Academics
Grades 1–5 | Ages 6–10 | Building Academic Excellence and Entrepreneurial Thinking
In the AWS Upper Elementary years, something remarkable happens. Students who once marvelled at the world around them begin to understand it — and then, crucially, begin to shape it.
From Grade 1 through Grade 5, learning becomes a purposeful journey of discovery. Students build strong academic foundations while developing the life skills, creative confidence, and entrepreneurial mindset that will define them long after they leave our classrooms. Through rich, integrated learning experiences, small class sizes, and teachers who know each child as both a learner and a person, our Senior Explorers and Learners thrive.
This is a place where making mistakes is celebrated as part of learning. Where asking the right question is valued as much as having the right answer. Where every student’s unique path is not just acknowledged — it is actively nurtured and honoured.
At AWS, we don’t just teach children to read, write, and solve problems. We teach them to think critically, collaborate meaningfully, create with purpose, and develop the courage to take on challenges — and opportunities — they’ve never faced before.
Four principles guide everything we do
Students understand why they are learning everything they learn. Every project, every investigation, every lesson connects to a real-world application. When children see the purpose behind what they’re doing, engagement, retention, and motivation soar.
Students are active participants in their education — not passive recipients of it. They set goals, track their own progress, make meaningful choices in how they demonstrate understanding, and learn to advocate for themselves. This is what entrepreneurial self-direction looks like at age 8.
The ability to work effectively with others — to listen, contribute, negotiate, and build on each other’s ideas — is one of the most important skills a student can develop. Upper Elementary students at AWS work in teams regularly, building the interpersonal skills that every future leader and entrepreneur needs.
Academic excellence without character is incomplete. At AWS, we develop students who are curious, kind, resilient, ethical, and courageous. These qualities are woven into everything we do — from classroom discussions to community service to how students resolve conflicts on the playground.
Kidspreneur — our signature entrepreneurial learning programme that runs throughout Grades 3–5
Every Friday, students pause their regular timetable and become entrepreneurs. They conceptualise, plan, launch, and operate their own small businesses in our purpose-built Pioneer Town environment — serving real customers, handling real transactions, and managing real outcomes.
A rich, integrated programme aligned with American AERO standards and enriched by the AWS entrepreneurial approach
At AWS, English Language Arts and Social Studies come together as a single, powerful Humanities strand — because understanding the world and communicating about it are inseparable skills. Students begin with foundational literacy and personal storytelling, gradually advancing to complex analytical writing, persuasive essays, and documentary-style projects. By Grade 5, students read rich literature, write with purpose and voice, and engage confidently in structured discussion and debate.
The AWS science programme is built around one guiding principle: students learn science best by doing science. From Grade 1 onwards, students engage in hands-on investigations, collaborative experiments, and real-world problem-solving that takes them on a journey from early observations of the living world to sophisticated explorations of physical science, earth science, and engineering design.
Mathematics at AWS is rigorous, practical, and deeply connected to the world students already inhabit. Our programme combines self-paced individual progression with collaborative problem-solving — allowing students to advance at their natural pace while developing the ability to reason mathematically with others. Mathematics is also deeply connected to our entrepreneurial programme — students apply numerical reasoning to real business scenarios, financial planning, pricing decisions, and data analysis.
At AWS, the arts are not an enrichment activity. They are a core part of how students think, learn, and express understanding. Our Visual Arts programme develops both technical skill and genuine creative voice across Grades 1–5. Students progress from foundational art techniques to advanced work in mixed media, fibre arts, and contemporary art forms.
Physical development is integral to everything we do at AWS. Our PE programme develops fundamental movement skills, physical fitness, and the social qualities that make sport so valuable — teamwork, sportsmanship, perseverance, and respect. We believe that physical confidence directly builds academic and personal confidence.
Entrepreneurship at AWS is not a single subject — it is woven throughout the entire curriculum. Grades 1–2 students learn to notice problems, ask creative questions, and brainstorm solutions. Grades 3–5 students participate in our flagship Pioneer Town programme, launching and operating real businesses on a monthly basis. By Grade 5, students develop comprehensive business plans, create marketing strategies, manage budgets, and present their outcomes to a panel of teachers and invited entrepreneurs.
From Grade 1 onwards, AWS students develop the digital literacy and computational thinking skills that are essential for the world they are growing into. Students progress from early coding concepts through visual platforms to more advanced programming, digital content creation, and introduction to app design. At AWS, technology is a tool — not an end in itself.
Academic excellence is built on a foundation of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and strong interpersonal skills. Through our dedicated Advisory programme, students across Grades 1–5 develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. SEL is also integrated throughout the school day — in how students work in teams, how conflicts are resolved, and how achievements are celebrated.
Typical school day for a Grade 3–5 student
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30 AM | Arrival & Morning Circle |
| 9:00 AM | Advisory / SEL |
| 9:20 AM | Humanities (ELA / Social Studies) |
| 10:20 AM | Break & Outdoor Play |
| 10:40 AM | Mathematics |
| 11:40 AM | Lunch & Outdoor Play |
| 12:30 PM | Science / STEAM |
| 1:30 PM | Entrepreneurship / Kidspreneur (weekly) |
| 2:15 PM | Visual Arts / PE / Computer Science (rotating) |
| 3:15 PM | Reflection & Dismissal |
| 3:30 PM | Extended Day Programme (Optional) |
