OUR STAFF

The Barnes Montessori staff are enthusiastic, responsible and caring. Between them they have a wealth of experience. All the staff have DBS checks, Safeguarding and First Aid training. They are a well-qualified team and all attend on-going professional training courses and Conferences.

ANNE-MARIE TRUE, BA (Hons) and Mont. Dip. - Principal and Proprietor since 1987

Married with three children all of whom attended the Barnes Montessori Nursery and two grandchildren. Trained at St. Nicholas Montessori College, has a BA (Hons) degree in Early Childhood Studies and an Early Years Professional Status. She is the school’s Designated Safeguarding and Child Protection Officer. Former governor both of an independent school and maintained Primary School. Over the years has sat on various education committees including the Borough’s Education and Overview Scrutiny Committee and was (PVI) Private, Voluntary and Independent Schools Forum Representative. Anne-Marie has been London co-ordinator and National Secretary of the Montessori Early Years Forum (MEYF); and on the Montessori Evaluation and Accreditation Board (MEAB). One of the founder members of the Save Our Nurseries Campaign. Anne-Marie was awarded the 2011 Montessorian of the Year. She is a huge advocate of the Montessori approach to learning and development. She is totally dedicated in doing the best for the children in her care and leading a caring, committed and supportive team.

SARAH, Mont. Dip. - Deputy

Sarah began her Montessori Career at Barnes Montessori over 20 years ago, joining  first as a student and then becoming a class teacher and key person.  She left to spend a year teaching in Australia before returning to London where she taught for 5 years before starting a family.  When her 3 children were young she worked as a childminder before re-joining the Barnes Montessori Nursery in September 2016.  As a class teacher and keyperson she has a wealth of experience and organisational skills with a great sense of fun and humour.  Sarah is Deputy and the school’s Health and Safety Officer and Fire Warden.

ADELA, BSc. Mont. Dip. (EYE)

Adela has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from her native Romania and has a Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy - Birth to Seven (Early Years Educator) – from Montessori Centre International, London. She has worked in a variety of settings both in the UK and abroad. She has gained experience working with children with special needs when volunteering for a year in a school in South England. Adela continued to broaden her experience in London by implementing ABA techniques to children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). She is interested in art, nature and education. Adela joined the team in 2018 and is a class teacher and keyperson.

ELEANOR, BSc. (Hons); Mont. Dip (EYE)

Joined the team in 2017. A psychology graduate who specialised in childhood development. Eleanor went on to work in education and spent a year teaching in Beijing. She has qualified in Montessori Pedagogy; Early Years Educator from Montessori Centre International. She has specialised training in Attachment Theory and is a registered Circle of Security parent facilitator. She is a very dedicated and passionate class teacher and keyperson. She is Deputy Safeguarding and Child Protection Officer.

LINDSEY, MCSP, Mont. Dip

Married with three children and one grandchild. Lindsey worked as a Paediatric Physiotherapist for 20 years. Two of her daughters attended a Montessori Nursery school and Lindsey has been interested in the Montessori approach since then. Lindsey has a Montessori Diploma in Early Childhood studies and is a registered Circle of Security parent facilitator. She is Vice-Deputy and works part time as a class teacher.

LIZ

Liz is a gap year student headed to study medicine in September 2022. She finished at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith last summer and has previous teaching experience as an academic and peer mentor at her school and KUMON class assistant. 

MICHELLE, Mont. Dip.

Joined the team, in January 2014. She has a Montessori Diploma from Montessori Centre International. Michelle has two grown-up daughters and creates and implements cooking and planting activities for the children. She is the school’s co-ordinator for the Healthy Early Years London (HEYL) project. She is interested in nature and wildlife and is an active volunteer for Wildlife Aid Foundation

SYLWIA, BA (Hons) and Mont. Dip.

Sylwia holds a BA (Hons) in Caring and Educational Pedagogy, a diploma in Montessori Theory and Methodology and an Early Years Professional Status. Furthermore, she holds a level 5 qualification in management and leadership. Sylwia has worked with children for many years. She is passionate about all aspects of the Montessori philosophy and practice. She promotes bringing the inside out and the outside in; a learning approach which develops the child as a whole and nurtures the spirit of Montessori. She has a level 3 Forest School qualification. Sylwia is a class teacher and keyperson.

TANYA, BSc (Hons) and Mont. Dip

Tanya qualified as a Montessori Teacher in 2011.  Prior to that she worked in HR for a Financial Services firm.  After the birth of her first son, Hugo she decided to return to her passion for teaching and working with children and has never looked back.  Her second son, Otis, also attended a Montessori nursery, giving him the best start to his education. She has worked in Teddington and St Margarets and spent a year in Australia too.  Tanya is passionate about the Montessori approach and in 2018 she qualified as a Montessori Trainer to be able to provide professional development to others interested in the Montessori philosophy.   Tanya joined the team in 2019.  She is the school’s SENCO and Inclusion Hub co-ordinator. For more information please read here.

VICTORIA

Victoria joined our team in April 2021. She comes to us from a chef background having worked in an award winning patisserie. Victoria has enjoyed a lot of traveling abroad and is passionate about child development and the Montessori ethos. 

SPECIALIST TEACHERS

ENORA (French)

A french native speaker with a Bachelor Degree in English and Italian and French qualifications. She has experience teaching French and a very good level of English. She has also been a tutor in a French university. Enora is enthusiastic, reliable and loves sharing her knowledge with her pupils.

MARY-CLARE (Music)

Mary-Clare is a Postnatal Doula; Montessori Educator and Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator.

Music has always been a huge part of Mary-Clare’s life growing up, surrounded by singing siblings and instruments galore! Whether it is in school, at home or in her job working as a Birth and Postnatal Doula at BeWithMeFromBirth.co.uk – recognising ‘Music can touch us in a way that nothing else can’ (Montessori).

Mary-Clare worked for 8 years as a Montessori teacher at the Barnes Montessori Nursery and after experiencing and observing many styles of teaching music, she was determined to create an age-appropriate music class for the Early Years focussed on musical potential, fun, repetition and an all-round physical experience, while being rooted in the methods of Kodaly and Montessori. These methods have shown to improve intonation, rhythm skills and music literacy as well as, outside of Music, improving perceptual, concept formation, motor skills, and performance in other academic areas such as reading and maths.

Mary-Clare has a real passion to equip children with the tools to enjoy and explore music and to stretch them to the extent of their individual ability. Children are not forced to join in – they are welcome to observe – and in this freedom of choice, they still absorb songs and the feel of the musical environment.

‘Music …. No better gift can we give to the children than to open this door for them’ (Montessori)

VICKIE (Dance/Movement)

Married with twin girls. Vickie originally qualified as a dance teacher with the National Association of Teachers of Dance, has a Dance Diploma from the University of London and qualified as an Exercise to Music Instructor with the YMCA. She has extensive experience teaching dance and exercise to children and adults. Her weekly sessions with the children incorporate exercises aimed at improving gross and fine motor skills and balance and coordination, along with creative movement for story-telling.

ALIX

Alix has worked in early years education for most of her adult life. She is a qualified primary teacher with specialism and is passionate about outdoor education. She qualified as a Forest School leader with Kindling Play and Training and went on to incorporate Forest School into her primary school setting. She has spent some time at home with her own two nature loving boys and is excited to be focusing on Forest School again. She loves nature and wild learning, be it Forest School, rock climbing or camping adventures. She really believes in, and has witnessed first hand, the positive impact nature has on children.