Sharjah’s education landscape is shifting, with new Early Childhood Centres designed to combine nursery and kindergarten under one roof. If you’re a parent currently choosing a nursery in Sharjah, comparing daycare in Sharjah for a younger child, or planning the next step after nursery, it’s worth understanding what this change actually involves, who it affects, and what it means for your own child’s path from nursery through to kindergarten — regardless of whether you’re considering a government or private nursery.
What’s Changing in Sharjah’s Early Childhood Education
The Sharjah government has announced a plan to open Early Childhood Centres that house both nursery and kindergarten sections within the same facility. The goal is straightforward: children who complete nursery won’t need to move to a separate site for kindergarten, reducing one of the more disruptive transitions in early education. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, announced the initiative alongside an approved government nursery enrolment plan for the 2026–2027 academic year.
The Rollout Timeline
The plan is being introduced in phases rather than all at once. Government nursery enrolment for 2026–2027 is reported to be up 18 percent on the previous year, with the number of government nurseries increasing from 40 to 47. The phased rollout is expected to bring in roughly 2,402 children from August 2026, a further 332 from January 2027, and 270 more from April 2027, with total enrolment — including re-enrolment and new admissions — projected to reach around 3,004 children.
Early Progress Already Underway
According to the announcement, around 200 nursery graduates have already been admitted into kindergarten sections at four centres, located in Al Suyoh, Al Rahmaniyah, Al Lu’lu’iyah and Kalba. For children leaving nurseries that don’t yet have a kindergarten section attached, government schools remain available as an interim option until more combined centres are built, and kindergarten classrooms are also being added to existing nurseries where possible. Full details of the announcement, including the broader three-phase enrolment plan, were reported by Khaleej Times.
Why This Reflects a Broader Shift in Sharjah
Beyond the specific numbers, this announcement reflects a wider pattern in how Sharjah is approaching early years education — treating nursery and kindergarten less as two separate systems and more as one continuous journey for young children. For a growing population of families with children under five, that shift matters, because it signals that reducing disruption at key transition points is becoming a stated priority at a policy level, not just something individual nurseries do on their own initiative.
Is This Change Specific to Government Nurseries?
Yes — it’s important to be clear about this. The Early Childhood Centres initiative, as announced, applies to government nurseries and the government enrolment plan, and the centres themselves are being built and run under government infrastructure. If your child attends, or is likely to attend, a private nursery in Sharjah, this specific infrastructure change doesn’t apply directly to your enrolment process. That said, the underlying idea behind it — reducing disruption at the nursery-to-kindergarten transition — is just as relevant to private nursery families, and it’s worth asking any nursery you’re considering how they handle this transition themselves.
What This Means If You’re Choosing a Private Nursery
Even though the government Early Childhood Centres are a separate system, the announcement highlights something every parent comparing a nursery in Sharjah should be thinking about: how smoothly does a child move from nursery into the next stage of early education, and does the nursery you choose plan for that transition from day one?
Ask About Curriculum Continuity
One of the clearest advantages of the government’s Early Childhood Centres is continuity — the same environment, familiar routines, and often overlapping staff as a child moves from nursery into kindergarten. You can look for a similar benefit at a private nursery by asking directly whether the curriculum is designed to carry through consistently from nursery age into Pre-KG and kindergarten preparation, rather than resetting with each stage.
Ask How the Nursery Prepares Children for the Next Step
A nursery that genuinely prepares children for kindergarten will usually be able to describe specific steps — more structured group activities as children get older, early literacy and numeracy exposure, and a gradual increase in independence expectations. If a nursery can’t describe this clearly, it’s worth asking more questions before enrolling.
Ask About Staff Continuity and Communication Between Stages
It’s also worth asking whether teachers communicate with each other as a child moves from one age group to the next within the same nursery, or whether each stage essentially starts from scratch with no handover of information. A nursery where staff share observations about a child’s progress tends to make each transition noticeably smoother, since the next teacher already has a sense of how that child learns best.
Why Continuity Matters More Than the Type of Nursery
Whether a family ultimately chooses one of the government’s Early Childhood Centres or the best nursery in Sharjah they can find in the private sector, the underlying principle is the same: children generally do better with fewer disruptive transitions, familiar routines, and a curriculum that builds steadily rather than starting over at each stage. This is worth keeping in mind when comparing any nursery in Sharjah, government or private, and it’s the same reasoning behind the Early Childhood Centres model in the first place.
How Little Feet Nursery Supports This Kind of Continuity
At Little Feet Nursery, our Montessori, EYFS and STEAM-based curriculum is designed to carry children through consistently, from their first days in daycare in Sharjah through to preschool and Pre-KG readiness, without the curriculum resetting at each stage. Our Montessori-trained, SPEA-certified teachers know each child individually, which means the move from one stage to the next is built around that child’s own pace rather than a fixed changeover point.
This approach is applied consistently across all three of our branches — Al Khan, Al Khalidiya and Al Jazzat — so families across Sharjah have a consistent option regardless of which branch is most convenient. If you’re already thinking ahead to your child’s move into Pre-KG, our guide on knowing if your child is ready for Pre-KG covers this transition in more detail.
What Sharjah Parents Should Do Next
Whether you’re considering one of the government’s new Early Childhood Centres or comparing private options and looking for the best nursery in Sharjah for your family, a few practical steps help:
- Ask directly how any nursery you’re considering handles the transition into kindergarten or Pre-KG
- Check whether curriculum and teaching staff carry through consistently across stages, rather than changing entirely at each step
- If your current nursery doesn’t have a kindergarten section, ask what options they recommend for the next stage, and how far in advance you should start planning
- Keep an eye on further announcements from Sharjah’s education authorities about the Early Childhood Centres rollout, since it is happening in phases and more centres are expected over time
Conclusion
Sharjah’s new Early Childhood Centres reflect a broader shift toward reducing disruption at the nursery-to-kindergarten transition, and while the initiative itself applies to government nurseries, the principle behind it is relevant to every family weighing up a nursery in Sharjah. Continuity, consistent curriculum, and a nursery that actively prepares children for their next step matter more than which system a family ultimately chooses.
If you’d like to talk through how a consistent curriculum can support your child’s transition from nursery through to Pre-KG, get in touch with our admissions team — we’re happy to walk you through how this works at Little Feet Nursery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Sharjah’s new Early Childhood Centres?
They are government-run facilities that combine nursery and kindergarten sections in one location, allowing children to move from nursery into kindergarten without changing schools.
Does this change affect private nurseries in Sharjah?
Not directly. The initiative, as announced, applies to government nurseries and the government enrolment plan. However, the idea of reducing transition disruption is relevant for families comparing any nursery in Sharjah, private or government.
When is the new system being introduced?
The rollout is happening in phases, with government nursery enrolment increases beginning in August 2026 and continuing through January and April 2027.
What happens if my child’s nursery doesn’t have a kindergarten section yet?
According to the announcement, children in this situation can enrol in government schools as an interim option while more combined centres are built, and kindergarten classrooms are also being added to some existing nurseries.
Should I choose a nursery based on this announcement alone?
Not necessarily. It’s a useful reminder to ask any nursery, government or private, how they handle the move into kindergarten or Pre-KG, rather than a reason to change your overall approach.
What should I ask when comparing nurseries for curriculum continuity?
Ask whether the curriculum and teaching approach carry through consistently from nursery age into Pre-KG preparation, and how the nursery supports that transition in practice.
Does Little Feet Nursery offer this kind of continuity?
Yes. Our Montessori, EYFS and STEAM-based curriculum is applied consistently from daycare through to preschool and Pre-KG readiness, across all three of our branches.
Where can I learn more about preparing my child for the next stage after nursery?
Our guide on knowing if your child is ready for Pre-KG covers the signs to look for and how to prepare, and our admissions team is happy to discuss your child’s specific situation.