Fairfax County believes that the kindergarten program should provide an education, which is adaptable to each child's needs, interests, and level of development. Children's social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth are enhanced through a variety of activities that meet individual and group needs. The kindergarten program:

• Focuses on oral language development as the basis for writing, reading, and thinking.
• Builds on, improves, and increases the knowledge skills that children bring to school.
• Promotes an appreciation of the similarities and differences among people.
• Incorporates active learning through body movement activities, manipulation of learning materials, and interaction with others.
• Uses ongoing performance assessment to observe, document, and analyze children's learning behavior in the areas of language arts, math/science, and fine and gross motor skills.
• Encourages a love of learning.

Children learn, grow, and develop at different rates. Differences can be observed in children of the same age who may vary in their ability to perform certain physical, social, or intellectual tasks. The Fairfax County Public Schools' early childhood curriculum takes into consideration these differences in young children. Through individualization of the instruction, all students will progress at their own rates of development. Each student is given the opportunity to experience success, and build a positive self-concept. In the elementary years, a sound foundation in speaking, writing, reading, and mathematics prepares students for academic success in later years. Wherever possible, concrete objects and manipulative introduce concepts to students. Activities that include learning experiences using real objects help students to understand concepts and ideas prior to the introduction of abstract symbols.