“Will my child be ready for Grade 1?” It is the question we hear most often from prospective parents, and the answer is unequivocally yes. QAF’s curriculum is fully aligned with Ontario’s Kindergarten Program, and our graduates consistently transition smoothly into Grade 1 in public, Catholic, private, and Islamic schools across Ottawa.
What “Ready for Grade 1” Really Means
Readiness for Grade 1 is about much more than knowing the alphabet or counting to 20 (though our students do both, in English and Arabic). It is about the full set of skills a child needs to thrive in a more structured classroom: the ability to focus for extended periods, to follow multi-step instructions, to work independently, to collaborate with peers, and to regulate emotions when things get hard. These are what educators call “executive function skills,” and research identifies them as the strongest predictors of academic success.
How the Montessori-Inspired Work Cycle Builds These Skills
At QAF, executive function skills are built every day through our Montessori-inspired approach. When a child spends 30 focused minutes building a tower, sorting objects by size, or tracing letters, they are not just learning content. They are practicing concentration, planning, sequencing, and self-correction. The long, uninterrupted work cycle (9:20 to 11:00 AM each day) is specifically designed to develop these capacities.
Ontario Curriculum Alignment
Our JK/SK program is built on Ontario’s four frames of learning: Belonging and Contributing, Self-Regulation and Well-Being, Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours, and Problem Solving and Innovating. Every activity, every observation, and every report is aligned with these provincial expectations. When your child moves to Grade 1, their new teacher will see a child who meets or exceeds all benchmarks.
Academic Milestones by the End of SK
- Read simple English sentences with confidence
- Write their name, short words, and numbers to 50
- Recognize Arabic letters in all three positions (initial, medial, final)
- Recite 7 to 10 short surahs and understand their basic meanings
- Hold a simple conversation in Arabic with a teacher or peer
- Demonstrate early understanding of the pillars of Islam and stories of key Prophets
- Work independently for extended periods and collaborate effectively with peers
The QAF Advantage: Small Classes, Deep Attention
Our students benefit from being in a small, nurturing environment where they are truly known. Our educators track each child’s progress carefully through observation and adapt instruction to meet them where they are. This personalized attention, combined with our ClassDojo communication platform where parents can track progress daily, means that no child falls through the cracks. If your child needs more challenge, they get it. If they need more support, they get that too.
Beyond Academics: Character and Confidence
The children who leave QAF are not just academically prepared. They are confident, kind, and grounded in their identity. They know how to greet someone with salam, how to share generously, and how to persevere when something is hard. They carry the duas they’ve learned, the Arabic they’ve absorbed, and the Islamic values they’ve practiced into every classroom they enter after QAF.
Ready to learn more about admissions and tuition? Or book a tour to see our classroom and meet our educators in person.
