A FAITH-BASED, MONTESSORI-INSPIRED PRESCHOOL
British Infant School foundress, teacher, and Chicago-native Sister Hilary Halpin believes the most important part of educating preschoolers is “welcoming them into a classroom and enabling them to become themselves: independent, social, creative, and curious.”
Sister Hilary has been an educator for over 50 years, with degrees and training in nutrition, elementary and secondary education, and Montessori education. She began the British Infant School in 1971 and continues to teach, keeping up to date with the latest in child development research and effective education techniques.
Others on staff have education, music, art, nursing, and midwife degrees, providing each preschooler a healthy environment and well-rounded education.
The British Infant School is a Christian preschool where parents, teachers, and children work together to foster an environment of growth.
The school is designed to have lateral grouping: children of three, four, and five years of age deliberately configured to resemble a family. Older children help the younger ones in a space created as an extension of the home and family.
We keep our class size small to ensure individual attention for each student, and the curriculum follows much of the Montessori model. Every day in the British Infant School is an integrated one, offering a smorgasbord of creative, intellectual, artistic, and physical activities.
Our preschool is based on the British Infant Model, which is laced heavily with Maria Montessori, Jean Piaget, and John Dewey. Based on child development research, we support developing a preschool-aged child’s independence, social skills, curiosity, and creativity. We believe the classroom is a workshop, and our model allows students to integrate the program into his/her own interest and energies according to his/her own abilities and drives.
Activities include music, art, physical fitness, creative play, math, science, story-telling, and organized games. Typical mornings at the British Infant School begin with time together as a group to share and talk, followed by an open time for use of materials and projects. There are also organized activities during the day, play on a playground or gymnasium, healthy and nutritious snacks, clean-up, and story time.
Family involvement is core to the British Infant School curriculum. Parents are expected to participate in the child’s first school experience, spending time in the classroom once every three/four weeks.
At the beginning of the school year you will be notified as to the number of days and a calendar will be posted outside the classroom. This kind of special and intentional involvement from parents provides our preschoolers a unique learning experience by exposing them to diverse adults with varied skills and talents.
The British Infant School is located in Northern Chicago in Skokie, Illinois. Our school year begins the Wednesday after Labor Day and continues until the first Friday in June. Our class meets each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the week unless their is a listed holiday on the calendar you receive upon enrollment. Classroom hours are 9am to noon. These hours are occasionally extended for field trips, special program, or a child’s birthday party.
We admit preschool children ages 3, 4, and 5, and our classroom size never surpasses 20 students.
We are licensed under Illinois DCFS and we have a special risk accident insurance policy that covers each child and staff member.
Enrollment for an upcoming fall class begins in the spring of the same year. To enroll, contact Sister Hilary Halpin at (847) 679-6903. She will send out a handbook and the necessary materials at that time. You can also take a peak at our application form here.
The tuition is $1,100 for the full year, plus an $80 materials fee. At the time of registration, a deposit of $80 is required to reserve your place in the upcoming class.
Your tuition may be paid in full at the beginning of the school year or broken up into two or four payments throughout the year.
Preschoolers and their family participate in several exciting events throughout the year including a big Halloween Bash, a food drive and blessing at Thanksgiving, a sing-a-long at Christmas with a blessing of their baby Jesus, a Valentine’s Day party, a parade on St. Patrick’s, and an Easter basket creation and blessing. The British Infant School also hosts an end of the year celebration that includes physical activities, music, costumes, and awards.
Full calendars of the year are received upon enrollment.
All three of my kids went to the British Infant School, as well as my sister’s three children. We are big fans of this incredible establishment. I could not recommend the school with more enthusiasm and confidence. Bridget Fabianski
Our daughter’s enrollment at the British Infant School has been one of the best decisions we have made as parents. The school is infused with the best of 3-5 educational offerings that Sister Hilary Halpin has refined through decades of hard work and love. Students learn responsibility, pre-reading and writing, play, music-art and social connection. It’s an unparalleled, incredibly priced preschool.
Julie Morley
I have sent 4 children through the British Infant School. I am a firm believer that a positive pre-school experience plays an important role in establishing the foundation for the total educational process/progress of a child. Sister Hilary’s program focuses on and nurtures the ‘whole child,’ giving each child the opportunity to develop important life and educational skills. Sister Hilary is a gifted, caring, experienced, dedicated and trustworthy pre-school educator. When asked about their pre-school experience, my children enthusiastically gave the British Infant School a ‘Thumbs Up.’Kathy Riordan
Sister Hilary and the British Infant School came highly recommended and for good reason. Our son has thrived in the program and loves to go to school. He has always been an active little boy and loves to play and run around, but he has found an appreciation for art and music. In addition to the traditional curriculum the most beneficial teaching the children receive is instruction in manners and how to be kind and supportive of friends and family. The British Infant School is a real jewel!
Michelle Whatley
