Dr Maria Montessori was a remarkable woman. The first woman in Italy to qualify as a medical doctor, she became interested in how children learn and took a scientific approach to observing children's learning & development. Her research and work with children of wide-ranging backgrounds and abilities developed into an educational approach that spread around the world. More than 100 years on the Montessori approach is globally recognised and Dr Montessori's work continues to inform modern educational practice.
"Children show excellent levels of motivation to learn. They work together enthusiastically" - Ofsted 2018
Our Montessori teachers and Early Years Educators carefully prepare a child-centred environment designed to offer experiences that will intrigue, inspire and challenge young minds. In an environment that is specifically designed to meet each child's learning & developmental needs, our children:
- develop confidence and independence
- learn at their own pace
- follow their own interests
- discover that learning is fun
- develop an enthusiasm for learning that will stay with them throughout their lives.
"Children show excellent levels of motivation to learn. They work together enthusiastically" - Ofsted 2018
Our Montessori teachers and Early Years Educators carefully prepare a child-centred environment designed to offer experiences that will intrigue, inspire and challenge young minds. In an environment that is specifically designed to meet each child's learning & developmental needs, our children:
- develop confidence and independence
- learn at their own pace
- follow their own interests
- discover that learning is fun
- develop an enthusiasm for learning that will stay with them throughout their lives.
In our Practical Life area children enjoy practical activities, such as pouring, pegging, threading, matching lids to containers, using tweezers or tongs and being introduced to real tools. These activities are fascinating to young children and whilst they explore they are developing key skills such as hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and attention to detail that will be needed later for reading & writing.
Young children naturally seek to be independent. From the very start our children begin to take responsibility for small tasks, such as laying the table, sweeping & mopping, preparing snacks, washing up and independently managing their coat & shoes. The belief that "I can do it by myself" gives children confidence to embrace challenges with a positive, "can-do" attitude that is essential for successful learning.
"Children squeeze pipettes and use spanners to undo nuts and bolts, helping to strengthen their hand and finger muscles for writing. Staff teach children exceptionally well about how to keep themselves safe and manage risk. Children fully participate in a remarkably wide range of safety-related play, including handling real tools" - Ofsted 2018
Young children naturally seek to be independent. From the very start our children begin to take responsibility for small tasks, such as laying the table, sweeping & mopping, preparing snacks, washing up and independently managing their coat & shoes. The belief that "I can do it by myself" gives children confidence to embrace challenges with a positive, "can-do" attitude that is essential for successful learning.
"Children squeeze pipettes and use spanners to undo nuts and bolts, helping to strengthen their hand and finger muscles for writing. Staff teach children exceptionally well about how to keep themselves safe and manage risk. Children fully participate in a remarkably wide range of safety-related play, including handling real tools" - Ofsted 2018
The Sensorial materials encourage learning & discovery using all the senses. In this area children are introduced to lots of new vocabulary as they investigate colours, length, height, weight, texture, sounds and shapes. Through hands-on learning children develop a practical understanding of new concepts.
The Sensorial materials encourage children to explore and to try out their own ideas. As children discover new ways of doing things they learn that their ideas may not always work the first time and that it is ok to adapt their approach and to try again. This adaptability & resilience when things do not go to plan, coupled with the sense of pride when they achieve their goals, are skills that prepare children both for future learning and for life.
"Children show very high levels of confidence" - Ofsted 2018
The Sensorial materials encourage children to explore and to try out their own ideas. As children discover new ways of doing things they learn that their ideas may not always work the first time and that it is ok to adapt their approach and to try again. This adaptability & resilience when things do not go to plan, coupled with the sense of pride when they achieve their goals, are skills that prepare children both for future learning and for life.
"Children show very high levels of confidence" - Ofsted 2018
The Language materials introduce children to phonic sounds. Before letters are introduced, lots of opportunities are provided to develop pre-reading skills through rhymes, story-telling, listening games, and playing with words & sounds.
Our Book Corner provides a cosy spot to look at books independently or with a friend. Teachers are always on hand to read a story or to help look up information about a child's latest interest.
Once they are familiar with the phonic sounds that letters make, children begin to build words and to blend sounds together to read.
Opportunities for mark-making & writing are available throughout the classroom, both indoors & outdoors. Writing develops naturally as children become familiar with the shapes of the letters and use the fine motor skills that they have practiced in Practical Life to perfect a correct pencil grip.
"Staff have expertly increased their knowledge and skills to extend children's understanding of rhyme and letter sounds …. Children develop extremely good early writing skills. They write their names and use letter shapes to spell out simple words" - Ofsted 2018
Children learn about numbers & quantities using the hands-on Maths materials. By handling quantities and amounts, moving them around, discovering how they compare to each other and how they can be changed children develop a true understanding of how maths works. By matching numbers to the quantities that they represent children understand what the numbers mean and learn how to count with meaning rather than reciting numbers by rote.
"Children count and sort objects, recognise numerals and complete simple addition sums" - Ofsted 2018
"Children count and sort objects, recognise numerals and complete simple addition sums" - Ofsted 2018
The Montessori Cultural materials introduce children to new aspects of the wider world. They encourage children to think and to ask questions - which often develop into child-led topics that really capture the children's interest!
Through nature studies, science experiments, cooking, art projects, learning about different countries & cultures, and investigating topics that interest them, children discover that the world in which they live is a fascinating place.
"Staff very skilfully question, demonstrate and explain ideas to enhance children's language skills and learning experiences" - Ofsted 2018
Through nature studies, science experiments, cooking, art projects, learning about different countries & cultures, and investigating topics that interest them, children discover that the world in which they live is a fascinating place.
"Staff very skilfully question, demonstrate and explain ideas to enhance children's language skills and learning experiences" - Ofsted 2018