Infant & Toddler Birth to 3.5 Years

Our Baby Centre and Toddler Plus Environment is comprised of two sections: The 0 – 2 year environment and the 2 years – 3.5 year environment. This is mainly because of the developmental differences at this stage, e.g. mobility, etc. The 0 – 2 year group provides a setting in which they are nurtured and stimulated under the care of our loving team. The staff ratio is very small in order to care for this group.

This area provides for a nurturing environment where very young children experience their first structured contact with other children. The 2 year – 3.5 year environment provides for more concrete stimulation and independence. Infants and older Toddlers develop different functions related to movement and intellect, each at first separately and then in combination. This phase is also termed the "unconscious creator", in which children absorb the environment around them and construct their reality. At Centurion Montessori School we provide a safe environment for them to grow emotionally, intellectually and physically.

Pre-Primary 3 - 6 Years

The Pre-Primary prepared environment unifies the psychosocial, physical and academic functioning of the child. The children work through a 3-year Montessori curriculum. Beginning with practical and social skills, children learn to keep track of their belongings, to put things away, and to share materials. Academics are introduced through concrete, manipulative materials which utilise all five senses and lay the groundwork for abstract thinking later on.

The children choose their work activity from among the self-correcting materials displayed on open shelves. Montessori children work with concentration and few interruptions and progress to 'normalization'. This is the process whereby a child moves from being undisciplined to self-disciplined, from distracted to focussed, through work in the environment. The process occurs through repeated work with materials that captivate the child's attention. Under the guidance of a trained teacher/directress, children in a Montessori classroom learn by making discoveries with the materials, cultivating concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.