Learning through play is a key Montessori concept. The children thoroughly enjoy their nursery school days since work is play to them!
At Brightstart, our Montessori classroom is a prepared and ordered environment which the children are free to explore. It is equipped with child-size furnishings and the educational materials are all within the children’s reach.
The children may choose the materials with which to work and they can work alone or initiate group activities. In this way, they practise social relationships in a positive manner. Within this totally free context, there are firm limits against destructive and anti-social behaviour.
A feature of the Montessori method of education is the “grace and courtesy” aspect: children are taught to be polite. “Please” and “Thank you” are not out-dated in our Nursery!
Our staff guide the children on a one-to-one basis. By perceiving the child’s needs, staff prepare the environment with appropriate play materials.
Mixed-age groups work together enabling the children to learn from one another. The wide range of activities means that each child is free to undertake projects suitable to his or her own stage of development.
Much of our equipment is self-correcting so that children can enjoy the feeling of success, without being told they are wrong. This of course enhances their confidence and self-esteem. The aim of the Montessori materials is to capture the children’s attention, to initiate a process of concentration and to prepare them for future learning.
We encourage the children to be independent and help them to solve their own problems from an early age.
We aim to guide each child individually, following his or her own needs, to make progress in the different Areas of Learning and Development stated in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
