7. DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING 7.1 Development and Learning Policy The Montessori approach puts the individual child’s potentials and interest in the centre of its curriculum. Our curriculum is based on the vision and potential of the adult the child will become in the future. Based on Montessori principles, we provide an environment which serves children’s developmental needs at different stages of their development. For children between the ages of two to six years – including year 1 - we provide an environment which fosters the child’s growing physical independence and gives them opportunities to explore the world with all their senses. My Montessori Child assesses each child’s development against the EYFS Development Matters and individual planning in line with the Montessori Schemes of Work ensures each child is supported according to individual needs. The Montessori curriculum and materials provide firm foundations in all subjects which allow a smooth transition into the next stage of education. For children between the ages of six to eleven years - year 2 to year 6 - we provide an environment which fosters the child’s growing mental independence and gives them opportunities to research the world with ever growing skills and more refined tools. Children’s development will be assessed against our vision of holistic development, ensuring we provide an environment which fosters each individual child’s skills and personality. In their Learning journey each child’s development and learning will be assessed against the Montessori Curriculum which broadly corresponds with the UK National Curriculum. The following procedures are in place and form the basis of development and learning:

7.1.1 Grouping of Children procedure All children at Rose House Montessori between the ages of 2 to 11 are free to move around the indoor and outdoor classroom at all times, selecting activities they feel attracted to. For each age group – 0 to 3, 3 to 6 and 6 to 11 – we provide areas with activities specifically adapted to the developmental needs of each age group. The individual child’s personality plays a large part in determining how much time they spend in a group and how much time alone or with a teacher or best friend. 

In our Early Years classrooms (2 to 5 years old ) and in the Children’s House environment within our school (3 to 6 years old – that includes year 1) lessons are usually given individually according to the child’s ability and stage of learning.

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Throughout the day children may choose to play individually, in pairs, in small groups, in the company of a teacher or in the company of other children. Teachers observe, providing a balance between being a ‘mindful presence’, direct teaching and engaging in sustained shared thinking, scaffolding the child’s learning. This may be achieved through direct engagement with the child’s activity and play or through recording and assessment of the child’s activity in connection with planning next steps linked to the individual child’s learning and development. During the course of the morning and afternoons, various small group activities such as music or movement sessions will be offered. Children are free and always welcome to join in, but they are never required and never have to interrupt their play. 

In the Primary Classroom (6 to 11 years old) children are guided towards organising their own learning. Children are free to work alone, in pairs or small groups and are free to choose the activities they engage with during the day. The teacher ensures that all lessons of the core curriculum are given. The current lessons are displayed on a white board, and it is each child’s responsibility to ensure to either join the delivery of the lesson in a small group or request the lesson from the teacher. As part of their teaching teachers constantly monitor and assess each child’s achievement by updating records daily. Each child keeps their individual work log where they document how long they have engaged which each activity they have worked with each day. Children are encouraged to work on self chosen research project, following their own interests. At the beginning of the school year the Primary class children agree on the ground rules for their classroom under guidance of the teacher.

7.1.2 Activities and Use of Equipment Procedure In a Montessori classroom all activities should be beautiful, clean, complete and presented on low level shelves in such a way that the child feels invited to use it. Each activity in the prepared environment is available at all times and should be chosen for a purpose and designed according to the Montessori principles by providing handson experiences and a control of error. Full curriculum and lesson plan folders are available at the school premises. In addition to these materials, great attention is also paid to ‘extension’ work, allowing our children to explore and create with wide variety of materials. Rose House Montessori, CHILDREN’S WELFARE, HEALTH AND SAFEGUARDING POLICY Update: April 2005; September 2007; EYFS September 2008; January 2009; April 2009; October 2009; Jan 2010; May 2011; July 2012; September 2012; October 2012; January 2013; August 2013; August 2014; Nov 2014; March 2015; July 2015

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During the Early Years (2-5) our emphasis is on ‘play’ within a secure, teacher ‘planned’ environment, that allows for independent and free choice of activities and resources for all children. In addition to Montessori materials, the following activities and resources are also held on the premises and displayed for free choice as demanded and according to the child’s need of repetition.             

Large Selection of puzzles & matching games; Construction using various materials (magnetic, duplo, wooden bricks, etc.) Sand tray – the toys are changed every two weeks. Painting and drawing easel; Small world – animals, home environment, etc. Role Play and Dressing Up; Water Tray; Play dough and various tools; Huge variety of art and craft activities; Soundtracks; Activity songs, dancing and musical instruments; Gardening and nature table; Project materials (rotated according to the project plan).

During the Primary School Years (6-11) our emphasis is on self directed, challenging, joyful learning within a secure environment. Activities provided will extend children’s knowledge and skills within all areas of the National Curriculum. Children continue to have independent and free choice of activities and resources. In addition to Montessori materials, a wide range of additional materials will be provided, following the research projects chosen by the children. Such materials include:       

Books and artifacts connected to current research topics; Science experiment materials (Microscope, electrical circuit, etc.); Fiction and non-fiction literature; Maps and artifacts from around the world; Art & crafts resources; Resources for music and drama; And many more, following the children’s interests and research projects.

7.1.3 Use of Space procedure Rose House Montessori offers a safe, caring, orderly and beautiful classroom which presents a wide range of inviting and interesting activities for each child. Our classrooms are carefully prepared to cater for the individual needs of all the children as they pass through their different stages of development. Open plan areas Rose House Montessori, CHILDREN’S WELFARE, HEALTH AND SAFEGUARDING POLICY Update: April 2005; September 2007; EYFS September 2008; January 2009; April 2009; October 2009; Jan 2010; May 2011; July 2012; September 2012; October 2012; January 2013; August 2013; August 2014; Nov 2014; March 2015; July 2015

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are divided by low level shelves which allow the children to make individual, spontaneous decisions about their own learning. Forest Hill offers a large, bright, open plan area with direct access to the school garden. Sydenham offers a large, bright open plan area with direct access to a small courtyard plus access in controlled conditions to the vicarage gardens. The Chapel offers a large, bright, open plan classroom on the first floor as well as two classrooms in the downstairs area with direct access to the school garden. Children attending The Chapel will also regularly visit the school’s allotment at Sydenham Gardens / de Frene Road, which is in a ten minutes walk distance from the school premises.

7.1.4 Assessment of Development and Learning During the early years (2 to 5 years), children’s development and learning is assessed against the Early learning Goals ELGs as set out in the EYFS Early Years Foundation Stage. At primary school age (6 to 11 years), learning and assessment is based on the Montessori Elementary Curriculum, which is broadly congruent with the National Curriculum. From the day children join Rose House Montessori, their key person will observe the individual child, assess and guide them. Through a managed combination of freedom of choice and sensitively directed learning, the children are helped to gain independence as well as learning to be part of the community. As she notices an interest arise in a child, the teacher will carefully guide the child towards activities, which will fulfil the child's natural desire for learning. Treating each child as an individual and aiming for a holistic development of each child, the transition between the Early Years and Primary Years curriculum can be treated on an individual basis according to the child’s ability and age group. It is expected, that a child is able to follow a structured approach to learning around the term they turn 6 years old. As they grow and mature into the Primary class, the individual child will learn to gradually take ever more responsibility for their own learning under the guidance and mentoring of a teacher. The Montessori Primary environment works with three tools to help the child understanding the essential connection between freedom and responsibility.

Rose House Montessori, CHILDREN’S WELFARE, HEALTH AND SAFEGUARDING POLICY Update: April 2005; September 2007; EYFS September 2008; January 2009; April 2009; October 2009; Jan 2010; May 2011; July 2012; September 2012; October 2012; January 2013; August 2013; August 2014; Nov 2014; March 2015; July 2015

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1. The National Curriculum, which is introduced to the child as the agreed standards of society of what every child in our country should know by the age of 11. 2. The work log, in which every child documents their daily learning and the time they spent on each activity 3. The weekly teacher & child meeting, during which they look at all the child’s work, discuss whether the child has used their time effectively and set learning goals for the coming week. These meetings also allow the teacher to note any areas where the child needs more guidance and plan individual lessons accordingly.

Throughout the year, all Primary class children will constantly receive lessons and be working with activities of the core curriculum; these are:  English  Mathematics  Art and Design  Science  Movement  Music  German The Rose House Montessori curriculum is embedded in the Montessori Great Lesson, a series of stories and lessons that are designed to provide an understanding of the history of the universe. The exploration of these Great Lessons will lead to a focus on specific curriculum areas throughout the year.  The story of the beginning of the universe, leading to the study of: o Astronomy: solar system, stars, galaxies, comets, constellations o Meteorology: wind, currents, weather, fronts, erosion, water cycle, clouds, glaciers o Chemistry: states of matter, changes, mixtures, reactions, elements, atoms, periodic table, compounds, molecules, chemical formulas, equations, lab work, experimentation o Physics: magnetism, electricity, gravity, energy, light, sound, heat, friction, motion, experimentation o Geology: types of rocks, minerals, land forms, volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics, ice ages, eras of the earth o Geography: maps, globes, latitude/longitude, climates, land/water form names, continent and country research  The story of life coming to earth, leading to the study of: o Biology: cells, organized groups, five kingdoms, specimens, dissection, observation, use of microscope Rose House Montessori, CHILDREN’S WELFARE, HEALTH AND SAFEGUARDING POLICY Update: April 2005; September 2007; EYFS September 2008; January 2009; April 2009; October 2009; Jan 2010; May 2011; July 2012; September 2012; October 2012; January 2013; August 2013; August 2014; Nov 2014; March 2015; July 2015

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o Botany: study of plants, classification, functions, parts of plants (seed, fruit, leaf, stem, root, flower), types of plants o Habitats: location, characteristics, food chains/webs, symbiosis, adaptation, ecosystems, conservation o Ancient Life: eras of the earth, evolution, extinction, fossil records, excavation o Animals: classification, needs, similarities/differences, human systems, nutrition, hygiene o Monera, Protista, and Fungi Kingdoms: what they are, classification, observation The story of the beginning of human life, leading to the study of: o History: timelines, prehistory, ancient civilizations, world history, history of specific countries and continents o Culture: art, artists, designer, music, composers, dance, drama, architecture, design, philosophy, religion, grace and courtesy o Social Studies: current events, government, economics, commerce, volunteering & charity o Design and Technology, Discovery and Invention: scientists, inventors, scientific method, inventions, simple machines o Peace Education: Peaceful conflict resolution, Human rights and British Values, Self Awareness, Community Awareness; Environmental Awareness, Cultural Awareness The story of how numbers began, leading to the study of: o Mathematics: operations, fractions, decimals, multiples, squares, cubes, percentages, ratio, probability, intro to algebra o Numbers: origins of numbers and systems, bases, types of numbers, scientific notation, mathematicians o Geometry: congruency, similarity, nomenclature of lines, angles, shapes, solids, measurement, theorems o Application: story problems, measurement, estimation, graphs, patterning, rounding, money concepts. The story of how writing began, leading to the study of: o Reading: literature, poetry, non-fiction, myths and folk tales, authors, reading comprehension, reading analysis, literary terms o Writing: elements of style, function, voice, composition, letter writing, research, study skills o Language: origins of spoken language, foreign languages, history of languages, speech, drama o Structure: alphabets, bookmaking, grammar, punctuation, sentence analysis, word study, figures of speech

Rose House Montessori, CHILDREN’S WELFARE, HEALTH AND SAFEGUARDING POLICY Update: April 2005; September 2007; EYFS September 2008; January 2009; April 2009; October 2009; Jan 2010; May 2011; July 2012; September 2012; October 2012; January 2013; August 2013; August 2014; Nov 2014; March 2015; July 2015

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The aim of Rose House Montessori is to instil in each child a lifelong joy for learning through building an inquisitive, critical and creative mind, aiming to equip our children with the skills they need to meet the challenges of the future. Children at Rose House Montessori School are not assigned homework by teachers, but are encouraged and advised on how to continue their research at home. Parents receive a booklet with a wealth of opportunities for learning and exploring at home. They are a informed about current projects via their individual parents website.

7.1.5 Procedure for the Summative Assessment for Children between the age of two and three (Progress Check) When a child is aged between two and three, practitioners will review their progress, and provide parents and/or carers with a short written summary of their child’s development in the prime areas developed through the assessment tool on MMC My Montessori Child. This progress check will identify the child’s strengths, and any areas where the child’s progress is less than expected. If there are significant emerging concerns, or an identified special educational need or disability, practitioners will develop a targeted plan to support the child’s future learning and development involving other professionals as appropriate. The report will describe the activities and strategies Rose House Montessori intends to adopt to address any issues or concerns. The key person will discuss with parents and/or carers how the summary of development can be used to support learning at home. The key person will encourage parents and/or carers to share information from the progress check with other relevant professionals, including their health visitor, and/or a teacher if a child moves to schoolbased provision at age three. At Rose House Montessori we aim to use our summative assessment process on a termly basis in order to provide a clear and consistent learning journey for the child that relates to individual needs, strategies to be applied and shared at home and at school. This assessment will be supported each tern by a collection of formative evidence including written observations, photos and the child’s art work.

Rose House Montessori, CHILDREN’S WELFARE, HEALTH AND SAFEGUARDING POLICY Update: April 2005; September 2007; EYFS September 2008; January 2009; April 2009; October 2009; Jan 2010; May 2011; July 2012; September 2012; October 2012; January 2013; August 2013; August 2014; Nov 2014; March 2015; July 2015

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7.1.6 Procedure for the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile In the final term of the year in which the child reaches age five, and no later than 30 June in that term, the EYFS Profile will be completed for each child. Each child’s level of development will be assessed against the early learning goals which will indicate whether children are meeting expected levels of development, or if they are exceeding expected levels, or not yet reaching expected levels (‘emerging’). This is the EYFS Profile. Year 1 teachers will be given a copy of the Profile report together with a transfer sheet which summarises each child’s skills and abilities in relation to the three key characteristics of effective learning Rose House Montessori will share the results of the Profile with parents and/or carers, and explain to them when and how they can discuss the Profile with the teacher who completed it. The Profile will be completed for all children, including those with special educational needs or disabilities. Reasonable adjustments to the assessment process for children with special educational needs and disabilities will be made as appropriate. Rose House Montessori will report EYFS Profile results to local authorities, upon request. Rose House Montessori will take part in all reasonable moderation activities specified by their local authority and provide the local authority with such information relating to the EYFS Profile and assessment as they may reasonably request.

7.1.7 Procedure for Termly Reports for Primary School children From Year 1 onwards, pupils attending Rose House Montessori School will receive a termly report, describing the pupil’s role within our community, their attitude towards learning and their achievements in language arts (Writing, Reading, Word Study, Punctuation, Grammar, Literature), mathematics (Numbers, Calculation, Construction, Geometry), Cultural Sciences (Art, Music, Cultural Geography, Peace education) and Natural Sciences (Biology, Matter, Physical Geography).

Rose House Montessori, CHILDREN’S WELFARE, HEALTH AND SAFEGUARDING POLICY Update: April 2005; September 2007; EYFS September 2008; January 2009; April 2009; October 2009; Jan 2010; May 2011; July 2012; September 2012; October 2012; January 2013; August 2013; August 2014; Nov 2014; March 2015; July 2015