Primary (Grades K-3)

Primary Years: Private Elementary School in Madison, CT

The Country School’s Primary program serves students in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade. Our goal is to nurture each child’s enthusiasm for learning and natural curiosity while building strong academic skills.

Primary Years

What Makes Our Primary Years Program Different

Confidence built through challenge. Teachers balance support and challenge, so each child grows at the right pace.
A focus on collaboration. Students learn to work in pairs and small groups, share ideas, and solve problems together.
Multiple ways to learn. Co-curricular teachers lead Spanish, visual arts, performing arts, physical education, and STEAM.
Social-emotional fluency. Students learn to cope with challenges and to recognize and celebrate one another’s strengths.
A strong school community. Primary students take part in all-school traditions.
Small classes. Our student-teacher ratio is 7:1, so teachers know each child well.

Academics in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade

Primary students build the core skills that support all future learning:

Reading and writing
Mathematics
Science
Social studies

Teachers adjust instruction to meet each learner, so students who need more support get it, and students ready for more are challenged.

Co-Curricular Program

Students study

Spanish
Visual arts
Performing arts
Physical education
STEAM
Library

Each day includes physical activity, time outdoors, and moments of quiet reflection.

Social-Emotional Learning

Kindergarten through 3rd Grade is when children build the skills to manage frustration, work through setbacks, and get along with others. Our social-emotional program is part of every day and matched to each grade’s stage of development. Students learn to:

Name and manage their feelings
Persist through challenges
Collaborate and resolve conflicts
Recognize and celebrate classmates’ unique strengths

Community Traditions

Primary students are active members of the whole school. They take part in community-wide events such as Fall Fest and Owliday, and they connect with older students through reading buddies, all school meetings, and service learning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What grades are in The Country School’s Primary Years program?
Primary Years includes Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade.
Is The Country School a private elementary school?
Yes. The Country School is an independent PreS–8th Grade day school in Madison, Connecticut.
Do elementary students at The Country School study Spanish?
Yes. Spanish is taught by a specialist teacher in every Primary grade.
How does The Country School support social-emotional learning?
Social-emotional learning is built into each day. Students learn to manage feelings, work through challenges, collaborate, and value one another’s strengths.
What is the student-teacher ratio in the Primary Years?
The ratio is 7:1.
How is The Country School different from public elementary school?
Small classes, co-curricular teachers from Kindergarten, a full arts and Spanish program, and an intentional focus on character and social-emotional growth.

A World Built for Students. So They Can Take on the World.

Suggested Primary Grades Reading List

341 Opening Hill Road, Madison, CT 06443
P. 203-421-3113 | Health Office F. 860-469-2550
24/7 AI Support Agent | 203-350-7692

Founded in 1955, The Country School is a coeducational day school serving families across New Haven and Middlesex counties, PreSchool through Grade 8. Our motto, "A World Built for Students. So They Can Take on the World," guides a curriculum built on inquiry, knowledge, and character development for every individual, regardless of background.

The Country School is a community where diversity is celebrated and people of Color are welcomed, valued and supported.

We do not discriminate - nor do we tolerate discrimination - based upon age, gender, race, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic predisposition, ancestry, social and economic status, or other categories protected by Connecticut or federal law.

The Country School employs without regard to gender, race, color, national or ethnic origin, and sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities made available to its community. The Country School is an EOE Employer.