A Montessori teacher in every state primary school is the aspiration of a new collaboration, following success in two state primary schools.
The Montessori St Nicholas charity and the training organisation Montessori Centre International have joined forces to offer in-service training to introduce Montessori to primary school teachers.
Montessori St Nicholas chief executive Philip Bujak said, 'After the outstanding results at Gorton Mount Primary School, where the Montessori method was introduced in the Foundation Stage, we are convinced that Montessori can help raise standards in our primary schools.'
The DfES and the charity jointly funded 80,000 to introduce Montessori teaching at Gorton Mount, a school in a deprived inner-city area of Manchester. A snap inspection by Ofsted last year credited Montessori methods for improving attainment levels in the Foundation Stage children (In Brief, 23 March 2006.)
Barbara Isaacs, chief executive of Montessori Centre International, said training would be tailored to the schools' needs. 'There's a lot of flexibility in how primaries could access it. We believe Montessori has something for mainstream schools.'
Montessori teaching was introduced at Stebbing Primary School in Essex last September.
The school already had a Montessori nursery on site. Head Janet Matthews said, 'It was a natural follow-through from nursery into reception. It lends itself to what we're doing, which is all about independent and personalised learning.'
The children will continue with Montessori in Year 1 and 2 and then through school.
The Montessori Trust is funding training and materials for 20,000 a year. Two reception teachers and three teaching assistants have taken Montessori diplomas so far.
Ms Mathews said that she had noticed, within the first few weeks of introducing the methods, how one child had learned how to add from picking up beads - one of the materials used in Montessori. She said, 'The children are so confident. Their hands go straight up in assembly and they are more independent.'
To find out more contact info@montessori.uk.com.
