20TH ANNIVERSARY

Founder-Principal, Nicki Parish's personal memoire

It does not seem possible that it is 20 years since I opened Ladybird Montessori School. Where has the time gone? When I started in September 1990, there were only two of us teaching, with five pupils! We used one corner of the large hall with three bookcases of equipment. It was quite a challenge at first to make ourselves known and to recruit more pupils. We did not have the internet to advertise as we do today. Gradually over the years we have become a successful school with a team of five dedicated teachers. Clara Stewart is a wonderful Headteacher who joined me 14 years ago.

20 YEARS AGO                           NOW

In the early years we were not OFSTED inspected and there was very little paperwork to monitor pupils' progress. Today, in order to reach our early learning goals and prepare pupils for entrance tests at future schools, our record-keeping has increased substantially. Now we are approved with an excellent report, which you can view on our website. Oh, how times have changed!

We still keep in touch with many of our early pupils. Recently an 18 year old girl came back to us for some teaching practice. It was lovely to see her again and to look at her photo in Ladybird all those years ago!

My very first ex-pupil arrived unexpectedly at the front door of the school two years ago. It was wonderful to see him and he is now a successful banker working in Singapore.

Chick, chick, chicken lay a little egg for me...

Ladybird pupils watch enchanted as the chicks break out of their shells for the first time.

Chicks and children - a real-life experience for both species!

Spring 2010 brought a chance for Ladybird pupils to take part in a ten-day experience which brought real-life joy to their learning! We arranged for ten embryo eggs to be provided, only two or three days from hatching. A contractor installed an incubator box with a viewing window, a brooder for raising, and facilities to feed and water the new-born. Thus could we watch how a life-cycle began, how the chicks entered and thrived in their new world, handle them and families took the brood home to foster for a weekend.

Clara Stewart, the Head of Ladybird commented: "All the children and many of the parents were fascinated by the 'eggsperience', which taught in the most realistic way possible, the wonders of life and learning. This will become a regular part of the curriculum. It was a real Spring!"