Ladybird Montessori School

The Scout Hall, Sheldon Avenue, London N6 4ND [ map ]
Principal: Nicki Parish , Head: Clara Stewart
Tel: 020 8348 3054 (mornings), 020 7359 9389 or 020 7586 0740

The School

Ladybird Montessori School was established (in London) in 1990, at the Scout Hall, Sheldon Avenue, Highgate, London N6 4ND. This is a quiet residential area between Hampstead and Highgate Village. There is ample parking space and a secluded garden for outside activities, including nature and environmental studies.

The school is registered to take 24 pupils, aged two-and-a-half to five years. There are three qualified Montessori staff, including the Principal, and one qualified assistant. In addition, we have the assistance of enthusiastic student-teachers from the London Montessori Colleges.

Children follow a carefully structured programme of education based on the Montessori Method. Our approach creates a safe, secure and stimulating environment, respecting each child’s racial origin, religious, cultural and linguistic background.

Our aim is to create a happy, caring atmosphere in which each can learn and develop freely at the optimum pace. To gain full advantage from the Montessori method of education, a child should stay for at least two academic years.

As well as learning mathematics, languages, science, and cultural subjects, the children are encouraged to express themselves freely, using arts, crafts, drama, music and movement, for which there are visiting specialists. Foreign language and Computing classes are held once a week by visiting tutors.

The school is also inspected by Ofsted and Haringey Council

Creative Music and Dance

Lisa Silverstein teaching a group of children Lisa Silverstein (BA Hons), international dance-movement consultant and therapist, will continue her programme of 30 minutes every other Thursday. Lisa, who has performed and taught with dance companies in London, Toronto and New York, uses a variety of puppets and music to encourage understanding of rhythm and musical forms.

An innovation in 2007 is a special technique famed as the Da Capo approach. The aim is to lay a secure foundation in an enjoyable way to teach ‘music from the very beginning’. Joanne Levine, a professional cellist well known for her songs, nursery rhymes and instrumental themes to pictures and puppets, provides a stimulating musical experience.

See video

The Curriculum

Boundaries are not rigidly defined so that the children may move between areas according to their interest in subjects. The teachers show children how best to use the equipment and materials. They observe the work and introduce new challenges when each child is ready.

The open environment also encourages direct observations and assistance between the children, thereby introducing a healthy social consciousness, which is supportive, cooperative and stimulating. Each teacher follows the Montessori approach of working with every child as appropriate and is sensitive to their character and personal needs.

Partnership With Parents: Our Aims for the Foundation Stage Of Early Years’ Learning

OFSTED has published the detailed curriculum planning guidance aimed at “providing high quality, integrated early education and childcare”. It emphasizes that these early years are critical in childrens’ development, physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially.

We follow the themes of this plan, which rely in large part on the respect and understanding between the education professionals and parents which is fundamental in these critical years. Parents are the child’s first and most enduring educators and their knowledge and expertise are essential to support the learning opportunities we provide in our Montessori Environment.

The Early Learning Goals at which we aim are thus:

Special Educational Needs

Children with special needs, like all other children are admitted to the school after consultation between parents, the principal and the manager in line with our admissions policy.

Our system of observation and record-keeping, which operates in conjunction with parents, enables us to monitor childrens’ needs and progress on an individual basis.

Each teacher has an average of five children for whom they are specially responsible and close to, so each child receives plenty of adult time and attention.

We are willing to work in liaison with staff outside the school, including therapists, health visitors, psychologists, social workers, paediatricians, etc., to meet and help children’s specific needs.

Our Staff attend training on special needs arranged by Haringey Council and other professional institutions.