The Sydney Montessori Society (SMS) was established in 1975 and opened The Children’s House Montessori Pre-School West Lindfield – one of the first Montessori schools in NSW. Recognition of the high quality of education provided at West Lindfield continued to grow within the community and, in 1985, SMS established a second school at Boronia Park. In January 1998, the Boronia Park premises were moved to Cressy Road. North Ryde. In 2001 Parents from the West Lindfield campus initiated a split from SMS and from January 2002 the West Lindfield school operates as a separate company.
The Sydney Montessori Society continues to operate the Cressy Road Pre-school with both a morning and afternoon class. In 2005 SMS Council contacted the four “Founding” members of the society for a thirty year celebration. Thirty Trees were planted in the surrounding bush to mark this occasion.
Their mission is to cater to the needs of preschool children in a professional manner following the guidelines of Montessori Philosophy, with consideration of the needs of parents, staff and the wider community.
The Montessori preschool provides a three-year program for children aged 3-6 years. For the first two years, children attend a half-day session of three and one half hours each day for five days per week. During the third year or “when children are eligible to attend kindergarten”, the children attend the school for an additional two and one half hours each day.
In the kindergarten year, everything learned in the previous two years is consolidated and self-confidence, leadership and responsibility are developed.
They also offer Extended Hours for 3 and 4 year old children up to 5 pm each day, and parent toddler sessions Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9.30 am to 11.30 am.