Children’s House

Clea joined the Maria Montessori School Bayswater Children's House in 2019. Clea is a Fine Art graduate from Leeds Arts University, with over five years’ experience working with young children. Prior to completing the 3 to 6 Diploma Course at MMI and working for the Maria Montessori School, Clea worked in education at Merchant Taylors Pre-Prep School and at Wetherby Pre-Prep. Clea values the strong foundation Montessori education provides the children and sees Montessori as a platform for the highest academic achievement and creativity later in life.

Cristina joined the Bayswater Children's House in September 2022 upon completing her AMI 3 to 6 Diploma at the Maria Montessori Institute in June that year. Cristina was born and raised in Rome, Italy, where she took the 0 to 3 Montessori Diploma Course at the Opera Nazionale Montessori. With nearly ten years’ experience in education, Cristina has worked with children from infancy to six years old in a variety of capacities across the globe, including Italy, Buenos Aires, The United States, and more recently in London.

Nihal has lunch with the Bayswater Children’s House children, supports the set up and tidying up process, and joins the Bayswater Children’s House and Elementary classes for playtime in the park.

Originally from Turkey, Nihal has lived in London for sixteen years. She has worked in childcare for over six years, looking after children ranging in age from two to fourteen years. Nihal loves spending time amidst nature, whether it’s a leisurely walk in the park or a hike through the countryside, and she feels time in the outdoors is essential to a child’s development. As a caregiver, Nihal’s passion lies in fostering a supportive and loving environment, allowing each child to explore their unique potential and flourish under the Montessori philosophy, and enjoys her time with the children in Bayswater and contributing to their growth, creativity, and happiness.

Cordelia was born and raised in Oxfordshire. She attained a Bachelor’s degree with honours in Business Management from Manchester Metropolitan University, and the AMI 3 to 6 Diploma from the Maria Montessori Institute in London. She has since undertaken the Observation course. Cordelia has a wide range of experience working with children from 2 years old through Elementary age, to include founding and managing a residential summer camp on her family’s farm in Oxfordshire. Most recently, Cordelia has worked in the Children’s House in Hampstead, supporting and assisting the Lead Teacher. She has led the Crouch End team since September 2023, building strong connections with the children and families, and is very excited to continue to grow in her Montessori practice and to serve children with sensitivity, empathy, compassion, and enthusiasm.

Barbara Brait was born and raised in Italy, where she obtained her 0 to 3 Diploma with Opera Nazionale Montessori. Barbara went on to work in a bilingual Montessori environment for two years where she was lucky enough to work alongside teachers from different parts of the world. Through this experience, Barbara was inspired to teach abroad. She moved to London in 2016, at which time she enrolled in, and later completed, the AMI 3 to 6 Diploma Course at Maria Montessori Institute. Barbara enjoys continuing to expand her practice and understanding of how to better serve children and their developmental needs.

Denisa Kundekova is currently acting as maternity cover Montessori Teacher at our Crouch End Children's House and has been working at the Maria Montessori School for several years. She graduated from the AMI 3 to 6 Diploma Course from the Maria Montessori Institute in June 2024 and has over 10 years’ experience working with children in nursery settings. Denisa also holds a Masters in Primary Education Pedagogy and the AMI Assistants Course for both 0-3 and 3-6 years. It has been Denisa’s dream to be a teacher since she was a little girl and she has enjoyed expanding her teaching experience through her work in the Children’s House environment. She values the opportunity to nurture this passion as part of the Maria Montessori School team.

Beatrice has been the Lead Teacher of the Hampstead Children's House Garden Class since 2022, after completing her AMI 3 to 6 Diploma from the Maria Montessori Institute in 2021. She was born and raised in Italy where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. Her interest and passion for cultural studies and education led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Education and Globalisation from the University of Oulu, Finland. She has studied and worked with children in several different countries, including Italy, Bolivia, Finland, and England. Through her discovery and studies of Montessori education, Beatrice is committed to guiding, supporting, and facilitating the holistic development of the child’s innate potentials. Beatrice is passionate about travelling and learning different languages. She also plays the guitar and greatly enjoys playing music and exploring the outdoors.

Rebecca Livsey joined the Maria Montessori School Hampstead Garden Class in 2021. She was born in Bath into a large family, and, due to becoming an auntie at a young age, has always been surrounded by children. Rebecca is a skilled childcare professional with over ten years’ experience supporting, nurturing, and educating children. From nannying in Australia to teaching English in Thailand, Rebecca has worked in a variety of settings and loves the challenges and joy that comes with working with children every day. Rebecca's interest and commitment to supporting young children’s development led her to complete her AMI 3 to 6 Diploma Course at the Maria Montessori Institute and her study in Montessori pedagogy at the University of London. She loves the time she spends with the children and is also a trained singer who enjoys singing and sharing songs with the children.

Rhianna joined the Maria Montessori School in September 2023, following her completion of the AMI 3-6 Diploma in London. She is currently a teacher in the Hampstead Children’s House Garden Class and is furthering her knowledge through a specialised course in Montessori and Learning Differences. This ongoing study aims to deepen her understanding of how Montessori materials can be made accessible and inclusive for all learners.

Before embarking on her journey in Montessori education, Rhianna obtained a Master’s degree in Modern Languages from the University of Edinburgh. She then relocated to Paris, where she worked as a freelance translator and embraced a dual role as a bookseller. This position afforded her the opportunity to satisfy her passion for literature while actively participating in book launches and author events.

Rhianna is deeply committed to Montessori’s child-centred philosophy and advocates for an educational approach that fosters holistic and intuitive child development. In her teaching role, she takes great pleasure in sharing her personal interests—gardening, sewing, cooking, and reading—with the children, enriching their classroom experience in meaningful and creative ways.

Ratna completed the AMI 3 to 6 Diploma Course at the Maria Montessori Institute in 2020, after relocating to London from Singapore. She joined the Hampstead Children's House Coach House in September that year, first as Classroom Assistant and later as Lead Teacher. Ratna was born and raised in India and obtained a degree in commerce from Calcutta University. Following University, Ratna worked in a school for underprivileged children in India, an experience which inspired her to pursue a career in education. Ratna brings with her over twenty years’ experience working in early years education.

Kalamun was born and raised in London. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree with honours in Product Design, Kalamun designed for companies both in the UK and abroad in Hong Kong. She was involved in several child-led community projects and was an accomplished visual artist prior to finding her passion and purpose in Montessori education. Kalamun completed her AMI 3-6 Diploma course at the Maria Montessori Institute in London in June 2022 and joined the Hampstead Coach House in September that year. Kalamun has also previously worked in a supportive role for various Children’s Houses in the area. She loves creating materials to aid and ease the children’s understanding of new concepts, and her fun and friendly disposition allows her to engage and build connections with young children easily. Kalamun is inspired by nature, people, and learning itself. She loves travelling, exploring different cultures, languages, and cuisines, and bringing a little of that experience back to the children.

Andrea has been leading the Notting Hill team for the past 3 years. She obtained a degree in Pre-School Teaching in 2017 and prior to completing the AMI 3 to 6 Diploma Course at the Maria Montessori Institute, Andrea gained experience working as a teacher in a nursery school and as a teacher in a school for children with special needs. On the weekends, Andrea leads a class for bilingual and multilingual children where they discover the beauty of the language and the culture of the Czech Republic.

Coco joined the Notting Hill Children's House in September 2023. She was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she originally trained in the performing arts. Coco has always been passionate about working with children, and whilst living in Buenos Aires, she founded a drama programme for children. Through this programme and the inspiration of her mother (who was a teacher), Coco developed a keen interest in working in education and began learning and reading about different educational approaches. Upon discovering Montessori education, Coco moved to London in 2016. She worked as a nanny for several families until she was able to commit to a full-time Montessori programme, and she obtained her AMI 3 to 6 Diploma from the Maria Montessori Institute in London in June 2023. It has been Coco’s lifelong dream to become a teacher and she loves her time with the children at Notting Hill.

En Ci has been a Mandarin teacher for young children since relocating to London in 2017, and she obtained an AMI 3 to 6 diploma through the two-year evening course at the Maria Montessori Institute in 2022. Passionate about Montessori education and teaching Mandarin, En Ci is excited to share her experience with the children, offering both the language and cultural knowledge in the Notting Hill Children’s House. En Ci holds a BA Degree in Fine Arts, with a major in Animation of Communication Design. She worked as an independent art educator, leading various creative events and workshops in Taiwan.

Estefania graduated as an Early Year Teacher in 2010 and holds a Masters diploma in Social Education. Originally from Spain, Estefania moved to London in 2016, and since her arrival, Estefania has gained experience working with children in a variety of different capacities, including as a classroom assistant and a classroom teacher. Assisting and supporting children in their development has always been a passion for Estefania. Through her work in a Montessori school in Windsor several years ago, Estefania discovered the Montessori approach to education and completed her AMI 3 to 6 Diploma at the Maria Montessori School in 2022. She joined the Maria Montessori School in September that year, first as maternity cover at Crouch End and later as Children's House Spanish Teacher across all our sites.

Paula Pérez-Martín was born and raised in Galicia, Northern Spain. As a young adult, Paula volunteered in her mother’s school, an experience which inspired her to complete her Bachelor's Degree in Early Years Education and later complete her Master’s Degree in Education. Paula has extensive experience in mainstream and international schools in Spain, Belgium, and the UK, where she worked in Oxford as well as London for the past eight years. Her Montessori journey began in Brussels, where she had the opportunity to assist in a French-Dutch Montessori school. Inspired to learn more about the method, Paula completed the 3 to 6 AMI Diploma Course at the Maria Montessori Institute. Paula’s experience has shaped her strong belief in the important role teachers play in helping to build the child's character, as well as develop independence, self-esteem, a passion for learning, and a love for others and the world. Paula fluently speaks Galician, Spanish, English, and French.