PHILOSOPHY

We believe that every child is a God given blessing, who enters the world with unique characteristics and potentials. As an educational facility we are given the honour and responsibilty by the parent, to embark with each child on a journey of educational growth and discovery. In our joint effort with parents and teachers, we constantly strive to develop and awaken in each child their creative potential, and nurture their physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

We aim to actively promote the growth and development of each child in care, while at all times accomodating each child's individual needs, circumstances and background.

We aim to promote an environment which is safe, stimulating, homely, and loving - an environment in which each and every child feels secure, valued and respected. Each child must be given the opportunities to explore, discover, create and experience the world around them. A sense of contribution and achievement in a child's development is essential in fostering self-confidence and self-esteem.

We therefore encourage each child to reach their own potential at an appropriate pace, while cherishing and respecting their innocence and freedom.

Our final goal and expectation is to see children graduate from our school, equiped with not only a wholesome education, but with the 'skills of life' to enable and empower them to proceed into adulthood with confidence, and a sense of compassion and tolerance - and conduct their lives with pride and dignity.

VISION

Tinkerbell Learning School strives to equip students with excellent interpersonal cognitive, and communication skills. This is accomplished through the implementation of a challenging, integrated, and dynamic curriculum by a dedicated caring faculty committed to professional development within a supportive environment.

MISSION

Tinkerbell Learning School believes that there are many ways of achieving excellence. Our school is dedicated to developing academically strong individuals with unique talents and strengths through a commitment to academics, arts, athletics, and co-curricular activities.

To provide a safe, child-centred academic environment which enables every individual to reach their full potential, as well as set in place the foundation for creative learning, and a productive life.

We strive to cultivate and establish in our students a culture of life-long learning, wholesome values and an awareness of responsibility, in order to equip them with the skills to articulate and express themselves, understand and contribute to the the world around them. We believe that we challenge best when we support most.

GOALS

The Tinkerbell Learning School is committed to provide quality education with the following goals:

• provide for all its members individually and collectively an inspiring, secure, and happy environment in which all children can learn effectively and realized their potentials.

• help students develop lively, inquiring minds.

• help students acquire academic knowledge.

• help student develop the will to succeed, a desire to participate, and a sense of fair play.

• engender self-confidence, self-disciple, self-esteem, and independence amongst them.

• encourage students to participate in a range of physical activities at individual and group level.

• encourage an appreciation of the geophysical, historical and social aspects of Brunei Darussalam.

• develop awareness of fine art, music, literature, drama and religious expression.

• broaden the experience of each child by widening horizons.

• cater for student’s spiritual and moral well-being.

CURRICULUM

The curriculum is the structured body of skills, and knowledge which are to be passed on the students. It also contains mechanism of motivation, control measures, measurement of achievements, methodology standards and values education.

The pre-school curriculum is based on the Montessori methods which encompasses learning areas such as: Bahasa Melayu, English, Modern Mathematics, Health Education, Science, Arts and Crafts, Religious Education (Ugama) and Practical Life Experiences.

The primary curriculum is based on the Primary Curriculum as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and integrated Montessori Method in subjects such as: Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics, Science, Sejarah, Matematik, Pelajaran Am, Pelajaran Sivik, Computer Education, Physical Education, Geography and Religious Education (Ugama).

In line with the philosophy, the student busily works in self instructional units of learning materials allow the student to move ahead faster or go slower if that is the best for him. He is not locked into a schedule where he has to wait for his classmates even if he is more advanced than they are, nor is he forced to catch up with them even if he has not learned the lesson yet. In other words, the learning materials are made suitable to suit every child’s learning capacity.

As a child progresses, the program becomes more structured so that on his last year in primary school, there is a closer approximation to the requirements of form or secondary level.

The regular school year is divided into term. Each term ends with term evaluation of the subject content and the student’s skills covered in that period.

Recognizing that foolishness is bound up in the heart of every child and that the rod of correction will drive it far from him, we shall apply a balance of love and disciple to correct students. Too much love will spoil the child while harsh words may break his spirit and provoke him into rebellion.

Tinkerbell Learning School gives more stress to responsibilities than to rights in order to develop self disciple in a child. A child more concerned with his rights than with his responsibilities is self-centred and need more external discipline. But a child more concerned with his responsibilities is other-oriented therefore, is aware of and respect the rights of others.

GUIDELINES

A. Admission/Readmission

A. For New Students

Admission is granted:

1. With definite understanding that the student and his parents or guardians support and acknowledge the philosophy, vision-mission, and goals of the school.

2. With definite understanding that the student and his parents or guardians agree to comply with academic and character standard of the school.

B. For Old Students:

Readmission of old students is upon the condition:

1. of the parents’ commitment to cooperate in helping students, and

2. of the students’ academic performance and conduct during the previous year

3. that the student has no accountability from last year

C. For All Students

Admission is granted upon the submission of pertinent requirements such as:

1. birth certificate

2. accomplish the registration form

3. pay the registration, miscellaneous fee and first monthly fee to the cashier

POLICIES

1. A letter of intent will be distributed to parents before the end of the school year to help the administration gauge the number of students for next year. This should be returned to the class teacher who indorses it to the office.

2. The period of enrolment/registration will extend until the end of January.

3. School fees are required only during or before the first week of each month. Payments in advance are encouraged.

4. Late enrolees/registration and transferees may be admitted provided that they meet all admission requirements and pay the required payments.

SCHOOL FEES

1. Schedule of payments must be strictly observed.

2. A student who withdraws anytime during the year will be charged the school fees for the month or part of the month they have attended at the TLS. A student must present a written notice to the school for the withdrawal to avoid paying the balance for the rest of the school year and non release of living certificate and records.

ATTENDANCE

A. Daily Schedule

Pre-School – Classes start at 7:30 a.m and end at 11:45 a.m for morning schedules. In the afternoon, classes start at 1:00 p.m and end at 5:00 p.m.

Primary – Classes start at 7:30 a.m and end at 12:30 p.m.

B. Punctuality

1. It is essential that every student attend classes and all school activities on time. This is important for self-discipline.

2. Any student who is not in the class during the first period is considered late.

3. A student who comes in late for the first period in the morning/afternoon for any subject period within the day must first report to the office of the Principal to secure an admission slip.

4. No student who comes in tardy for any classes will be accepted without admission slip.

5. For habitual tardiness, the class teacher will inform the Principal who will, in turn write the parents requesting their help to see to it that the student comes to school on time.

C. Daily Attendance

1. All students must come on time and on regular basis. They are expected to attend the full class session unless parents/guardians have given advanced notice and they have been officially excused.

2. All absences will be recorded. Upon a return from absence, a student must present a letter of excuse from his/her parent or guardian, together with a medical certificate (MC), if the absence is due to prolonged illness. Upon presentation of the letter he/she will receive an admission slip from the Principal so he/she can be admitted to class. Absence will continue to be unexcused until a letter is submitted and excuse is accepted. An excuse letter may be considered a valid reason for absence.

3. Students who have to be excused from a certain classes like Physical Education for health reasons must present a doctor’s certificate addressed to the Principal. The student has to report to the subject teacher during the class period missed and will do a substitute activity to complete the requirements of the course.

4. Habitual tardiness and absences may result into refusal of admission to the class. Three successive tardiness is considered as one day absence.

5. A student who has incurred an unexcused absence of (10) successive school days will be automatically dropped from the roll.

D. Staying in the School after Regular Hour

1. Students should have left the school premises no later than one hour after dismissal time.

2. Students may be required to stay in after regular hours for supervised school activities. Parents will be informed beforehand to secure their written acknowledgement.

E. Permission to Leave School

1. Except in cases of emergency, no student may be fetched or allowed to go home before dismissal time.

2. Permission to leave the school during school hours may be secured from the Administrator/Principal upon presentation of a written acknowledgement.

PARENT PARTICIPATION

1. The Orientation Meeting/ Annual General PTA Meeting of the school year aims to discuss the rules and policies of the school.

2. Parents are given various opportunities to participate, contribute and be involved in the life of the school.

3. Parent – teacher talks is held to inform parents of their child’s progress in the school.

4. Parents, through the office of the Principal may arrange for a meeting with the subject teacher or class teacher at a mutually agreed time.

OTHER SPECIFIC REGULATIONS

1. No outsider/non-school personnel may stay in the school premises without the permission of the Principal.

2. Any object found in the campus shall be bought to the office. Owners may claim it at the office. IF it remains unclaimed for two weeks, it becomes a school property.

3. No student may loiter around during class hours.

4. Students are responsible to submit acknowledgement slips signed by their parents or guardians in response to all communication sent out by the school.

5. The school should be notified as to who fetches the student from school.

6. Those who avail transportation from the school are expected to observe proper behaviour. They are to respect and obey the car guardian.

7. Eating and drinking during classes are not allowed.

8. Attendance at school functions is a MUST!

9. All student-teacher and parent-consultations should be done after class hours or doing the teacher’s vacant time.

EVALUATION AND GRADING SYSTEM

The Preschool and Primary Department will be using the averaging grading system. The children can achieve a grade as high as 100% and a grade as low as 50%. The passing grade is 65% but the passing score is higher than the median score. This will motivate the children to aim above what is average.

They will be evaluated as follows:

a. Assessment Test ………………………………. 50 %

b. Quizzes and Homeworks ………………………………. 20 %

c. Project/ Class Works ………………………………. 10 %

d. Recitation and Participation ………………………………. 10 %

e. Attendance ………………………………. 10%

The CONDUCT MARK will be graded qualitatively in each subject since behaviour cannot be standardized. This will be indicator of the student’s growth in self-discipline, his contribution to the order of his class and his observance of school policies and regulations.

It is as follows:

1. A student is given an A in conduct for a subject, if he manifests self-discipline to a very high degree, contributes to the order of his class and observes school regulations.

2. A student is given a B in conduct for a subject, if he manifests self-discipline to a satisfactory degree, generally contributes to the order of his class and observes school policies and regulations most of the time.

3. A student is given a C in conduct for a subject, if he manifests self-disciple to a low degree, needs improvement in his contribution to the order of his class and in observance of school policies and regulations.

4. A student is given a D in conduct for a subject, if he manifests self discipline to a very low degree, rarely contributes to the order of his class and seldom observes regulations of has incurred a serious violation of school policies and regulations.

ACADEMIC AND NON-ACADEMIC AWARDS:

A. Preschool

1. Academic Awards are given at the end of the year to student who demonstrates mastery in specific skills, i.e. Best in Maths, English, Reading, Writing, etc.

2. Non-academic Awards are given to students whose traits exemplify some of the traits like, Most Obedience, Most Punctual, etc.

B. Primary