I cannot speak highly enough of this centre and the staff. My son has been at Montessori for over 2 years and has loved every moment. The staff have mostly remained the same over that time and my son has formed some very close bonds with them. He literally runs into the room and doesn't look back at me. The Montessori education is pretty incredible and I am often surprised by the things my son does without any prompts from me. All the learning is so intentional, down to morning tea being an interactive session where children cut fruit (safe utensils) and juice oranges for themselves. The chef does so much interactive cooking with the kids and they truly love her too. A big shout out to Ava the area manager too who has been so accommodating to us during our time at the centre. Thank you for being AMAZING!

Ava and the Staff were very kind, I highly recommend.

We started with Montessori a year ago in the youngest group. The adjustment wasn't easy but the staff was very supportive both to the parents and our little girl. The centre is a very smart build, we particularly like that they have separate cot rooms and beds for older children (not mattresses). Also every room has its own access to the outdoor play area. The Montessori activities suit children's age and keep our little one busy and happy there, also in mind with the development support, like playing with tongs (our MCH nurse was very impressed as it was something she recommended doing at home, and we already did for at least 6 months in the centre). In general every room we went (already 3) is very tidy and organised and all the staff is friendly and supportive to the kids. We can definitely say that our girl learns a lot there, like counting till 10, painting , singing different songs, reading books and just good social skills they introduce to the children. We are very glad to choose Montessori from the start and highly recommend it!

My Son has attended Elsternwick Montessori for the last 2 years (2023 & 2024). Based on our positive experience we have enrolled our 5 month old daughter to start in 2025. The staff are lovely to our son and he is always keen in the morning to go to school. He greats the teachers with a hug in the mornings which to me is an important indicator he is happy. From an educational and child development perspective I have been impressed with Montessori training model. Whilst I had heard the name Montessori I was not really aware of what Montessori was until we started down the path of childcare and infant development. Now having been with Montessori academy I cannot speak highly enough of what it does based on my experience to date. Our son has thrived and I am regularly surprised with how quick he is picking things up. His inquisitive nature and motivation to solve puzzles and life challenges are complemented by the Montessori training methodology. It is different from the teaching method I grew up with and I cannot explain the nuances easily. I would recommend going to Montessori Academy and ask for a tour to discuss with the staff what it is to get the correct understanding. From an educational perspective it has really worked well for my sons confidence and ability to learn. He picks up words and numbers very quickly and actively seeks out things to learn. If he does not understand something he will ask for assistance. (note he is only 2.5 years old!! ) I have family friends that are school teachers and they are surprised at our sons vocabulary and ability to sound out new words for his age. Learning development: When undertaking a 'task' there is a training reason behind it. My son will see it though from finding a learning activity, exploring the activity and finally putting the activity away. The staff/instructors have a process for teaching this and it is impressive to watch. This has translated through to how our son plays at home and approaches things if we ask hime to do something. Social development: - Whilst I see it as a parents responsibility to teach 'manners' and not necessarily a daycare task, the staff also support this life skills being part of their daily routine and interaction. My sons social interaction and ability to politely respond to adults is already developing. Whilst I have only seen the Elsternwick Montessori facility, it is amazingly clean! Im told the others are the same. When we started 2 years ago it was brand new, however it is still immaculate 2 years later. The rooms are light and spacious and the number of pupils in the class are small. We looked at a few daycares before deciding and they were converted houses and a little depressing. The learning material is organised and structured and easy for our son to engage with. The training equipment is clean and organised. Even the child changing areas and toilets are very clean. This may be a small thing but the underground parking set up they have is fantastic. The design of the building has been well thought out. With the purpose build large unground car park that is off-street there is always space for drop off and it makes for easy access up a lift to the classrooms. In the wet months this makes the drop off very easy. Reporting: I found this to be great. I do not have a reference for what other daycares report, however the Montessori daily reports are detailed and really useful. They are complemented with daily photos so it is great to see what he has actually been doing with the teachers. We have used the report based on teacher recommendations to discuss any issues raised by the teacher. As for the boring stuff... administration, this has been seamless in the background to complement our overall experience. The interaction with the government CCS system all just happened in the background! In the early stage fore our first child there was the support we needed to get the paperwork done! IN SHORT - Our experience to date with Montessori Elsternwick has been brilliant. The education, the social development and positive experience with staff and the care for our child has been wonderful.

The staff is super friendly and genuinely cares about each child. They really take the time to get to know the kids and tailor their learning experiences to fit their interests.What I love most is how they focus on both academics and emotional growth. It’s clear that they want to help kids become independent thinkers while also feeling secure and happy.

I highly recommend Montessori Academy Kindergarten to any parent looking for a quality early education experience. It has exceeded our expectations in every way possible, and I am confident that my child is receiving an education that will serve her well in the future.

My 2 year old son is thriving at Montessori Academy. The teachers are hands on, friendly and always warm and inviting to both my son and myself when we arrive, ready to greet him with the cuddle he needs to settle into the day ahead. It’s been almost a year and he’s the happiest here with his friends and teachers, learning new words all the time, combined with play, songs, reading and learning the Montessori cycle. It was especially interesting watching him eating with his piers at mealtime as a great way for him to learn how to feed himself in the most careful and considered way. Whenever I return to collect him, he wants to stay longer to show me all the activities and fun he’s had that day. We are very happy here. Thankyou Elsternwick Montessori Academy for nurturing my boy and allowing me to feel very safe and happy that he’s in the most professional of hands.

We are grateful to have found Montessori Academy at a vulnerable time but our little boy loves his time here thanks to his caring educators! There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing him run into his classroom in the morning with a big smile on his face. The learning environment is so rich & inviting. I love how the everyone is encouraged to learn independently at their own pace! Each day, he and his little friends get to choose what they want to learn about and dive deep into it. During a recent trip back to Europe, our families were amazed by his language skills and independence and I can safely say that it wouldn’t be the case without the opportunity to be part of such an inclusive and social environment. The daily photos and updates are super appreciated. Thanks team!

Our daughter started at Montessori Elsternwick in January 2024 at 11 months of age. Although I was impressed with the centre at the time of enrolment, I was still very nervous for how our daughter would transition into care as she has really only been cared for by us/her parents, with little babysitting up until this point. The staff have been AMAZING! They have been incredibly responsive to our daughter’s needs (including lots of cuddles during unsettled periods) and have done an amazing job translating her home routine to a daycare setting. Our daughter now stretches her arms out to be held by her educators. The photos we see throughout the day (via the app) she is happy and engaged with either an activity or other children. We’ve seen huge gains in her gross motor and fine motor skills in the short time she has been there. In summary, we couldn’t be more grateful for the care and attention that’s been extended towards her (& us).

We have been here since my little one was 10 months. I was anxious in the beginning (and each time she moves up to a new room now being 2) and the staff have always been so kind and supported us through it. I can call to check in any time and the educators can keep me up to date on the app with the chat function too. Little miss has absolutely loved every minute here and is excited each morning that she comes to go play with her friends. I like that the rooms are light and bright with indoor outdoor layouts. The colours are calm and the rooms are not overwhelming with loads of old broken toys. Everything in each room is intentional and has a learning opportunity through play. Every single staff member knows my daughter by name and it feels like family for her. Can’t recommend Montessori Elsternwick enough it’s the best!