Our Montessori approach

Partnership with Parents

We recognise the parent as the primary educator of a child and we pride ourselves on working closely in partnership. Respect is shown to family traditions and childcare practices. Every effort is made to comply with parent wishes for their children where appropriate to the ethos of our school.

Introduction to Montessori Philosophy

It will be our initial aim to introduce the children to the philosophy of the Montessori method of education. We have fully equipped both of our school with a complete range of genuine Montessori materials. Not all schools that say they are Montessori schools buy this equipment. Montessori materials are quite expensive. They are unique, beautiful, mainly wooden and carefully crafted by experts.

Individualized Learning Plans

Each child who joins our nurseries is allocated a Key Person (teacher) to work with them on an individual basis. This key person observes the child closely and makes a special learning plan to ensure that (s)he receives the right kind of learning experiences to help them grow and develop to their fullest potential.

Building Independence and Confidence

We furnish children with thoughtfully curated sequences of activities within a specially designed environment. Our primary aim is to cultivate awareness of others and foster a sense of consideration and politeness, enabling them to form meaningful friendships. Additionally, we strive to nurture their self-esteem, independence, and confidence as they grow and develop.

Practical Life Skills: Preparing for Independence

We aim to introduce children to practical life skills by using a wide range of materials especially designed to develop children dexterity and muscle control. This prepares the children not only for writing at a later stage, but answers his plea of ‘help me to do it by myself’, and this encourages further independence and confidence.

Developing Motor Skills and Concentration

Our goal is to support children with their gross and fine motor skills via the Montessori sensorial apparatus, which helps in deepening their concentration. In addition, we closely follow a child’s developmental stages, carefully monitoring their progress through observation and one-on-one interaction, all meticulously recorded to ensure they remain continually stimulated. Introducing new exercises when a child is ready and when it is appropriate to do so is part of our approach. We aim to provide a safe and stimulating environment in which a child can experiment with, and learn through, a variety of art & craft materials and experience manipulative play with clay, play dough, and messy play mixes.

Language and Numeracy Development: Building Strong Foundations

We aim for the children to be able to participate in small and large group discussions and to be able to express themselves clearly using a wide and ambitious vocabulary. We introduce the children initially to numbers and letters indirectly through everyday activities such as song, stories, rhymes, music etc. This builds their confidence and develops their social skills as well.

The letters of the alphabet are taught phonetically using a wide range of specially designed Montessori materials, as are numbers and early mathematics as and when a child becomes ready.

Comprehensive Curriculum

We follow the guidelines laid down in the government’s Early Years Foundation Stage document for our younger children, and later, as the children begin to read and write, we combine this with our Montessori education up until they leave Reception year before they turn 5. Children can remain here with us right up until compulsory school age, being the term after their fifth birthday. By working in partnership with the Local Authority we aim to ensure that we have covered all the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage (end of Reception Year) and that some children will achieve well beyond that.

Embracing Diversity

Our objective is to offer a diverse array of multicultural activities that broaden the child’s understanding of the world and its inhabitants. We incorporate real-life images depicting people, places, homes, and traditional attire from various parts of the globe. Additionally, we engage children in a multitude of creative activities designed to foster an appreciation for different cultures and their respective beliefs.

Exploring the World Around Us

We aim to introduce geography by providing globes, puzzle maps of the world and each continent; pictures showing real life & water forms such as “an island” and “a lake”. The children love using these materials and seeing real life pictures. We introduce activities relating to soil, air & water and an introduction to flags from around the world.

Discovering the Wonders of Biology

We aim to introduce biology by providing a range of materials such as puzzles containing different parts of animals, plants, trees & flowers; bird cages, water wildlife, dinosaurs, mini beasts, fruit & vegetable cards. Throughout the year we show the children real life experiences in this area such as having a butterfly house growing caterpillars into butterflies and then releasing them; tadpoles growing quickly into froglets and eventually into frogs, again being released into our local pond. From time to time we have wormeries and ant houses as well. During the course of the year, the children help us with planting bulbs, seeds and some vegetables.

Embarking on a Journey Through History and Space

Our approach to history involves the use of distinctive Montessori timeline materials accompanied by engaging stories that take the children through different historical stages, including the fascinating era of dinosaurs. We initiate their exploration of the solar system with an engaging song. Additionally, we’ve undertaken captivating projects in the past where children craft paper-mache planets that they can personally handle and position around a simulated Sun. This project has consistently garnered popularity, and it’s remarkable how swiftly the children grasp the names of the planets through this hands-on experience.

Enriching Experiences Outside the Classroom

At the beginning of the summer, we take the children on our end of year trip. Parents/carers are welcome and invited along to join us to celebrate the end of the school year. We also arrange many other outings during the school year, such as the local library. The children benefit greatly from these extra excursions and parents/carers are always welcome.

Nurturing Lifelong Learning

The fundamental aims of the Montessori method of education and the fundamental aims of our nurseries are to sow the seeds of interest that will fuel learning, giving children education for life. The welfare of a child is paramount. We want to provide a loving, safe and homely environment where children can follow their ‘inner teacher’ and develop at their own pace at a time when their mind is at its most absorbent. Our carefully trained and caring staff team help to ensure that this can happen.