The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus, has expanded its investment in early childhood development with the launch of a Pre-School programme open to UWI employees and the wider public.
The UWI Pre-School was launched on September 7, 2026, at The UWI Child Learning and Discovery Facility. It offers young children structured opportunities to learn, explore and develop through a programme designed to support their holistic development during their formative years.
A distinctive feature of the Pre-School is its Blue-Green curriculum approach, which links children’s learning to terrestrial and aquatic environments. Through hands-on activities, children are introduced to conservation, recycling, composting, water conservation and environmental stewardship, helping them understand their relationship with the natural world from an early age.
The initiative was championed by Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine as part of a broader commitment to employee well-being and support for families. Opening the Pre-School to the public extends the benefits of the University’s early childhood expertise beyond the campus community.
“The launch is a meaningful expression of our commitment to the well-being of young learners as we have the opportunity to give the children entrusted to our care a strong foundation for learning, discovery and growth,” Professor Antoine said.
The Pre-School offers a specialised two-year programme for children between three and five years old, focused on the holistic development of the child. Its curriculum is designed to nurture curious, resilient, compassionate and socially conscious learners, while building their communication, creativity and critical thinking skills and positive relationships.
The programme combines an Integrated Thematic Curriculum with the Project Approach, incorporating literacy, numeracy, science, social studies, the arts, citizenship, health and wellness. Five curriculum strands support children’s cognitive, physical, social, emotional and linguistic development: Effective Communication, Aesthetic Expression, Learning to Learn, Citizenship, and Health and Wellness.
Children also explore themes including Me, Myself and I; My Country; Celebrations; We Grow What We Eat and Eat What We Grow; My Environment; Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!; Water! Water! Water!; and Animals.
Learning is further enriched through exposure to French and Spanish, storytelling, music and movement, visual and performing arts, sensory exploration and outdoor activities.
The Pre-School builds on The UWI’s long-standing commitment to early childhood care and education. This includes the work of the UWI Family Development and Children’s Research Centre (UWI-FDCRC) project, which has since concluded but contributed significantly to early childhood care and education (ECCE) practices and policies locally and across the region.