Montessori St Nicholas Charity
The Montessori St Nicholas Charity works to support Montessori across the UK through:
- Helping to facilitate the unification of the Montessori movement across the UK
- Awards and finance initiatives that support the development of Montessori education in the fields of training grants for individuals, equipment and advice
- Funding research and development into the value and effectiveness of Montessori education
The charity draws its funds from a range of sources which include the joint venture company, investments and entrepreneurial activity. Annually the charity spends in excess of £350,000 in various ways to support the Montessori movement in the UK.
History
On 29 March 1954, The St Nicholas Montessori Centre was established as an education trust to represent the continuation of the Training Centre started by Margaret Hompray and Phoebe Child, two former students of Maria Montessori.[1] In 1967, the trustees purchased No. 23 Princes Gate while the co-principals acquired No. 24 and later allowed the trust to purchase it from them. By 1971 the Centre held full-time, part-time and Saturday courses. It also had a successful Montessori school and facilities for resident students and children. In 1978, the two co-principals retired and moved to America. The leadership of St Nicholas was entrusted to Bridget Birts who served the Montessori community until 1983 and in whose name the Birts Scholarship[2] was founded.
The Centre continued to expand and flourish and in 1996 Montessori St Nicholas celebrated its golden jubilee, having successfully trained Montessori teachers for 50 years. In 1998, the London Montessori Centre founded by Lesley Britton and Montessori St Nicholas formed Montessori Centre International, consolidating the work of two internationally acclaimed Montessori centres. In 2003 Philip Bujak was appointed Chief Executive. Today MCI offers courses and training programmes in 90 countries around the world. Montessori St Nicholas currently operates from 18 Balderton Street in the heart of London and continues to support Montessori across the UK.
The charity administers the Montessori Schools Association
The essential purpose of the Montessori Schools Association is to create an all-encompassing, open-minded environment that will foster communication and unity within the Montessori movement throughout the UK. It is through this mutual support and guidance, not just inspection, that we will ultimately achieve higher standards within the Montessori movement, and thus greater credibility, benefiting not only Montessorians, but most importantly the children in our schools.
Membership is open to Heads of Montessori Schools and individuals (teachers, assistants and students) working in a Montessori environment throughout the UK. Currently membership is free.
Montessori Education UK, known as ME (UK) is the other main Montessori body. It also offers accreditation, support and guidance for Montessori schools.[3] The two accreditation providers are viewed by many Montessorians as rival organisations. Schools who are led by AMI trained staff are generally accredited by ME (UK). AMI is the organisation set up by Maria Montessori to train teachers.[4] Schools with St Nicholas Montessori trained staff generally favour MSA accreditation. Accreditation by either MSA or ME (UK) is considered by OFSTED to denote quality in the Montessori aspect of the school.[5]
Montessori teacher training
Montessori teachers tend to be people who really love being with children and who feel strongly about the importance of holistic approaches to learning. The philosophy often attracts more mature students, from very diverse backgrounds, who are disillusioned with conventional educational systems.
The training is comprehensive and includes: in-depth investigation of the Montessori philosophy and materials, exercises of practical life, education of the senses, literacy skills, mathematics, cultural subjects, art and craft, music and movement, drama, child development, observation and assessment, contemporary issues, childcare and health, safety, nutrition and special needs.
Montessori Centre International, London, owned by the St Nicholas Charity offers teacher training courses on a part-time and distance learning basis. There are also regional part-time centres in the UK and world-wide.It has recently launched a new Foundation degree Award in Montessori Early Years practice with London Metropolitan University. The first degree course of its kind. It also runs regular seminars and workshops throughout the year.
Montessori in the UK
Today there are over 700 Montessori schools and 31,000 children in Montessori settings in the UK which has increased from 26,000 in 2004. The latest Census results estimate the Montessori sector in the UK has an annual turnover of £60,000,000.
Montessori and the state sector
With investment and training from Montessori St Nicholas and MCI, London, Montessori is now firmly established in four state primaries: Gorton Mount Primary, Manchester, Stebbing Primary in Essex, Carleton St Hilda’s, Poulton-le-Fylde and Spitalgate Church of England Primary, West Grantham.
A recent Ofsted inspection highlighted the improvements in Early Years education at Spitalgate since the introduction of Montessori. Due to the success of these initiatives, plans are underfoot for several more state school projects.[6]
The first Montessori free school was Discovery New School in Crawley, West Sussex, educating primary age (4-11) children. However before it opened the Montessori Schools Association warned that the school was ill-equipped and unprepared, and did not oversee the school. The school will close in April 2014.[7]
The Montessori Evaluation and Accreditation Board
The Montessori schools association, working with the British Accreditation Council and the Independent Schools Inspectorate, has developed a new national scheme to offer its MSA member Montessori schools official accreditation and support.
The Montessori accreditation scheme offers support and guidance to Montessori schools in order to ensure that Montessori provision is of a consistently high standard. Accreditation looks at a combination of principles & practice, staffing/management and quality issues. The scheme rolled out from September 2008.
Notes
- ↑ http://imsmontessori.org/montessori-community.htm
- ↑ http://www.montessori.org.uk/about_the_organisation/birts_scholarships_from_the_montessori_st._nicholas_charity
- ↑ http://www.montessorieducationuk.org/
- ↑ http://www.montessori-uk.org/faq.htm
- ↑ Guidance for inspecting independent schools - http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Forms-and-guidance/Browse-all-by/Education-and-skills/Independent-schools/Information-for-inspectors/Guidance-for-inspectors/(language)/eng-GB
- ↑ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/montessori-schools-where-learning-is-childs-play-794753.html
- ↑ Adams, Richard (13 December 2013). "Government shuts free school amid claims taxpayers' money was wasted". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 16 December 2013.