OUR SCHOOL > MONTESSORI PROGRAMME

PRACTICAL LIFE
The programme the children follow starts with Practical Life Exercises. The exercises are performed for development’s sake cultivating: care of self, care of others and care of the environment. These activities consist of: washing hands, fastening buttons, zips, laces, poppers etc, sweeping, polishing, pouring, sewing, cooking, serving food and drink, folding, threading beads, painting, dough, cutting and sticking.

These activities promote the independence of the child, utilising their innate desire to explore through their senses as they learn through play. Through the use of the Practical life materials comes the cultivation of confident, self-functioning and self-motivated individuals with a positive attitude towards themselves, others and school life. Children are allowed the freedom to choose but alongside this freedom, comes the responsibility to respect the room, the equipment and the needs of others whilst learning to recognise and meet their own needs.

The Practical life activities are not just found on the shelf, but are present throughout the classroom and their philosophy extends throughout our entire approach to the children: whether that be enabling them with skills to take themselves to the toilet, put their coat on or tie their own shoelace. The Montessori directress is there to help the child to do things for themselves.

SENSORIAL EDUCATION
The Sensorial Education aims to systematically isolate and train the senses of the child by using the Montessori Apparatus:- Colour boxes, touch boards, sound boxes, smelling bottles, cylinders equipment designed by Maria Montessori such as the pink tower, brown stairs, long red rods –  used to distinguish size, shapes and dimension. Children learn through their senses and these beautiful materials designed by Maria Montessori take each individual child through the journey of discovery as a tactile, sensory rich experience, utilising their natural inclination to investigate.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
We offer a range of Physical Activities which include Karate, Yoga, Dance, Music and Movement classes and Outdoor Play in our fully equipped large garden. Tara House has an impressive outdoor play area, including a large lawn area for children to run and play which is also utilised for the annual sports day and parents picnic. Under our glass canopy which allows for all weather, all year round play, it also boasts a large sand pit and water play area. The outdoor classroom facilities include; external electric sockets used for outdoor listening activities as well as dance and music, outdoor blackboard for children to experiment with chalk etc, role play, imaginative play props, small world play, cars, bikes, tunnels, tents, large wooden blocks to create obstacle courses as well as a vegetable and flower garden that the children use for planting.

LANGUAGE AND LITERACY SKILLS
We develop Language and Literacy Skills, teaching the phonetic alphabet and, when the child is ready, introducing word building and reading. This is also done through books, stories, songs, and conversation. The children are provided with a variety of medium with which to make marks, as they start on their road to literacy and are encouraged to be as expressive and curious as they want.

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
We also provide the opportunity in the classroom for Mathematical Development, where the child is introduced to a range of mathematical concepts: counting, quantity, numerical symbols, grading etc. and number songs, games and play activities to make learning with numbers fun.

Most important in the Montessori environment is for the child to have access to a wide range of activities and a broad curriculum. Each individual has the chance to explore and excel in whatever direction their interest lies and the opportunity to discover what their interests are. At the end of their time at Tara House we wish for them to move on to their Primary schools, with above all things, a positive attitude towards learning, self-belief and the confidence to tackle new challenges.

The child will undertake projects throughout the year, working around weekly themes, including Geography, Cultural projects, Nature, Science, Music and History. Drama and music is a regular part of nursery life – culminating in Christmas Concert and Summer Sports Day and dance performance for Parents. The children also participate in Computer classes, French, Spanish, yoga and dance, religious festivals are celebrated, Forest School activities and singing and drama are all integral parts of the weekly curriculum.

We follow our Montessori Programme for the two years that your child is with us. We record and track your child’s developmental progress using the National Standards following the Early Years Foundation Stage. These principals are separated into four categories:

• A unique child
• Positive relationships
• Enabling environments
• Learning and Development

Following this framework, we endeavour to stick to our Montessori philosophy, planning to the government’s criteria whilst achieving their goals through the use of the Montessori equipment. Please see the Parent’s Guide to the EYFS.