What does school readiness mean at NAS?

It means confidence, language, independence, movement, listening, friendship, curiosity, early literacy and number sense growing together.

Should Senior KG feel like formal school?

Senior KG should strengthen readiness for the next step while keeping learning active, social, visual and joyful.

How can parents support readiness at home?

Read daily, keep routines steady, encourage self-help, count real things, talk about feelings and let children solve small problems.

The KG names, explained

Junior KG, Senior KG, LKG, UKG: what the names mean, and the order.

Different cities and boards use different names for the same two kindergarten years. In Mumbai, Junior KG is the year many schools call LKG (Lower Kindergarten) and Senior KG is UKG (Upper Kindergarten). Here is the sequence, the usual ages, and what each year is for.

Ask NAS Parent hub

LKG = Junior KGUKG = Senior KGPlaygroup firstThen Class 1

A younger child with shapes and an older child drawing at the next table — At NAS, parent guidance stays connected to what children actually experience.

Four cushioned stepping stones holding materials of growing complexity

What the research says only matters if you can see it in the room.

Junior KG, Senior KG, LKG, UKG

The sequence

Four years, in order, with the usual ages.

The two kindergarten years are the same everywhere; only the names change. This is how NAS runs them.

Stage	Usual age	What a morning looks like	Programme page
PlaygroupAlso called Mother-Toddler	1.5–2.5 years	Settling with a familiar adult nearby, sensory baskets, songs, movement and short, predictable routines.	Playgroup at NAS
NurseryThe first full preschool year	2.5–3.5 years	Stories, pretend play, first friendships, words for feelings and growing independence in everyday tasks.	Nursery at NAS
Junior KGAlso called LKG (Lower Kindergarten)	3.5–4.5 years	Longer conversations, early literacy and number play with real materials, and small-group problem solving.	Junior KG at NAS
Senior KGAlso called UKG (Upper Kindergarten)	4.5–5.5 years	Listening, early reading and writing readiness, number sense and the confident habits needed for Class 1.	Senior KG at NAS

The names

LKG, UKG, Junior, Senior: one map.

Forms, directories and other cities use different words for the same years. Read the age band, not the label.

LKG · Lower Kindergarten

The first kindergarten year. Called Junior KG in Mumbai, Jr. KG on many forms, and KG-1 in some schools.

UKG · Upper Kindergarten

The second kindergarten year, the one before Class 1. Called Senior KG in Mumbai, Sr. KG on forms, and KG-2 in some schools.

Nursery and Playgroup come first

Playgroup (Mother-Toddler) is the first school experience, held gently with a familiar adult nearby. Nursery is the first full preschool year.

Ages are bands, not rules

Schools set their own cut-offs. At NAS: Playgroup 1.5–2.5, Nursery 2.5–3.5, Junior KG 3.5–4.5, Senior KG 4.5–5.5. The office confirms fit for a date of birth.

Parent FAQ

Direct answers.

The questions families type before they type a school’s name.

LKG is Lower Kindergarten and UKG is Upper Kindergarten. In Mumbai many schools, including NAS, call the same years Junior KG and Senior KG.

Yes. Junior KG and LKG (Lower Kindergarten) are two names for the same year, the first of the two kindergarten years. At NAS it is for children of about 3.5 to 4.5 years.

Yes. Senior KG and UKG (Upper Kindergarten) are the same year, the second of the two kindergarten years. At NAS it is for children of about 4.5 to 5.5 years.

Playgroup (also called Mother-Toddler) comes first, then Nursery, then Junior KG (LKG), then Senior KG (UKG). After Senior KG a child moves to Class 1.

Age bands differ by school. At New Activity School, Junior KG is for about 3.5 to 4.5 years and Senior KG for about 4.5 to 5.5 years; the office confirms the fit for a child’s date of birth.