Our original school building, established in 1965, is based in leafy Hampstead (NW3). It is an Edwardian mansion with a large garden. Our Hampstead community is a lively and happy place to be and one of the most loved Hampstead schools.
Children’s House (nursery / preschool-aged 2 ½ – 6 years):
At Hampstead, we have two Children’s Houses. The Garden class is located in the original building and enjoys light-filled rooms. The Coach House offers a cosy setting in a converted coach house on the grounds, feeling almost like a miniature house.
Children work individually or in groups, with hands-on activities designed to help them develop physically, socially and intellectually. Each activity is complete in itself; and also prepares for later activities so that the children move from one activity to the next, mastering each new challenge with ease.
Children explore and find things out for themselves. They become confident in their own abilities because the environment naturally encourages them to persevere and correct their own mistakes. Children develop the ability to concentrate on tasks and see them through in a logical way. They learn to read and write with ease and develop an understanding of mathematics in a concrete way.
There is ample opportunity for exploration of the world, the animals, people and plants in it and children express themselves through music, drama and art.
Elementary (primary/prep school 6 – 12 years)
Hampstead has a large elementary school with two lower (6-9 years) classrooms and one upper classroom (9-12 years). Children enjoy spending time in the spacious, light filled classrooms as well as outside in the large garden.
At this stage, children are ready for more complex work as they move towards abstract ways of thinking. They begin to be more curious and question why things work the way they do. Many new materials are introduced as they develop their imagination to embrace concepts beyond their immediate environment and gain real-life knowledge from external sources.
At this stage children are more interested in working in groups, collaborating and learning from each other.
The teacher’s role is to guide them in their research as they learn to make full use of a library, books and the internet.
The curriculum is interdisciplinary and academically challenging. It covers the full range of subjects required by the National Curriculum while maintaining essential Montessori principles and much emphasis is placed on the interconnection between different areas of study.
Montessori Adolescent (secondary/high school age 12-16 years):
The Adolescent Programme is a “Place of Study and Work” that fosters the developing sense of self in students 12 to 16 years through real and meaningful work. The coursework is designed to give students a sense of purpose and belonging as they explore the philosophical questions Who am I in relation to society? What is my role? What will be my future?
Students in the Adolescent Programme are presented with the opportunity to consolidate, broaden and deepen their knowledge through real world application of subject content across different disciplines, including Mathematics, Language and Literature, Spanish, Visual and Performance Arts, Humanities and Science Occupations, Physical Expression, Production and Exchange, and Community Work. The Adolescent environment is about working together to serve the socio-economic needs of their community and the work is approached in an intra-disciplinary manner, providing both academic rigor and practical experience. The goal is for young adults to experience a life that is lived rather than taught, to foster a sense of stewardship of their environment, ownership of their learning, and eventually, economic independence as they prepare for adult life. We balance study and work aiming for optimal development of young adults.
“The way in which staff develop pupils’ independence, resilience and personal and social development is a strength. Pupils are confident, motivated and eager to learn.”
Read our latest Ofsted Report
Our Teachers
Our Hampstead Lead Teachers and many of the Assistants hold the world-recognised Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Diploma and have many years’ experience of working in schools and nurseries around the world. All children at Hampstead enjoy high-quality free-range and seasonal food cooked by our in-house chefs. Our Children’s Houses are accredited by Montessori Education UK.
Address: 26 Lyndhurst Gardens, Hampstead NW3 5NW
Nearest stations: Hampstead Heath, Belsize Park, Hampstead, Finchley Road
Practical information about our Hampstead site
