Guiding your child to discover the world at their own pace
In the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, Sarah's Montessori provides your child with the opportunity to stop, absorb the world around them, appreciate it and learn from it. A Montessori nursery school offers your child opportunities to explore the academic side of learning yet also to realise and experience the beauty of the world in which we live, in a happy and playful atmosphere.
The Montessori Method provides children with a real purpose in their learning, supported by Montessori teachers who genuinely love, value, and respect all that children do and say.
In order for a child to develop to their full potential, they depend on two things: their relationship with the environment and their freedom. In a Montessori classroom the children are free to move wherever they want, to any part of the classrooms, in or out and they can choose to play with whatever they wish. They are also free to repeat any activity as many times as they wish and for as long as they want.
At Sarah's, we live by the saying 'help me to help myself.' Children are encouraged to help with snack, pour their own drinks, put on their own shoes and coats and go to the toilet independently. In our classrooms children as young as two pour their milk, cut up their apple and drink from a glass.
The work cycle or cycle of activity is the process a child will go through using the Montessori materials. The child will choose their activity from the shelf and bring it to a table or floor space by themselves. They will sit and watch a teacher present the activity and then take a turn or do it entirely by themselves. Once they have finished, they return the activity back to the shelf. This process gives our children the responsibility for their own learning.
Our curriculum guides your child through five interconnected areas
This area offers exercises which link the home and the nursery; children will see the activities as tasks usually carried out at home by parents/carers. Here they are given the opportunity to try them for themselves — polishing, doing up buttons, packing a suitcase, sorting and laying the table, using scissors, plus many more. These important activities lay down the foundations for concentration and independence.
Story time and singing is carried out at each session and provides an important source for your child's development and expansion of language. In addition, Montessori schools have their own extensive and effective reading and writing system which your child will be introduced to when they are ready.
As a child's first learning is through the senses, we use a range of well thought out exercises to help children sort, match, compare and grade objects by shape, size, touch, taste, and sound. These early sensorial impressions boost children's powers of observation and discrimination, broaden their vocabulary, and contribute to their later understanding of formal educational concepts.
From those important early counting songs where your child is acquiring number skills, we build on these and introduce your child to the diverse and fascinating Montessori materials which offer a structured series of activities.
This area encompasses all things to do with the world and communities. There are concrete examples of land formations, life cycles, plants, animals and cultures for the child to explore and discuss with their friends and teachers, leading to well-informed thinkers with a curiosity for the world around them.
Nurturing every stage of your child's early years
Our youngest room, where most children begin their Montessori journey. This calm, bright classroom features low tables, soft rugs, and accessible shelving filled with Montessori materials. It offers plenty of opportunities for one-to-one interactions in a cosy, nurturing environment. The room also has access to a small, private garden designed especially for our youngest children.
Our toddler room is designed for young explorers. It's full of exciting opportunities, from sensory tuff trays to essential Montessori activities. Children can enjoy a larger outdoor space where they can run, climb, balance, and even try their hand at gardening.
Our two-year-old room supports older toddlers as they begin to understand order, pattern, size, and self-expression. Children are introduced to all five areas of the Montessori method, including activities like the Pink Tower, pouring, and tweezing. We also gently encourage responsibility and care for their classroom environment.
Our preschool classrooms are for children who have developed strong Montessori foundations such as independence, freedom of choice, movement, and repetition. Here, children work with more advanced Montessori materials, preparing for school through our Montessori reading programme and hands-on, concrete learning experiences.