Walthamstow Montessori School is a highly popular nursery for boys and girls, which was established in 2001. We use genuine Montessori and Forest Schooling methods in a broad and exciting curriculum. Our teachers have excellent experience in their subject areas and are passionate about their practice.

"Children benefit from a wonderfully calm and nurturing atmosphere to play and learn. Their independence is fostered extremely well, as they enjoy making choices about their learning". "Children’s happiness and welfare is at the heart of their practice".

– Ofsted July 2022
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Montessori + Forest Schooling

Montessori is an approach that focuses on the immense capacity of children to absorb information when given the freedom and independence to learn at their own pace. Forest Schooling is a child-led approach to learning, incorporating children’s right to play, to access the outdoor environment and to feel success. Our school combines these related methods for early education.

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Term Dates 2025/2026

Makaton Friendly Programme

Makaton is a language programme designed to provide functional communication and encourage and develop language and literacy skills through the combined use of signs and symbols with speech. WMS is incorporating its use further in the classroom.

Testimonials

DC

Lovely teachers who genuinely care about the children.

JS

Lovely dedicated teachers and other staff, great space. Our daughter loves it!

EF

It was such an honour to have experienced your beloved school in action. I think you probably realised that we both were completely overwhelmed with how beautifully harmonious we found it.

The entire space was bursting with love and happiness and calm play. It was truly like nothing we’ve ever seen. We have researched Montessori techniques a lot but hearing it from you and learning so much more in little time of the true version and seeing it in action was so eye opening.

Thank you for your energy and precious time.

We came out like we’d just been let in to the biggest and best secret ever (not that it should be) we feel so fortunate to have found you.

RE

We had visited 7 nurseries and nearly given up hope of finding one we liked, but within minutes of walking into Walthamstow Montessori School it was obvious that it was a world apart. At the other nurseries we had seen staff and children looking frazzled. However, at WMS the atmosphere was calm, warm and happy. The children were absorbed in their various activities with unusual and interesting equipment.

As we came to know the principal, Lorna Mahoney, we appreciated her as an outstanding and inspiring teacher. Our daughter spent two years at the WMS nursery before we moved from the area. We still visit and continue to admire the dedication, creativity and sheer hard work of all the WMS staff. The high quality of education at WMS is all the more surprising given its relatively low fees.

Our younger son attended a Montessori nursery near our new home, but it wasn’t as good as the Walthamstow Montessori. (Possibly because the other nursery was following only a few Montessori methods, whereas it’s a full Montessori approach at WMS.)

We have so many happy memories from WMS.