The New Montessori Pre-school
Frequently Asked Questions

Contents


How can I prepare my child for starting at The New Montessori Pre-school?

  • Visit the Pre-school with your child. Observe the other children and how they order their day. Talk about how, when at Pre-school you can have drinks and snacks and make new friends.
  • Discuss the pre-school with your child. Talk about the staff you have met and the other children who were there.
  • Arm your child with practical information like how to hang up their coat. Dress your child comfortably in suitable clothes. Getting dirty is a big concern for young children.
  • Practice leaving your child with a trusted friend/grandparent. Make sure the child is aware of what is happening. Short separations are a good way for your child to develop the understanding and trust that is needed to ensure they have a good time when you are not there.

Back to top

How will my child settle into The New Montessori Pre-school?

  • Your child will have four-one-hour visits to accustom themselves with the pre-school.
  • At these sessions your child will have the chance to explore the classroom. The staff are there to deal with any problems your child might have.
  • Afterwards discuss the child's day; encourage chat about equipment/friends/activities they liked. Encourage and support by emphasising how our pre-school is their school. If the child is apprehensive discuss what you will do together after pre-school, maybe a treat/visit to the park.
  • If your child mentions a child's name, ask our School manager to introduce you to their parents. One recognisable face can mean a lot to a new child; invite the child to meet up with them outside of pre-school.

Back to top

What is the minimum session per week?

  • Our pattern of attendance asks for all children starting at our pre-school to be in attendance for at least two sessions. These sessions can be taken as two morning or afternoon sessions or one full day. If your child is in receipt of 2/3/4-year-old funding it is expected that they attend for at least 13 hours a week.

Back to top

What will my child eat and how do you deal with fussy eating if that is an issue?

  • Your child will be offered various fruits and a biscuit. Your child will be offered a glass of milk or water. If your child is a "fussy" eater or has special dietary needs, parents may bring in the child's snack and a drink (no chocolate or nuts please). We endeavour to work with the parents ensuring every child is provided with a snack throughout their session.

Back to top

How do you deal with bad behaviour and how do you promote good behaviour?

  • As Montessorians we role model the best behaviour and provide lots of one-to-one time to encourage awareness in the child. Maria Montessori's put in place many exercises for the child to develop their self-awareness and understanding of boundaries and behaviour.
  • If your child repeatedly displays "disruptive" inappropriate behaviour our School Manager and the child's key worker will put in place a strategy to work from within our pre-school. Our School Manager will discuss all of this with the parents and child prior to implementation.
  • For general misbehaviour we have a behaviour box which children are shown one-to-one and a discussion takes place.

Back to top

Will my child be able to have a bit of 'quiet time' if it all gets too much during the day? Where will he/she be able to do this?

  • Our pre-school has many quiet spaces provided to encourage our children to rest/nap and reflect throughout their session.
  • If a child needs a lay down, we provide a bed and invite them to take a nap in our closed classroom-supported by an adult throughout their time asleep.

Back to top

How much outdoor play do the children have during the day?

  • Our garden is open throughout all sessions and children learn to take turns throughout their session.
  • Each child can have as many turns as they choose to, and all children are encouraged to go out at least once in their session.
  • Our pre-school has various outdoor weather clothes for your children to borrow, if needed.

Back to top

Will I get daily written or verbal progress reports?

  • Our pre-school uses an online system called the My Montessori child. We will provide you with a login and password during the first weeks of term. It is updated with photos and comments on activities your child has taken part in at least twice a week.
  • If a more in-depth report is required, the parent can book an appointment with our School Manager or a progress meeting. You may also ask us questions/make comments and make home observations using this online system.

Back to top

If I am working on a particular behaviour or process at home, will you continue to implement this within the setting?

  • Yes, through the My Montessori child/e-mail/face-to face we can work in partnership with parents regarding processes at home.

Back to top

Are the staff ratios in line with the government guidelines?

  • As a Montessori pre-school we follow a higher ratio than expected by Ofsted a 1-6 ratio for children aged 3 & 4 years of age. 1-3 for children aged 2 years of age.

Back to top

What happens if staff are off ill, how are the ratios maintained?

  • Our Management Committee have ensured that our managers are out of ratio so in the event of a class member being ill a manager can cover the classroom.

Back to top

Will my child be kept with the same group of children for the duration of the session?

  • Montessori pre-schools use vertical grouping which means it is the children who choose who and what age children they mix with in their session.
  • Through our project work we encourage our older children to work together to prepare them for a primary school setting.

Back to top

What is the staff turnover like at the pre-school? What has it been in the past and how long has my child's soon to be key worker been employed at the pre-school?

  • Our pre-school has an extremely low turnover off staff. Most of our staff have been with us for over seven years.

Back to top

My child is attached to an old favourite toy. I am sure he will want to take it to pre-school. Should I try to wean she/he off it now?

  • Growing up happens gradually, not on the day your child starts pre-school. Allow her/him to bring the toy. The staff will put it on her/his peg for safekeeping. If she/he needs to return to it, they can. A cuddle from a favourite toy is very reassuring to the child. One day she/he will ask to put it in her/his bag or leave it at home.

Back to top

My daughter/son was so excited about her new pre-school and sailed in on her first few sessions. The following week she/he refused point blank to go.

  • Many children come to pre-school interested in the new environment and all the new activities. Once the child has accustomed themselves to the pre-school, they can sometimes start to wonder 'what does mummy do when I'm here' and become aware of what they are missing and then maybe not want to attend pre-school. Encourage your child prior to coming; explain what you are going to do while they are at pre-school and what you and the child can do after pre-school.
  • Other children immediately don't want to be separated from their careers and will not want to come at all. This is an adjustment time and slowly with the work of parents and teachers, the child will develop a bond with the pre-school and feel safe and secure – and importantly – feel that they belong.

Back to top

How are your fees structured?

  • Our pre-school offers the settling in visits free of charge to ensure your child is settled and ready for pre-school before we provide you with an invoice.
  • If your child is not in receipt of funding it is our hourly fee times the hours your child is in attendance.
  • Our pre-school splits the funding over the 43 weeks we are open (9 weeks closed for Winter, Spring and Summer holidays). West Sussex County Council funding only covers 38 weeks.
  • If your child is in receipt of WSCC funding, the funding will be shown as zero on your invoice, and the amount received from WSCC will have been withdrawn from your invoice prior to you receiving it.

Back to top