What is a Montessori school?

In the days when you were looking for nurseries and pre-schools, you may well have come across a number of Montessori establishments. But while this model of education is best known in early years environments, a small number of UK primary schools – including four state schools – are using Montessori methods.

‘What makes Montessori unique is the emphasis on individual progress and giving children opportunities to extend and engage with the learning environment for long periods of time,’ explains Barbara Isaacs, Chief Education Officer for Montessori St Nicholas.

Unlike in a typical classroom, where teachers will have a clear plan and timetable for the day that all children are expected to follow, in Montessori schools, a range of activities is set up and children choose what they want to do, engaging with each for as little or as long as they want. ‘It’s up to the teacher to observe what a child is interested in and find other ways to engage them,’ says Barbara.

There are certain key principles of the Montessori movement:

Order and structure Although learning is child-led, children need order and structure to thrive. Everything in the classroom has its place, and children take responsibility for putting one activity away before moving on to another.

Sensory learning Children learn through the senses, so Montessori puts emphasis on preparing teaching materials with great care. ‘For example, children use proper ceramic tableware and glasses, rather than plastic child-safe ones,’ Barbara says.

Freedom The single most important factor in child development, according to Maria Montessori. The Montessori classroom provides experiences, activities and environments that encourage children to follow their natural instincts.

Sensitive periods The Montessori movement says that children move through ‘sensitive periods’ when they’re particularly receptive to learning a new skill, such as reading, writing or counting. Teachers watch out for these opportunities and take advantage of them, rather than trying to get a child reading or writing at a certain age.

Discipline is seen as something that should come from inside, rather than being imposed. Teachers focus on helping children develop social and emotional skills. Rewards and punishments are not used, and teachers will only step in when a child is behaving in a disruptive or upsetting way.

‘In any one morning in a Montessori classroom, a child might do up to nine activities: some alone, some with a friend, some in a small group and some with the teacher,’ Barbara explains. ‘The teacher’s role is to ensure that the environment is perfectly prepared, with everything ready for children to use to support their spontaneous choice. She will have a broad plan of what she would like children to be engaged in, based on their individual interests, and will observe and encourage them as they take part.’

In Montessori primary schools, there is a more curriculum-based structure; for example, there will be a set of tasks that children need to complete over the course of the week, but they choose when to do them.

‘Children take responsibility for doing these tasks and discussing them with the teacher, who will monitor their learning,’ Barbara adds. ‘They track progress through observations, rather than formal assessments and tests, and homework is rarely given.’