The best Pre-Primary schools and Nursery of the island
When the moment comes to send your child to school for the first time, it is not something a parent can take lightly. A lot of research goes into this and it is not always easy to choose which one is the best. My daughter is 2 and half years old and she’s getting really bored at home. Although it’s a full time job in itself to look after her and it would be ideal to use a good amount of that time towards our job, we decided to put her in a pre-primary school because she needs the interaction with other children her age for stimulation and for her own development.
However most places in Mauritius take on children who are 3 and over and those who are younger need to go to nursery first. Some places will accept your toddler in pre-primary if she can fit in (depends on her ability to mingle with others and her overall confidence). As any parent, you want the best for your child and we considered the top schools first but they were too far away from where we live and prices were extortionate as well. Some of the best rated ones are:
- IPS (Internaltional Preparatory School) in Pamplemoussses - English
- Bethleem Nursery and Pre-Primary school in Port Louis
- L'Arche de Zoe in Curepipe - French and English
- Le Nid in Quatres Bornes
- Safe and Sound in Quatres Bornes
As you're probably aware, mostly expats and rich Mauritians send their kids there. For us, we wanted a place where they speak English as well instead of just French or Creole. Our second requirement was that it should be very close so that we don't waste time dropping/picking up our daughter. We went through the list of schools in Beau-Bassin and the best one in the region was Hampstead Junior School. Coming from the UK, we have very high standards and when you compare the facilities against how much you're paying for this school, it was not worth it and on top, they speak predominantly French. So we decided to venture out a bit and look into neighbouring areas like Rose-Hill, Quatre-Bornes and Port-Louis. Here are the fees for some of the different schools we contacted:
Hamsptead Junior School in Coromandel Registration : Rs5,000 for Kindergarten and Rs10,000 for Primary Monthly : Rs3,300 Other fees (Yearly) : Rs3,000 for materials, Rs300 for insurance and Rs1,200/month for lunch (optional)
Step Ahead In Quatre-Bornes Registration : Can't remember Monthly : Rs4,200
LCK Kids Club in Port-Louis Registration : None Monthly : Rs2,800 (requires 1 month in advance)
Super Garden in Beau-Bassin Registration : Rs2,500 Monthly : Rs2,500 (requires 1 month in advance) Other fees : Rs1,700 per year for materials
Little Darlings in Port-Louis Registration : Rs5,000 Monthly : Rs2,500 Other fees : Rs4,500 requirement, uniforms & bags to be bought, Rs850/month for meals (optional)
Tantine & Caramel in Belle Etoile Registration : None Monthly : Rs1,500 (Requires 1 month in advance)
Star Kids in Coromandel Registration : None Monthly : Rs1,300 (Requires 1 month in advance)
Some of the schools open from 07:30 to 14:30 and others from 07:30 to 17:30 but as you can see we've visited several nurseries and pre-primaries from expensive to cheap and some of them don't deserve a permit at all as their premises are either a hazard or they are just innapropriate for kids. For example, one particular school had about 15 kids crammed into such a small space and they were made to watch cartoons while the outside area was covered with small pointed rocks (maybe work-in-progress). Another one didn't even have a window for natural light to enter and the kids had to stay in that dim room for the whole day. Can you imagine?
England has very tough standards regarding this and a teacher can only look after up to eight 3+ kids. The problem with having too many children is that you cannot give them enough attention and that's bad for their development at such a young age. I've heard stories where childminders would give medicine such as Panadol syrup to kids to force them to sleep. Watching TV is not something I consent to as well because it doesn't stimulate the child and when you walk into a school where you see the kids are not lively and happy, then you should walk away immediately. Kids this age are very energetic and like to play a lot and it is wrong to put them in a place which inhibit their growth. Needless to say, we decided to keep our daughter home for the time being.
What do you look for when choosing a pre-primary for your child? Cost? Convenience? Or some other criteria?
20 Replies
Good morning,
I have a son of 6 years old, he used to go to a pre-primary school at Cocinelle Beau-Bassin, now the school get closed for personal matters,till then i'm searching for a school to put my son but in vain.My son suffered from cerebral Pslsy he cant walk by himself therefore he needs a support to walk(reverse walker), he understands everything and want to go to school
Please help me.
Hi all,
I have to agree with the statement made that some should not have a permit. I remember how difficult it was to find a good pre school and nursery for my girls a few years ago and I do not think things have changed that much since.
that it why I am now in the process of opening my own english pre school near port louis ( am a teacher from the uk and hubby a nurse).
anyone who would like more info can call me 5774 8144
Hello. I hope my comment help others looking for a nursery / kindergarten in Beau Bassin. I was looking for a good one since a few months ago and found it :-) It's Crèche a petits pas. Newly opened, childproof amenities, 2 play areas, 2 sleeping rooms, one for babies in cots n the other with low beds for toddlers who can sleep in beds, 2 bathrooms. Large outdoor playground. After my visit, I registered my son of 14 months right away, no looking further. The lady is so nice and my son is fond of her. There was an article on the nursery in the Le Mauricien on 10/04/14. It's located in Trotter Avenue in Beau Bassin. Opening hours from Mon to Fri, 7.30 am to 5.30 pm. Contact person is Cindy Wong on 5765 1534/82. Also on Facebook 'crèche apetitspas'. Hope the info is of help to parents looking for a nursery where their child is not locked between 4 walls all day.
Hi
My daughter has been attending La Crèche a Petits Pas in Beau Bassin since she was 5 months old and it is absolutely fantastic! The manageress and her staff are wonderful, the amenities are excellent, the cleanliness is out of this world and most importantly of all my daughter is so happy there. If you are looking for a bright, clean, happy environment for your baby then I strongly recommend that you visit La Crèche a Petits Pas, you will not be disappointed!
Please give Cindy a call on +230 57651534 she is the owner of La Crèche a Petits Pas in Beau Bassin
The place itself is very nice..But beware of the conditions, the contract you sign!! I have been given a contract to take a look..And trust me this contract does not make sense..You need to pay the staff's 13th month. Creche went on holiday on the 21 of December and started on the 11th of January..The funniest thing is that you need to pay full both in December and January!!You will be asked to give them a cheque for 3 months fees at the beginning as a guarantee..In case you want to put your kids elsewhere for some reasons, you need to give them 3 months notice period..This is again very comic!!
To be frank when i read this contract, it's like a job offer you received with a contract...Everything are on their side..
I dont recommend this creche to be honest based on their contract..
Hello,
My son goes to Arden Junior School which is in Quatre Bornes ave naz/victoria.
on my side I opted for a school whereby the academic standards are quite high level and where kids are also empowered to develop a nice personality. My son is responsible of his studies and knows when to read or do homeworks etc. He is also at ease socially and is a social citizen with respect to environment. also the school won the Arch of Europe Award for Quality and Technology.
I guess this is what we as parents should look for in a school. instead of looking at big infrastructure or much talk about superb school events. aparently they will also be moving to a new building in Quatres Bornes itself in 1 or 2 years.
so you can consider the school Arden Junior School which is found in quatres Bornes. they also have transport facilities so no big fuss in dropping kids at school in the morning.
you can also check some press links below concerning the school to be more aware:
http://www.lemauricien.com/article/cpe-2013-taux-reussite-7748
http://www.lemauricien.com/article/resultats-du-cpe-%E2%80%94-taux-reussite-%E2%80%9Cfirst-sitting%E2%80%9D-765%C2%A0-%E2%80%9Crepeaters%E2%80%9D-40
http://business.mega.mu/fr/2013/12/16/les-ecoles-privees-payantes-fort-taux-de-reussite/
http://www.brabys.com/business/5064730/mauritius/quatre-bornes/victoria-ave/primary-school/arden-junior-school
Hope this helps you in choosing a good school for your kids. because nowadays lots of private school con people with infrastructure but academic wise not much done.
so good luck with your search
Agree with you. In 1997, I left Louis Nellan govt school for Arden Junior School. Did my 6th standard there. Proved to be a very wise decision.
hi everybody, am looking for a pre_primary school for my 2 yrs 7 months kid, preferably in the north.
am looking for a good pre primary school for my son and finally opted for Hampton School but wanted to know the monthly fees!! can anyone help me out please??? thanks
Hi,
I am looking for a good pre-primary school in the vicinity of Rose-HIll. I need a school where the child feels
safe and secure.I am quite confused . i really can't decide between Le nid r-hill another 1.
hello,my daughter 2yrs 7month.this year she will be 3yrs. i live at bel air r seche. am searching a good school for her. where she will learn dicipline, manners,friend,and others.she feels tired travailing everyday.so am lookng a good school nearby my village.pls help me.she is very interested in activities.playing.coluring.thanks hpoe to hear from u
Hi can anyone suggest me a good pre-primary school in the north. I need one where medium of language is not limited, ie., the child should know both English and French language equally. And there should be enough curricular activities for the overall development of the Child.
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