1. Vision, Principles and Ethos
Growing Minds Montessori Childcare is committed to providing an inclusive, child-centred curriculum that integrates the Montessori philosophy with the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 2025. We empower every child to develop independence, curiosity and resilience in an environment where they feel safe, loved, and inspired.
Guiding Principles:
- Every child as an individual: we adopt routines, understand stages in development, follow children’s interests, and recognise home languages, any special educational needs and/or disabilities, culture, beliefs, and anything else that makes a child unique.
- Nurturing and gentle: warm, caring relationships, and a key-person approach to promote emotional safety and secure attachments.
- Freedom within limits: encouraging independence in a safe environment.
- Prepared environment: homely for familiarity, aesthetically pleasing, order, and accessibility to support exploration.
- Role of the adult: facilitator, observer, and guide rather than instructor.
- Mixed age groups: encouraging peer learning, collaboration, and leadership.
2. Daily Routine
A consistent yet flexible daily routine supports both child-led exploration and adult-guided activities:
- Arrival / welcome time: settling in with self-selected activities so transitions are gentle.
- Circle / group time: songs and stories for developing language and personal, social and emotional development.
- Work cycles: uninterrupted Montessori work period where children can work independently or in a small group on learning activities.
- Snack / meal times: family style, encouraging independence (serving, clearing), social interaction.
- Outdoor exploration: in all weathers; gross motor, nature connection, free play.
- Sensory / creative play: art, music, dance, messy play.
- Rest/quiet time: younger children nap, supervised, in a safe sleep area, while older children relax in a quiet, cosy area.
- Care routines: toileting, hygiene, encouraging independent self-care and awareness of privacy and dignity.
- Home time / reflection: Closing stories, songs, discussion.
3. Curriculum Mapping: EYFS Areas and Montessori Integration
Prime Areas:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED): practical life tasks (care of self/environment), mixed-age socialisation, emotional literacy in circle time.
- Communication and Language: storytelling, conversations, songs, phonics via Montessori materials, sensorial vocabulary.
- Physical Development: fine motor (pouring, threading), gross motor (climbing, balancing), health and self-care routines.
Specific Areas:
- Literacy: phonics through sandpaper letters, moveable alphabet, mark-making, storytelling.
- Mathematics: sandpaper numbers, spindle box, geometric solids, patterning, operations with concrete materials.
- Understanding the World: nature walks, seasonal studies, geography puzzles, cultural celebrations, science investigations, technology.
– Expressive Arts and Design: art, craft, music, movement, drama, creative expression through materials.
4. Developmental Progression
Under 2’s:
- Sensorimotor Exploration: Children are encouraged to develop control of their bodies, coordinate movements, and use their senses to explore.
- Language Foundations: We want children to learn to recognise sounds and words, respond to simple communication, and begin expressing themselves with early words and gestures.
- Attachment and Emotional Security: Children should build trusting relationships, express emotions, and develop a sense of safety and belonging.
- Personal Care Beginnings: At this stage, children are expected to engage in daily routines, show awareness of personal needs, and take first steps toward independence in self-care.
- Gross Motor Milestones: We intend children to achieve early movement skills such as rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, and climbing, while strengthening balance and coordination.
2–3 Years:
- Expanding Independence: Children are supported to take on simple self-help tasks, make choices, and show growing independence in caring for themselves.
- Language Development: We want children to learn to combine words to make sentences, expand vocabulary, ask questions, and follow simple instructions.
- Social Play: As children begin to play alongside peers, we will encourage them to share and take turns, and begin developing empathy.
- Fine and Gross Motor Growth: We intend children to progress to climbing, running, jumping, throwing, and kicking with control, as well as mark making, stacking, and beginning to use simple tools.
- Cognitive Awareness: Children will start to explore cause and effect, recognise patterns and routines, and engage in early imaginative and pretend play.
Over 3’s
- Increasing Independence: Children are expected to manage daily routines more confidently, make independent decisions, and take responsibility for their belongings and actions.
- Early Phonics: The intention is for children to recognise sounds in words, begin to identify some letters (particularly the letters in their name), and enjoy stories, rhymes, and songs.
- Pre-Mathematical Concepts: Children begin to count small sets of objects, recognise numbers, sort and compare, and create simple patterns.
- Cultural Exploration: Children are encouraged to appreciate similarities and differences, value traditions, and feel part of a wider community.
- Preparation for School: Our aim is for children to concentrate for longer periods, follow instructions, join in discussions, and manage transitions smoothly.
- Confidence Building: Children are supported to express ideas and feelings, develop pride in achievements, and strengthen self-esteem.
- Problem-Solving Skills: We want children to think critically, experiment with different solutions, work collaboratively, and persevere when faced with challenges.
5. Assessment and Observation with a Graduated Approach
- Planned activities: for individual children with a clear teaching intention that focuses on developing their knowledge and skills.
- Observations: record interests, independence, and achievements.
- Alignment: track progress against Birth to 5 Matters using the nursery app.
- Assessment: assessing children’s attainment and analysing practice to make sure that our implementation improves the achievement of children.
- Checkpoints: on entry, statutory progress check at age 2, and school readiness.
- Parent Engagement: shared learning, parent meetings, sharing next steps.
- Inclusion: ensuring that children receive an appropriate level of support that meets their needs.
6. Environment and Materials
- Montessori Environment: Child-sized furniture, natural materials, clearly ordered resources.
- Materials: Practical life tools, sensorial equipment, language and maths materials, cultural/geography resources.
- Outdoor Spaces: Nature, gardening, gross motor play.
- Wellbeing Spaces: Quiet corners for self-regulation.
7. Safeguarding, Wellbeing and Inclusion
- Policies in line with EYFS 2025 safeguarding requirements: safer recruitment, emergency contact management, attendance monitoring, privacy compliance.
- Wellbeing: Key person system, secure attachments, emotional literacy.
- SEND Inclusion: Adapted materials, individualised plans, partnership with professionals.
8. Staffing and Ratios
- Qualifications: Level 3 or above for lead roles, Level 2 or above (full and relevant), or via Experience-Based Route (EBR) for any other role.
- Mandatory Training: Induction, Safeguarding, Paediatric First Aid, Care of Babies, Food Safety and Hygiene.
- Ratios: Maintained in accordance with EYFS statutory requirements.
9. Parent Partnership
- Parent Communication: Newsletters, progress updates, workshops on Montessori methods.
- Parent Involvement: Home activity suggestions, shared learning opportunities, home observations; all via the nursery app.
- Community Engagement: Local trips, cultural events, visits from community members, nursery open days and events.
10. Sample Yearly Themes
- Autumn: Black History, Families, Religious Festivals, Space.
- Winter: Festivals, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Religious Celebrations.
- Spring: Life Cycles, Pets, Religious Celebrations, Science.
- Summer: Community, Festivals, Transport, Sea Life.
Themes enrich Montessori core work and support Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design.
Compliance and Continuous Review
This framework will be reviewed annually to ensure:
- Compliance with the latest EYFS statutory guidance.
- Reflection of Montessori best practices.
- Alignment with staff training and parental input.
- Responsiveness to the needs of children in our care.