In contemporary times of today, it is essential for students to foster knowledge above and beyond what is given in the textbook. In addition to academics, students today need to focus on the development of life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and communication in order to cater to the dynamism of the 21^st century. Such skills should be nurtured from an early by exploring the student’s interests and talents and developing well-rounded personalities. 

Cambridge Montessori Preschool, a renowned preschool in India, has gained a reputation for providing such high-quality education, embracing the roundabout development to its children from all walks of life. With a philosophy that centers around the ‘Montessori method,’ the school focuses on nurturing the child’s holistic development by providing them with an environment that is conducive to learning and exploration. The school is committed to imparting knowledge and values that enable children to develop their cognitive, social, and emotional skills, thus preparing them to succeed in the future. 

Cambridge Montessori School has a diverse and inclusive community, welcoming families from all backgrounds and cultures. The school provides its students with an environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Its curriculum is designed to encourage children to develop their natural abilities and interests, thus instilling a love for learning that lasts a lifetime. 

Building a Strong Foundation ‘The Montessori Education’ Way 

In January 2017, Cambridge Montessori Preschool was founded to introduce a more advanced and practical teaching and learning methodology in the nation. While many schools in India use the traditional method, Cambridge Montessori Preschool focuses on the ‘Montessori method’, which is highly regarded in Europe and the US. The inspiration behind this approach was to provide children in India with a world-class education that could compete with the best. 

Within six years of working, Cambridge Montessori Preschool has achieved many accolades, including numerous awards such as the ‘Best Preschools Award’.  

This is due to the fact that the school is driven by its mission to become one of the best Montessori preschool chains in the world while preserving Indian values and culture and offering a Western education. The school aims to strike a balance between the two and aspires to establish approximately 2,000 preschools in India within the next five years. To achieve these goals, the school is focusing on its team, training centers, and teacher training programs to develop Montessori teachers aligned with their mission and vision. 

Overcoming Adversities 

In spite of serving the students with the best possible facilities, the Cambridge Montessori Preschool has faced numerous challenges over the years, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic. But the school’s resilience and determination to continue to strive towards its mission led the school to overcome every challenge thrown its way. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the school successfully garnered more than 350 signups and currently has over 100 operational schools across India. This is a significant achievement considering the impact of the pandemic on most businesses. 

During the pandemic, many schools shifted to online platforms. Cambridge Montessori Pre School also utilised technology platforms to provide online education for their students. The school also has its own platform and system to engage with parents. 

Although the pandemic has brought changes to the educational landscape, Cambridge Montessori Preschool believes that the primary education infrastructure will remain the same and will continue to focus on offline learning while leveraging technology when needed.  

The management says, “The Montessori method is designed for offline learning, and the school remains committed to that approach.” 

As the economy began to recover from the pandemic, Cambridge Montessori Preschool experienced a strong resurgence. This is due to the fact that the school’s brand recall is high, and parents are delighted with the school’s offerings, pedagogy, school environment, teachers, and capabilities.  

Along with the pandemic, the school’s commitment to the Montessori teaching methodology has also been a challenge, as many were initially unfamiliar with the differences between these and non-Montessori approaches. Despite these challenges, the Cambridge Montessori Preschool team worked hard to educate parents and build awareness about the benefits of its practices. As a result, it has received positive feedback from parents and has become a top brand in India’s preschool industry.  

The school also faced challenges in finding qualified teachers, but they were able to overcome this by developing their own teacher training program to ensure that their staff is aligned with the school’s mission and vision. Overall, the Cambridge Montessori Preschool has been thriving in turning challenges into opportunities and achieving its goal of becoming one of the best Montessori preschool chains in the world. 

Nurturing Young Minds 

At Cambridge Montessori Preschool, the academic department deals with the day-to-day curriculum and a complete holistic program aimed at developing children’s knowledge, personality, and communication skills to convert them into future leaders. The school also teaches Indian values, cultures, and defence aspects of the country to make the children love the country and its soldiers. Additionally, special programs on unsung heroes are conducted in the schools.  

The school experiments a lot with the children to make them better citizens of the country and has taken the lead in having international cross-cultural programs with children from Japan, Slovenia, Poland, and Russia. The children interact with global citizens, which boosts their confidence.  

The school’s goal is to incubate future leaders, and this is a self-motivating factor for them. It is committed to working towards this and producing good children every year across India who will lead the country in the future. Whereas its ultimate goal is customer satisfaction, with happy parents giving the school confidence that the school is on the right track.  

The school focuses on preschool education up to seven years of age, with plans to expand to first and second grade following the national new education policy. Changes in the pedagogy are being made in preparation for the future. While there is limited formal education beyond preschool at this time, Cambridge Montessori Preschool is committed to providing a strong foundation for its students to become better citizens and future leaders. 

Encouraging Eminence 

Cambridge Montessori Preschool’s Founder and MD, Mr Pankaj Kumar Singh, states that the school organises games and competitions within the school and inter-school events. He says, “We have awards for our best teachers and hold an entire school competition to determine the top 10 teachers who receive cash and certificates.” 

Mr Pankaj is proud of the school’s accomplishments and feels it is doing much more than any other business or preschool. He values parent feedback more than any institutional award, which is why the preschool is unique in its approach to gathering feedback from parents. The school has implemented a system where parents rate their child’s education at the end of each session, which provides valuable insight into the success of the school’s curriculum. “Feedbacks have been collected both before and after the COVID pandemic, and the results show that the school’s satisfaction levels have increased despite the challenges faced during the pandemic,” he adds. Mr Pankaj notes that the parents are from all over the country, making this recognition even more significant. 

Mr Kumar also emphasises the importance of being future-oriented in the field of education. He states, “It is crucial to understand what the rest of the world is teaching their children and incorporate the best practices into their schools. It is also vital to stay ahead as a nation in terms of education. This requires a collective effort from all partners involved, including curriculum designers, trainers, and teachers.” 

“Ongoing teacher training is essential, and it is also important to engage parents and other stakeholders, including future mothers, to prepare them for their role as their child’s first teacher at home. I believe that accepting the challenge of providing the best possible education is wise and encourages others in the industry to do the same,” he continues. 

Mr Pankaj expresses satisfaction with the progress of the preschool and is optimistic about the future. He believes that providing quality services that make parents and children happy is crucial to success. Hence, he hopes for continued success for the school in the future.

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