with great respect for the child's body and as often as necessary. The condition of the child's skin should be constantly monitored and taken care of if necessary. Potty-learning is an important step in the child's physical and social development. Done gradually, without constraint and according to the maturity of each child and with the agreement of the parents, it becomes a welcome milestone, trauma free.
Self-esteem and self-regulation play an essential role in a child's development by giving them the strength to face the outside world. Each member of the staff knows how to encourage, whether by a look, a word, a hug or a reassuring gesture, so that each child feels loved and secure, but without taking the place of the parents. The school staff respects the periods of privacy when a child isolates, relaxes, dreams or plays alone. This free time is essential because it allows each child to develop their imagination, personality, and to cultivate their own gifts, thus facilitating the integration of what has been learned. Each child is unique and evolves at their own pace and it is important not to compare one to another. A child may keep their blanket or toy, if they so wish.
We offer several bilingual classes for children from 18 months to 5 years of age which are divided into 3 grades.
Toddlers class:
Verticals class:
Each class is specifically designed to allow children to learn French and English at a pace suitable for their age.
The learning program for the nursery section is based on the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the criteria of the French organization of Protection Maternelle et Infantile (PMI). In accordance with these two references, we have set up a pedagogical project allowing your child to do the following:
The first mission of the Toddlers Class is to teach children to live in a community. The children learn to respect each other, to share, to accept limits, to wait their turn. Our team progressively assists the children towards more autonomy which encourages and helps them in their psychomotor, emotional, and cognitive development.
The bilingual section continues with the 3-, 4- and 5-year-old with the aim of developing the children's ability to switch from one language to another in a natural and spontaneous way.
The programs we have created for these sections follow curricula for Petite, Moyenne section, and in English those of K1 and K2 / Reception. Our program is divided into 6 main areas:
The objective for the children enrolled in our program is to enable them to continue / integrate into the French system, an international school, or a local school without difficulty at the end of the program.
Teacher Pam graduated Cum Laude in Psychology from Assumption College, San Lorenzo. She also studied Special Training in Early Childhood Education at De La Salle University, Manila. She was part of the faculty of Assumption College teaching future preschool teachers and has completed her academic requirements in her master's degree in early childhood education from Assumption College Graduate School. She has been a Toddler Class Head Teacher and administrator for 10 years in Family Partners Learning Center. Currently, she is Managing and Curriculum Director of Cornerstone Online Playground and teaches the Amazing Threes Class. She conducts teacher-training and yaya-training sessions on creativity, discipline, and classroom management. She also leads different playgroups for elite families within Metro Manila and teaches Art classes to young children. Currently, she trains Sunday school teachers at GCF Makati and is a Sunday school teacher herself. She also trains teachers at Union Church of Manila Foundation on more progressive approaches to classroom management and teaching, including online learning. The foundation sponsors underprivileged preschool-aged children from various areas in Metro Manila.
Teacher Boots has a master's degree in Family Life and Child Development from the University of the Philippines. She taught in Early Learning Center in Makati and was consultant for the St. Andrew Learning Center where she helped the administration move away from a strictly academic curriculum. She also taught English to high school students for five years in St. Scholastica's College. She was Managing Director of Family Partners Learning Center for 10 years. She has also written for Metro Working Mom and is a mom herself of two children in university. She is also a facilitator and instructor for John Robert Powers teaching kids and preteens. She also conducts communication and leadership training seminars for various companies and educational institutions.
We round out our team with dynamic sets of native-French-speaking teachers and Filipino teachers who possess the same love and respect for children, passion for learning, come with experience in early childhood education, and are in various stages of completing advanced degrees in early childhood education and other education-related fields. Many of our staff are also CPR and first-aid certified.
Clara earned a diploma in Special Education in 2015 in her native Bordeaux. Since then she has accumulated early childhood and SpEd experience in France, with 2 years in Dakar, Senegal. While there, she bravely made the leap, coming to the Philippines for the first time, to join La Maternelle in 2023.
With a background in the tourism industry, Karen pivoted into early childhood education as a school assistant in a preschool in Paris’ 16th arr. During that time, she undertook a work-study programme in Early Childhood Care Training which included nutrition, first-aid, and taking care of kids ages 2-7 years old. She joined La Maternelle in its first year in 2022.
A graduate of Psychology, Major in Child Development in 2018, Roxane's professional experience started as a teaching assistant in France (L'éducation Nationale), while completing her studies.She arrived in the Philippines in 2019 as a volunteer at Virlanie Foundation teaching piano! She joined La Maternelle in its first year.
Anne-Laure graduated as an Early Childhood Educator in 2020 and spent 4 years in a Franco-German day-care in Munich. Already familiar with Manila, having done an internship with , she was eager to return. She joined La Maternelle in August 2024.
Gerald grew up and was educated in the French system abroad. His path eventually led him to Manila, creating opportunities where he saw a need. Meanwhile, Dagny had pursued French studies at Alliance Française Manila, reaching an advanced C1 level before life's demands – family and work – temporarily paused her language journey. Their shared experience gave them firsthand insight into the invaluable benefits of mastering multiple languages, particularly French, as well as the challenges of learning a new language as an adult.
In Manila's bustling metropolis, a significant challenge faced the French-speaking community: the considerable distance between the expatriate hub of Makati and the Lycée Français de Manille (French School of Manila). The 13-kilometer journey could stretch beyond an hour in Manila's notorious traffic – a particularly daunting prospect for young children making the daily commute.
Moreover, they observed a concerning trend at LFM: some children were entering primary school without adequate French language foundations, creating an uneven learning environment that affected the entire class. This observation sparked an idea: what if they could bring French education closer to home?
The solution became clear: establish a French preschool in the heart of Makati's Business District. This would serve multiple purposes – providing essential early French language education to children from French-speaking families while offering local families the opportunity to give their children the gift of early French language exposure.
The final piece of the puzzle fell into place through a chance encounter with Teacher Pam and Teacher Boots. Their shared educational vision and expertise transformed the concept into reality, and La Maternelle Bilingual Preschool Makati was born – a bridge between communities and an investment in children's futures.
Perhaps you would like your children to experience another educational system and learn another language, so why not French! As you may already know, the French education system is well-known for its excellence and the worldwide network of French schools is exceptionally well-developed. Your children can benefit from the French curriculum from an early age, allowing them to continue to a French school. You may also like to vacation in France and practice this beautiful language with them, or simply learn more about French culture! We will provide you with the best in French education.
For blended families where one parent speaks French and the other English or another language, we understand how important it is to keep both languages active and alive. You probably want your child to mix with bilingual children and grow up in a multicultural environment. If they do, they can then continue their education in any French or English-language school, depending on your family's plans.
Like many French parents living abroad, we want to transmit our language and culture to our children. We also want to give them the opportunity to continue their studies in France or in any other French school abroad while following the same high-level curriculum.
Choosing to live abroad allows our children to grow up in an international environment, allowing them to discover a local culture as well as a diversity of nationalities. In this context, learning English from an early age is a major asset for the child's future.
1st term: | |
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27 Aug - 18 Oct 2024 28 Oct - 20 Dec 2024 |
Half term break: 19 Oct - 27 Oct Christmas break: 21 Dec 2024 - 05 Jan 2025 |
2nd term: | |
06 Jan - 21 Feb 2025 03 Mar - 8 Apr 2025 |
Half term break: 22 Feb - 02 Mar 2025 Easter break: 9 Apr - 20 Apr 2025 |
3rd term: | |
21 Apr - 27 June 2025 |
Start of Summer: 29 June 2025 |
Fees 2024 - 2025 | |
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Annual tuition fees for TPS (8.30 - 11.30 am) |
PHP 195,000 |
Annual tuition fee for Verticals (8.30 - 2.30 pm) |
PHP 275,000 |
Registration fee (First year only) | PHP 30,000 |
Security deposit (Upon registration) | PHP 50,000 |
Toddlers Class 8:30 to 11.30 AM (without lunch and nap time) |
Verticals Classes 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM |
Classes are 5 days per week (Mondays to Fridays) |
The fees listed below are not included in the annual tuition fees:
We offer an option for 3 payments per year with a 5% increase on the one-time payment fees.
La Maternelle is ideally situated in the heart of Makati City, in front of Legazpi Active Park and Washington Sycip Park. It is easily accessible from the south of Manila, as it is located 400 meters from the SKYWAY Amorsolo Ramp. Drop-offs can be done right in front of the building and parking is available
La Maternelle offers a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for your children to grow. We share our facilities with the Union Church. The premises include: