Montessori school FAQs
The questions parents ask us most often about Montessori schooling, our schools and the school day.
Questions parents ask
What is a Montessori school?
A Montessori school is one in which children learn largely through self-directed activity with specially designed materials, in a carefully prepared classroom, guided rather than instructed by a trained teacher called a directress. Children are grouped in three-year age spans, choose their own work from what has been presented to them, and progress at their own pace. It offers structured freedom: real choice within clear boundaries.
Where does the method come from?
It was created by Dr Maria Montessori, the first woman to graduate in medicine from the University of Rome. Her work with children with disabilities in Italy led her to conclusions about how all children learn, and to the opening of the first Casa dei Bambini in Rome in 1907. Read more about the method.
Does the Montessori method work for all children?
In our experience it is effective across ages and developmental levels, and produces confident, self-disciplined, independent learners. Where a child has special needs or barriers to learning we ask them to spend a day or two in the classroom before enrolment, so the teacher can assess their academic, social and emotional level and we can be honest with you about whether we are the right school for your child.
What sort of freedom are children allowed?
Children move freely within the classroom and choose their own work, within clear ground rules: they may not interfere with another person's activity, may not behave destructively, and are expected to look after their own belongings, respect the equipment and stay within the allocated areas outdoors. Conversation with peers and teachers is permitted and encouraged. The ground rules are deliberately few, stated positively, and framed around safety and respect.
What exactly is the teacher's role?
The directress prepares and maintains the classroom so that everything is accessible to the child, observes and records each child's development, presents materials individually or in small groups, offers assistance when it is asked for, and ensures the challenge in front of each child is age-appropriate. The emphasis is on learning rather than on teaching — she observes far more than she instructs.
Can Montessori-educated children cross over to traditional learning?
Yes. Montessori children generally carry strong self-discipline, confidence and flexibility into a conventional classroom. The most common adjustment is the expectation of silence, which can be unfamiliar after years of purposeful conversation and movement. Our schools run to thirteen years, so most children make the move at the natural transition to high school.
Do parents have to do anything special at home?
Nothing is required, but a few things help a great deal: set aside a small area where your child can do crafts and messy work; expect them to clean up after themselves; limit screen time; and give them your attention. Montessori works best when the independence and responsibility a child practises at school are also expected at home.
What happens if my child is absent?
Please notify the school office between 08:30 and 09:30. A doctor's certificate is required for absences of three days or longer. In accordance with government policy, a pupil absent for more than thirty days during the school year may not be promoted to the next level. Please keep your child at home if they have a high temperature, an unexplained rash or a contagious condition.
How do you handle discipline?
Issues between children are always discussed with them first; where that does not resolve matters, a time-out method (‘The Thinking Chair’) is used in the preschool. Parents are called in to discuss persistent difficulties. In the primary school there is a three-level process: a verbal warning slip taken home for a parent's signature, then a written warning, then a disciplinary hearing for serious offences. Discipline is always handled individually, with the child's self-esteem in mind.
What must my child bring to school?
A healthy mid-morning snack — a sandwich and a piece of fruit or a cheese wedge is usually ample. No sweets, chocolates, fizzy or energy drinks or high sugar biscuits, and please note our strict no nut policy. A change of clothes, and a sun hat in the summer months. One box of tissues per term. For babies: disposable nappies, wet wipes, formula and a blanket. Please mark everything clearly with your child's name, and leave toys at home — there is no place for them in a Montessori environment.