Our Story So Far…
What is known today as ‘Cotswold Montessori School’ started out in 2009 as a small ‘Home School’ Montessori environment in the conservatory of our principal, Ailsa’s home.
There were only two children on the roll, her youngest son and the daughter of family friends, then both 2 years old. The little home school (which you can see in the adjacent picture) was OFSTED registered to allow Ailsa to complete her teaching qualification as the next closest school where this would have been possible was over an hours’ drive away and not in reach.
The school, as we know it now, opened its doors in Sept 12, in a ‘pack-away’ rented village hall location with one member of staff, opening 3 mornings a week with 6 children on roll. Over the past decade, it has grown and now employs 14 members of staff, in two purpose-built or converted locations, 5 days a week from 8am – 5pm, year-round. Both schools are now oversubscribed with an average of about 45 children on roll per year.
It is extremely important for us that our staff are trained in Montessori theory & praxis but it is difficult to find childcare professionals with this experience or qualification here in the rural Cotswolds. Because of this, we have developed a modern, applied, ‘hands-on’ Montessori Teacher Training programme which we run annually for all our staff and other interested parties nationally.
A few pictures of ‘day to day’ life here at Cotswold Montessori
