Me Montessori

Really words cannot describe what a wonderful place Me Montessori is. I am so so grateful for the care, kindness, warmth, love and guidance everyone at the nursery gave our son. As soon as we met Folarin before our son was even born, we knew this was where we wanted to send him and we signed him up immediately. Our son started during the pandemic and it was a strange time when he'd barely had any contact with anyone outside the family, but from the start I had complete trust in Folarin and her team to look after him and to help him adjust. Folarin and her team are so warm, supportive and positive with a good dose of silly! Which the kids love. They keep them entertained with lots of fun creative activities, arts and crafts, regular dance lessons, regular Forest School trips, lots of outdoor time and time for free play. Once they're settled, they each work individually with the Montessori materials and when they are older, they get more structured cabin time, where they learn about the world, different countries, cultures, professions, nature, the human body and much much more, which prepares them brilliantly for school. The kids also get to enjoy amazing and enriching experiences with trips to Central London and the local area. It's a welcoming homely setting where the staff take time and care with each of the children, cater the individualised work to each child's interests and abilities and really work with each of their personalities and quirks! It's also loads and loads of fun! They have a lot of laughs. I couldn't have asked for a better childcare setting for my son. He and we absolutely loved it and Folarin and her team who make it such a special place. He's thriving at school in no small part due to the fantastic work of everyone at Me Montessori. It is so much more than a nursery, it is a community.

I’m emotional, so bear with me right now… Five years ago, still suffering from the effects of postnatal OCD, heavily pregnant and beyond terrified of trusting anybody to take care of my precious toddler, but needing for practicality to consider childcare options, I went for an appointment to check out Me Montessori. The moment I met Folarin, I just knew that this was the only place I was going to consider, and over the past half a decade, they became a necessary part of our lives. As our son (who wasn’t even born when we reserved his place!) finished his final day of nursery today, I said with tears running down my face that I feel like part of our happiness has been taken away. I never expected to trust so deeply, to feel so connected and to grow to truly love a place and a team like I trust and love Me Montessori. Over the years, they have taught our children so much, and they have had so many enriching, valuable experiences. And they have also helped me to become a more confident and stable (lol) parent, and have shown me patience and compassion when I needed it the most. They are more than just a nursery. They are family. Ms Folarin, Ms Temi, Ms Martyna, Ms Gail… and all the others past and present. Thank you so much. You have given us more than you will ever know ❤️

BEST NURSERY! Since I've walked in the nursery, I felt a good feeling about Me Montessori. My son went there for 8 amazing months. Folarin (the owner) is amazing. She is caring, responsible and supportive. She was amazing from the beginning to the end. She made me feel calm and comforted the whole process. She'd text me every 30 minutes and send me pictures and videos of my son whilst he was settling in the nursery. When my son wasn't okay or we needed further support because something else was happening at home, she'd always give extra emotional support to my son and our family. The nursery consists of well trained staff and well planned routine/ timetable. The have many activities throughout the week and they are always playing outside either in parks or in the nursery's garden. They have themed events their method of teaching is pure Montessori: they let kids grow independently but they're also always giving hugs and cuddling the kids. Gesture of love and caring in the nursery it is visible. The only reason I had to take my son out of nursery is because we moved to outside of London and the journey became a big struggle. I'd advise anyone who is looking for a nursery to send their kids to that is organised, cleaned and has a safe and nice space; that have caring and loving staff; that will support you and your kid whenever needed and that will offer fun and precious memories to your kid... then Me Montessori is your place!

Our family left Hackney recently and the biggest sadness was taking our eldest out of Me Montessori. Me is quite simply the greatest nursery we could have wished for. Cards on the table - when we visited it I wasn't super fussed about it (although at that stage it was still quite a while before our eldest was old enough to go). But once he started going (and after I read up a bit about the Montessori approach) my opinion was totally transformed. Folarin, who owns and runs the nursery, is simply wonderful. She has this amazing energy which translates to the children. She is so bright, warm and engaging - and her spirit fills the place. She is also deeply empathetic and, when situations do arise, she deals with them with transparency, sensitivity and good sense. The teaching staff at Me are wonderful - and you feel that all of them care about and know your child and their character. At the end of each day at pick up, teachers would all share lovely and helpful updates about what our child did each day. One of the most special elements of Me is the marvellous Ms Gail, the Montessori teacher. Our eldest just loved spending one-on-one time with her, learning new skills and ideas. Honestly, it blew me away how much he learned at nursery - and I sense that a huge part of that came from Ms Gail. The other thing about Me is it's great fun. They're always doing activities like break-dancing or themed seasons where parents can get involved. All in all, if you send your little one here you're on to a great thing. This place is truly special. We miss it.

Our two children have gone to Me, and we, and they!, have loved it. A great place, super friendly, supportive and nurturing. Highly recommended.

My son went to this nursery and it is such a wonderful place. It was a safe loving environment for our child. He would come back and tell us about the things he learnt and the fun he had. The teachers are all so amazing and really worked with my child's needs. They encouraged him and only ever wanted the best for him. My son loved the one on one Montessori learning and the forest school, and most of all the teachers. Ms Folarin Thompson and her team have built something exceptional here. It is a family. This nursery gave our son a beautiful and brilliant start to his schooling. We are so happy and will miss this place so much !!!! Thank you for everything.

A fantastic Nursery, our daughter loved it and made plenty of friends. The staff are very supportive and enthusiastic and the learning program super impressive and non-pressured. Feel blessed to have gotten a place.

We've been part of Me Montessori for six years between our two children, and our younger child left last week. It's been the perfect place for them from the start. They have developed in so many ways, thriving in an atmosphere of fun, warmth, good humour, intellectual and emotional intelligence, and love. Children at Me are not only loved as sweet little children but also as people in their own right, each individual recognised for the unique qualities and interests they bring to the group. Since the children are together across age groups for much of the day, we have found that both of our children are empathetic with, and encouraging of, younger children. Children are encouraged to work and play together, learn to express themselves and ask for what they need, as well as listen and respond to other children. Both of my children made firm friends in the setting. The trips and activities have been wonderful, including taking small groups to central London, meeting animals at the city farm (or at nursery!), doing regular dance and drumming sessions, going outdoors every day. The themed curriculum has also been great to give the children some structure and opportunities to learn and explore the world. In their final year, the preparation for school is second-to-none, and the time in the cabin or Montessori room with Ms Martyna or Ms Gail helps to prepare them for the wider world and the expectations upon them at school. Before moving to Me, my older child had struggled to settle as a baby and toddler in another setting. Folarin had capacity and imagination in terms of how to deal with children who were used to co-sleeping and breastfeeding, and we felt supported (and unjudged) in our parenting decisions in a way that we had not at all in the previous setting. At Me, we worked together with Folarin and her team to help both children to settle and get through periods of separation anxiety, and we trusted Folarin's expertise and experience. Staff turnover has been minimal over the years, and the consistency has been really positive for our children and for us. We have the impression that the staff, too, are part of the family and feel positive about being at work. Communication with the nursery works really well - for us, as well as chats at drop-off and pick-up, mostly by whatsapp and email - and the scrap books at the end of each year, capturing a snapshot of each child's development and so much fun they've had, will be cherished for the rest of our lives. My children have left Me Montessori confident, happy, fun and empathetic people, and we owe Folarin, Temi, Martyna, Klaudia, Karolinka, Kaia and Gail (and the handful who've been and gone over the years) so much for what they have done to make them who they are today!

Me Montessori turned out to be everything I had hoped it would be when searching for a nursery for my daughter. Folarin and her long standing team of wonderful, warm and positive nursery teachers are incredibly nurturing, keep the kids entertained with lots of hand on learning, playful and creative activities, fun excursions, free time to play with each other... and as they get older, more formal early years education including developing their reading and writing skills... and even science and geography! My daughter has learned so much about the world being at Me Montessori and has experienced and learned about many different cultures and traditions. But most importantly, I can feel how much she enjoys being at nursery and how much love, support and encouragement she receives there from the incredible team. You get the sense that every child at nursery is appreciated and celebrated for being who they are. It is a huge relief to know she is in such safe and capable hands while I'm at work... and having so much fun!

We spent 6 years at Me Montessori with two kids. They loved going there and are still talking about it wishing they could still go. It's a warm and family like environment that is beautiful and creatively used. The staff really do care, drop off and pick up always feel personal. There are many outings and extras that make it so special. You won't find better.