Rathgar Montessori Kindergarten
Open 8am – 5.30pm, Monday – Friday.
52 Weeks of the year
Based in Kenilworth Square since 1987, Rathgar Montessori has a long-lasting, successful tradition, serving families in Rathgar and surrounding areas.
Our experienced qualified Montessori teachers have created an environment that is caring stimulating and above all fun for your child. They approach both teaching and games with a kind & warm smile.
Looking after children from 2 years of age to school going age.
We participate in the ECCE and the NCS scheme.
Meet Michelle
Michelle Steen received a diploma in 1985 at the London Montessori Centre (LMC London). Michelle also has a nursery nurse diploma as well as achieving a TEFL Diploma from the Grafton Tuition Centre. The LMC London merged with Saint Nicholas College London in 1998. This new merge formed The Montessori Centre International (MCI).
I have run Rathgar Montessori Kindergarten since September 1987. During this time I have always had a hands on approach, whether this is taking a class if a staff member is on holidays or joining the children for rugby and cricket in the park. I interact with the children in the school on a daily basis, joining the staff and the children for ballet, story time, art, French and cookery.
Since 1987 I have been very lucky to have had beautiful children and great staff pass through my school. I am proud and touched that to have had visits from past parents who make us one of their stops on return visits to Ireland. I am humbled by meeting now university students that speak of their happy childhood days in my school. Past pupils continue to return to us to do transition year work experience and teaching practice.
Our School
Rathgar Montessori Kindergarten has four classrooms offering Montessori and Advanced Montessori care as well as a large outdoor play area.
Children are divided by age and each room is quipped with a wide range of activities and resources that are in line with the educational development stage of your child.
Rathgar Montessori Education
At Rathgar Montessori & Kindergarten we offer care and education
from 2 years up until school age.
Our classrooms are designed and equipped to give your child the
best educational and development start in life.
Outdoor Play Areas
Our large outdoor play area is covered in artificial safety grass that allows use all year around. With a large range of outdoor play equipment children love their time in the Rathgar Montessori Garden.
While being close to the city centre Rathgar Montessori has the benefit of having use of Kennelworth park which is opposite the school. Here the children play rugby, cricket and a range of other sports on a regular basis.
Our Uniform
Our uniform is stylish, yet practical:
- Navy tracksuits with crests and hat with school logo, polo t-shirt. Shorts for the Summer.
Hot Meals servered everyday
We serve a hot lunch for children everyday. It is prepared by professionals – a company called LITTLE DINNERS. The lunches are made with the freshest ingredients and no salt or preservatives are used. The meals are delivered and served to the children fresh. We do not freeze any of the meals and only use a cooker to reheat if need be. Our staff use a probe to ensure that your children receive a meal at the correct temperature.
Our staff have completed the HACCP food training course.
The Montessori philosophy
Maria Tecla Artemesia Montessori was an Italian physician and educator, a noted humanitarian best known for the philosophy of education that bears her name. Her educational method is in use today in public and private schools throughout the world.
” The secret of good teaching is to regard the children’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim therefore is not merely to make the children understand, and still less to force them to memorise, but so to touch their imagination as to enthuse them to their inmost care ….”
What is Montessori ?
- Montessori is a revolutionary method of observing and supporting the natural development of children
- Montessori education practice helps children develop creativity, problem solving and social skills
- Montessori respects each child’s choice of research and work without pressure or bias.
Our aim & methods
The aim of our school is to give children the best possible start to the most important school years. We want the children to be happy, and content to progress without pressure, and most importantly to enjoy their days at school as much as we do.
The Montessori method offers a structured system that allows the children to develop at their own pace, using their own abilities under guidance of a trained Montessori Directress and the use of the specially designed Montessori materials. We like the children to be independent and to share. We want them to have freedom within structure and to learn how to take care of each other, to take care of the materials, and to learn from them.
