The Stanger School of Montessori

For children between 2 and 7 years of age

2a Hamilton Road

Weston-super-Mare

North Somerset

BS23 2DH

Tel: 01934 626546 / 635461

Email: info@stangermontessori.co.uk

Website: http://www.stangermontessori.co.uk

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

We Instil the Love of Learning

January 2010

Montessori M.E.U.K Accredited

A Brief Overview of The Stanger Montessori First School Directress and Teachers

Ms. Jacqueline Stanger-Davies is the Directress and co-founder of the Stanger School of Montessori established June 1990.

Qualifications

NVQ 3, PPA Diploma and Montessori Diploma of Distinction up to 11 years old, Theobald’s Theological College, Claregate, London. Child Culture Grade II United States of America.

Ms. Stanger-Davies is a professional advisor and consultant with the N.N.E.B course at Weston College, Bridgwater College and local schools. In this capacity she regularly chairs talks and lectures on Montessori theory and practice. Ms. Stanger-Davies is currently vice chair of the Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Association (DADA U.K)

She has held international workshops on the principles, methods and practice of Montessori for the London (modern) Montessori School and at the Montessori Nursery School. Also, for the Barry Long Foundation Ms Stanger-Davies was invited to chair an international Montessori event for 0-13 years old from all over the globe at the Victoria Tea Rooms at Bristol with resounding success.

A recognised and renowned expert in her field, Ms Stanger-Davies has visited a great number of Montessori Schools throughout the country.

Before founding the Stanger School of Montessori, Ms Stanger-Davies taught at Fairfield Montessori School as well as Sunrise Montessori School at Bridgewater & Green Dragon Montessori.

As do all her members of staff, Ms. Stanger-Davies maintains and regularly updates all qualifications on peripheral, and all subjects related to child welfare in Psychological and medical terms. Examples of the above are demonstrated in the subject area of Special Needs, Child Abuse and First Aid. All these fields require stringent regular appraisal and assessment in order to serve the inner child’s needs in every area.

It has been the case at the Stanger School of Montessori, special needs, audio, aural and visual annomatics have been detected and consequently properly and professionally treated as a direct result of the diligent and caring application of the theories behind all staff qualifications, as well as their practical, every day application. E.g. early detection of dyslexia, dyspraxia, eyesight and hearing conditions, etc.

Many a child who might otherwise have been cruelly left behind throughout his or her crucial formative years of educational, emotional and spiritual development has been correctly assessed and treated at this crucial early stage and gone on to soar with delight and wonder and developed into a high achiever and a fully rounded young person by the early recognition by Ms. Stanger-Davies and/or her staff of a latent physical impediment.

Staff

All members of staff are Montessori trained and all hold N.N.E.B Level 3 and/or N.V.Q qualifications, in addition to their individual specialist subjects.

All members of staff must maintain, apply and actively work in harmony with the Montessori methods in order to effectively work in harmony with each child, so as to draw out and develop each child’s inner abilities. We liken this process to the archer and his target. Hitting the outer circle of the target will only achieve at best a mediocre score.

At the Stanger School of Montessori, we as the archers take studied and very careful aim, and drawing back the bow, release the arrow to land at the very centre of the target, the child’s inner self, their abilities, their unique gifts, their special individual capabilities. In so doing, all of each child’s inner individual talents and needs are brought out, nurtured, developed and encouraged to shine forth.

We aim to achieve each individual child’s full potential in ALL areas of their development.

Important Notes to Parents

1.      It is recommend that children of the age of 2½ upwards attend a minimum of two days a week so as to enable them to achieve their FULL potential in ALL cultural matters.

2.      We advocate the wearing of Velcro binding shoes exclusively when attending Montessori (for the child to attain self worth).

A child’s hand/eye coordination and manipulative skills are not yet sufficiently developed to achieve the tying of the shoe lace and achievement is paramount at Montessori.

The Montessori philosophy and practice is to work in harmony with the child’s inner spiritual teacher. Thus, just as we as adults would not intentionally complicate our lives with needless obstacles, so too, must we think of the child’s needs. We work in harmony with children and parents at Montessori, and this is the foundation block of our school.

3.      Self reliance and hygiene

Each child at Montessori is required to bring with them and keep in school a hairbrush or comb, toothbrush, toothpaste and a towel.

Each child has their own clearly marked glass jar in which they keep their own personal toothbrush, toothpaste and hair brush or comb in order to effect their Toilette each day (before/after lunch).

Each item of their personal toilette, as well as Wellingtons and outer clothing, must please be clearly labelled with both their first name and surname.

Once they commence with us at Montessori these items will remain in their personal jars until use or breakage requires their replacement. (Needless to say, as their feet grow please do not forget to bring them the new size Wellingtons to replace their outgrown old pair!).

The only item that requires weekly renewal is their hand towel. This again must please be clearly labelled or marked with their name, and in the interest of hygiene a clean towel must be brought at the beginning of the individual child’s week, and be removed for laundering at the end of that child’s week.

The only other item each child must bring when they start with us is a clearly marked painting apron. As with all other activities your child will be fully involved with this activity and the resultant splashes and slodges are far more easily sponged clean from plastic aprons than from their precious clothing!

4.      Uniform

We have specially commissioned Stanger School of Montessori sweatshirts available to purchase from the school.

Whilst this is by no means compulsory, on a practical level parents have found its quality and durability as good as its warmth and convenience.

We hope that this brief overview has given you a good insight into our aims and objectives, as well as some practical guidelines.

We would however be more than happy to answer ANY queries that you might have on a one to one basis. Do please feel free to telephone and arrange a suitable time for so doing.

References and Testimonials

Parents, both past and current, have kindly consented to their inclusion in our References and Testimonial directory. They have all had at least one child educated with us and I feel they are therefore the best placed to give you a considered opinion on the school and its objectives and achievements. Please ring for further details.

The Stanger Montessori School is proud to be one of the growing number of Montessori Education U.K. Accredited schools. Parents can be confident their child/children will benefit from a school with excellent Montessori practice when they attend a Montessori School Accredited by M.E.U.K.

This view is also supported by our current OFSTED report.

The Stanger Montessori First School is an equal opportunities employer.