Tell me about the Montessori System - Clapham Montessori anyone?

[Page62]

Can someone tell me their experience of that system - which children would it suit, which wouldn't it suit?
We visited above school last night and could see pluses and minuses -- the minuses mostly we believe because of what could be misguided perception.....(i.e. it didn't look like a "normal" nursery with big pastel colours everywhere etc etc)

peasoup, your impression is exactly right.

Well the Montessori nursery ds goes to now has a door open to the garden and the children can play indoors or outside as they wish (assuming it isn't pouting down with rain)

They do have a structure in that they have 15-20 mins or so of circle time in the mornign and in the afternoon. This is because they want to be ofsted registered so need to show that they are encouaring children to learn how to sit still, take turns etc.

However apart from circle time and lunchtime/rest time the rest of the day is for the child to decide what they want to do. They choose what they want to play with and what they want to do. The staff obviously oversee this but the driving force for what they do comes from the child.

They do feed themselves at lunchtime, help themselevs to drinks which are laid out in jugs and cups and help themselves to snacks (asking first for the snacks)

The staff are incredibly kind and enthusiastic. There are 7-8 members of staff for 40 children. At least 3 of these are fully qualified in Montessori techniques and 3-4 are part qualified.

Just seen that Parkgate Nursery on Clapham Common Northside is Montessori. Anyon ehad any experiences, good or bad, of this nursery?

peasoup - sorry, I don't know anyone with children at Parkgate. Elm Park on Clarence Avenue has a good reputation. Neither of these schools are official Montessori schools though - they do use Montessori techniques, but are not accredited on the Montessori website. This is not a problem in my book though, and actually I think somewhere that can stray away from the Montessori method is better. Just my opinion. The only 'real' Montessori nurseries in the area are Clapham and Clapham Park (which are affiliated).

page62 - it would be nice if you acknowledged other people who have answered your thread and have been trying to help you.

Message withdrawn

"the Nursery i had in mind really was a "put on your smock do lots of painting, run around the garden play hopscotch, and do lots of singing" kind of nursery"

elm park would suit you then i think. my two have gone there and we've been really happy with it.

we'll be really sad when dd leaves next month (yikes!).

Hi bossykate! Did you ever get a book club going? Let me know if so.
Thanks notME I'll check out Elm Park.
Question-at age 3 the kids get free nursery place right? Well is that true at the private nursery schools too? I can't figure it out. Govt guidelines say they're not allowed to charge extra for the hours but lots of the brochures i've seen say the govt. grant is "deducted from the fees" implying you pay on top.
Parkgate looks terribly posh- uniforms for 3 year olds! Can't imagine i'd get a place for him there for free!Sorry have hijacked Page 62's thread but i think we're both looking for nurseries in Clapham for our little boys and both were considering the Clapham Montessori, though it sounds like we're both having second thoughts about it.

no i haven't done anything about a bookclub yet

i have taken on a bit more than i bargained for as it is, considering i still have a child at home most days. the other days she is at elm park!

do check elm park out - i recommend it highly.

re the bookclub - dd will go to school in september and i will think again about starting one up then, but again it will depend on whether my return to work is imminent or otherwise at that point.

sorry

No problem Bossy; I was only enquiring; frankly I'm not sure I could find the time to read a book all the way through at present.

Hi Peasoup
I have now decided to go wiht another nursery called Blundells (just off Latchmere road)....it is more the kind of nursery i had in mind i visited it whilst the children were there nice happy noises, big area (with a great kitchen with a lady in there preparing their food), an outside space that is not overlooked, etc etc. Anyway, DS will only be there for a year anyway.......... quite some way from where we live (ish) but it is on the way to DD's primary so not a hellish school run....
good luck with your search. I am sure montessori works for some children but i my gut feel was that it wouldn't for mine......

NotMeToday

• so sorry for my lack of mumsnet manners thank you for all your comments and BossyKate, thanks for the suggestion of Elm Park -- but i didn't see it till now!

NMT i actually thought you were peasoup at first, then decided to post as peasoup again but clearly not the same person!!!

This thing has been really tricky -- Clapham Montessori was recommended to me by a mum whose kids went there and were really happy - but i think i should also start trusting my gut feel (ooooh, hope i'm right!)

Peasoup
on the nursery grant -- i think if you are paying, they give you some of the money back or take it off the fees once they start qualifying for it...but not all nurseries do this.
DD went to a nursery where they reduced some of the fees but when she moved to the nursery attached to the primary she goes to now, they didn't do this. i think the brochures will mention it if they do this....
do let me know how you get on

NMT -- did you end up putting your children in a non-montessori school and were you happy with that decision?

Have looked at Pixies and I am extremely happy with what I saw. All children very happy. Not strict at all, in fact all children were busy doing what they wanted, some were painting, others with busy with jigsaws etc. and the best of all was the wonderful playing facilities in the back. My daughter will be joining in september this year, and we are really looking forward to being a part of "Pixies" for the next two years. I would advise any parent in the area to visit this school to see exactly what I am talking about.

Have just found this website and must say that all of my four children have attended Pixies over the last number of years and my children have had the best of time. Wonderful teachers, caring and loving, and fantastic facilities. If anyone is looking for the best montessori pre-school or playschool in cabinteely area, this is the school for them. Just go and have a look and you will see the wonderful child setting here.

The amount of Montessori-ness varies a lot.

A quote from Wiki which is always right:
"Dr. Montessori soon discovered that the children responded to the materials with a deep concentration that resulted in a fundamental shift in their way of being, changing from the ordinary behavior of fantasy, inattention, and disorder, to a state of profound peace, calm and order within their environment. Observing this change occurring with all the children in her environment, she concluded that she had discovered the child's true normal nature. Later, Dr. Montessori referred to this change as normalization and the new emerging children as normalized."

If one of the underlying principles is that children should stop fantasy/roleplay/make-beleive, count me out. Her peace and calm doesn't seem compatible with fun and excitement.

Her system is 100 years old. Does the 100 years of child development research since count for nothing?

Go to a modern nursery with modern ideas about continuous provision, free-flow and child centred and child led learning.

Well, my DD (2.6) has been at Montessori nursery since 4 months old and is absolutely flourishing. She has a lively imagination and absolutely does "pretend" etc. I don't think you should assume that Montessori methods haven't also moved on...

I did say the amount of Montessori-ness varies.

The one I had a look around still relied on children doing things that aren't child led. It was 'Sit down over here and put these coloured sticks in length order please', or 'match these wooden letters for me and tell me their names'. Formal teaching activities like those are rather old fashioned.

Yes, Tiggy, I can see that would make you raise your eyebrows... I love the Montessori school that DD attends (and, more importantly, so does she) but I am skeptical that all Montessori schools are actually members of the Montessori society thing (can't remember what it's actually called) or investing in the training of all their staff, etc.

I think I remember reading somewhere that 'pure' Montessori nurseries are the ones that are finding it most difficult to implement the EYFS. Something to do with having a correct way of using equipment. It's more 'adult-directed' than 'child-led'. I don't mind being corrected though because I've never seen a Montessori nursery in action!

Hi there. I'm looking at a Montessori school in Kennington as well. I loved the look of it, and I went to a Montessori school when I was a child. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the Montessori Method was all about child-led activities and interests, giving the child independence?

TiggyD: How old were the children you saw doing the sticker length exercise? If they were 5, they may have been doing a normal reception-aged activity. I only ask, because from what I've read, this goes against a lot of what Montessori is about.

Very confused now! Anybody have any good suggestions for Clapham North/Oval for a 2 year old??

Sorry, did not realise you were an english website and talking about schools in England. Apologies again.

How do Montessori Ses Sourires charge for their nursery fees? We are looking at this place for our 2 year daughter. Thank you.