The New Montessori Pre-School

Maria Montessori lived from 1870 to 1952, the first woman doctor of medicine in Italy.
Giving up her medical practice to pursue educational reform, Montessori opened her first school in 1906 called the 'Casa dei Bambini' or 'The Children's House'.
Her success in teaching children from deprived and neglected backgrounds there earned her international fame, and later in her life she travelled extensively giving lectures about her methods.
Montessori schools and colleges can be found today all around the world, embracing children of every age and background.
The Montessori Pre-school was founded in 1997.
Roughly 36 families attended the pre-school and benefitted from the Montessori Method of teaching.
Very suddenly at the end of 1998, due to personal circumstances, the owner closed the pre-school and set up again in Lancing.
So, after long discussions, a group of about 30 families decided to open the pre-school as a charity, allowing them all be involved in running the pre-school.
Through a huge community effort The NEW Montessori Pre-school (TNMP) was up and running!. Beki Shanahan, (now our Principal), was one of those parents.
She had begun volunteering at the preschool in 1997, and was so inspired by the Montessori Method that she went on to do her Montessori Diploma and became a classroom assistant.
As the pre-school reopened, one of the mums took on the role of Principal and Beki took the role of School Manager.
That year, the team of parents fundraised madly to re-equip the nursery with all the beautiful Montessori equipment, some of which you still see today.
A huge community effort by parents who really valued the experience that their children were having, turned this new pre-school into a thriving school that now cares for, educates and prepares children for school and life.
Over 70 families now attend the pre-school.