THE CURRICULUM

The children at Casa dei Bambini Montessori follow the curriculum laid out as the Montessori Method of education that is recommended by the AMI (Association of Montessori International).  The Montessori Method of education is comprehensive and meets the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.  More information on the EYFS can be found here.

Assessment is continuous and based on observation and interaction.

The school follows a child-centred approach to teaching. Each child follows an individual work plan each term and will be given work according to his/her ability. The children are offered a wide range of activities to cover all aspects of development. Much care is taken to provide the children with “achievable challenges” throughout their time at the school, so that their self-esteem is nurtured and they are encouraged towards further learning and exploration.

The activities offered mainly fall within the following areas:-

Practical Life

Practical life activities help the child to perfect the skills needed for everyday life, for example pouring, tying laces and laying a table. As well as helping the child to develop physical co-ordination there is also the added advantage that the child learns to focus their attention for the duration of an activity. By completing a task properly the child achieves a sense of fulfilment. Practical life activities also focus on developing the children's social skills in a multi-age setting.

Sensorial

Small children are vividly aware of the world taking in impressions through all their senses.  This wide range of materials stimulate and train the senses, reinforcing and classifying the sensorial experiences received by the child. By reflecting the qualities in the environment such as colour, shape, size, texture and sound, the child's powers of observation, communication and exploration are developed. Work with the sensorial materials lays the foundation for further work in mathematics, language and art.

Mathematics

The Montessori mathematics materials enable even very young children to achieve through their own efforts a natural appreciation of basic mathematical concepts by providing experience in the concrete form. This helps children to avoid having mental blocks which can easily occur if children are faced with purely abstract concepts. The specially designed materials provide concrete ideas and sensory experiences of numbers, quantities and mathematical operations. Gradually the child can move confidently towards the completion of abstract mathematical problems whilst developing a love of numbers and mathematics.

Language

Many opportunities are provided for developing the children's ability to express themselves and to enjoy the richness of their language. An emphasis is placed on the development of vocabulary based on real experiences and interests and there is both indirect and direct preparation for reading and writing. Songs, stories and rhymes are a daily feature of the school and a good mix of books are available in the book corner.

Science, art and culture

Activities cover a wide range of subjects which reflect the broad interests of young children.  The Montessori environment aims to stimulate these interests and extend the children's knowledge and understanding of the music, art, history, geography, science and the natural world.