About us
Mission
The Kindergarten School has the objective of accompanying children and their families in a comprehensive educational journey from Nursery to Middle School. The Kindergarten pedagogical philosophy values autonomy, the importance of community and responsibility, and emphasizes the international dimension of education.
The keystones of our educational programme are:
QUALITY EDUCATION
ITALIAN/ENGLISH BILINGUALISM
A NOURISHING AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT
"SISTEMA PARITARIO"
AT THE SERVICE OF FAMILIES SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1973
Our school has a more than 40-year history enriched by continual reflection on and involvement with contemporary pedagogical methods and training. We offer a quality modern education.
For some years Kindergarten has emphasized a bilingual education, acknowledging the value of English in meeting the challenges of contemporary society.
Creativity, exploration, an openness to innovation, a thorough training of our teachers, and passion: these are what make the Kindergarten School an independent, innovative and dynamic school.
What we offer:
Pre-School bilingual sections (3-6 years)
Elementary School bilingual (6-11 years)
Middle School international (11-14 years)
SCHOOL CAMPUSES
The Kindergarten School has three campuses, close to each other and in the centre of the city of Florence.
- The Main Campus includes the Nursery, Bilingual Pre-School, some Elementary School grades; remarkable about the Main Campus is the graciousness of its interiors, spread over 1400 square metres. The Main campus has several outdoor play areas (amongst which a tennis court and courtyard garden with shade trees) adapted to the various ages of outdoor play. The Main Campus has a pedestrian entrance at 105 via S. Gallo and an entrance for pick-up and drop-off by car at 11 viale Lavagnini, with parking;
- 52 Viale Matteotti Campus includes some grades of the Elementary School and the Middle School; the Matteotti Campus has been newly renovated and has laboratory space for Art, Music, Science, and Languages;
- 8 Via Bonifacio Lupi Campus includes the Blingual Pre-School; a warm, inviting space with multi-functional rooms and an outdoor play area.
Since 2012 Kindergarten also manages the Menarini Baby Nursery School at 7 via Marchetti, Florence.
OPENING HOURS AND SCHEDULE
Kindergarten is open from 1 September to 30 June for all grades (Nursery, Pre-School, Elementary and Middle Schools). Educational activities and lessons at the Elementary and Middle Schools follow the regional school academic calendar (15 September – 10 June).
Kindergarten is open from 7.30 to 18.00, Monday to Friday, offering families maximum flexibility for dropping off and picking up children at school.
THE PROJECT OF A LIFETIME
From the moment of its establishment, the Kindergarten School has benefited from the educational knowledge and experience of Prof. Mario Amulfi, its founder and director of pedagogy. In addition to his decades of experience as a Headmaster in the State School system, Prof. Amulfi edited hundreds of schools texts from major publishers.
The Kindergarten School is the result of the daily commitment and passion of Prof. Amulfi, who up to his final days continued to be dedicated to his students, to whom he wished to transmit his value of justice and love of liberty, moral rigour, and his enthusiasm for life and knowledge. Generations have grown up with his valuable teaching and have demonstrated esteem and appreciation for them.
“Founding a new school, with fragile and uncertain beginnings, was, for us, an impressive challenge. The Kindergarten School was born 40 years ago in S. Domenico di Fiesole. We started with fewer than thirty children, between four and five years old: we had to create everything. With Irma and Anna Marinelli we put our heads down and started. We stayed there for 25 years, before moving to the Conservatorio delle Mantellate di Via S. Gallo.
The experience was very positive; creating something entirely new, especially a ‘school’ is fascinating; the difficulties we had to overcome were numerous, but tenacity and enthusiasm always sustained us and today we are happy with our work, in which we firmly believe.
Kindergarten, dear children, is your school, where you are growing with your teachers and to whom we owe our esteem and appreciation.”
-Prof. Amulfi (school founder, on the occasion of the 40th Anniverary of the Kindergarten School)
KINDERGARTEN IS A TRANSPARENT SCHOOL
Kindergarten provides families with the important documents relating to the school and to school results which are issued periodically, providing a guarantee of best practices.
- Rapporto di autovalutazione (RAV)
- Three-Year School Plan
- Family Questionnaire (2016) Results
- INVALSI Results (2014/15)
- La carta dei Servizi
- School Brochure
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Defibrillator
Kindergarten was the first school in Florence to have a defibrillator at school and personnel trained to use it.
A Safe Environment
All the spaces, furniture and playing material meet health and safety requirements as established by European Norms (normative europa EN71).
Quality Certification
Kindergarten obtained a Certification of Quality in 2014, safety and security (certification plan n.11178) attesting to the safety and security of procedures and of the correct training and preparation of its staff.
