Montessori vs pre-school - help please

I am in the process of choosing a preschool for Tyler to go to in January 2012 and I am struggling to make my mind up which one to send him to! My head is telling me to send him to a montessori as a lot of their methods fit in with the way that we have tried to bring him up so far but i'm still not sure whether that is the right choice of if there is even a huge difference!

I have been to visit one montessori which was lovely and am booked to visit another montessori next Monday, I have also arranged to visit another local nursery which isn't a montessori but does have an outstanding ofsted report.

I would be interested to hear of anyone elses experience of montessori or normal preschool, what the benefits either way are. Tyler will only be attending 2 sessions a week so I am happy to travel to the 'right' one but I do want him to get some benefit from going so am keen to chose the best one!

TBH I have never heard of them, are they along the same lines as Steiner schools? I would have loved/still love to get K into a Steiner school but worry about him loosing touch with the school friends he does have and also how well he would do once back in mainstream education at high school x

When the boys were at nursery, Jonah was in the pre-school room which was led by a montessori trained lady. I was never impressed with them & Jonah never really talked about things he was doing.

When he turned 3 he started at the local pre-school which is amazing. They are wonderful there and he loves it. He's come on in leaps & bounds since starting there. They had a surprise Ofsted visit at the end of June 09 and got outstanding in all areas. He comes out every day talking or showing me what he's been doing

Go with your gut instinct. It's far more improtant for him to be somewhere he'll be happy and have fun with lovely staff. I think you'll know when you visit. I was shocked at how different the pre-school is compared to the pre-school at nursery....worlds apart in my personal experience.

DD went to a Montessori preschool. It was really lovely . Theur emphasis on promoting the ability of the child to look after themselves and lots of the structured play theu did really suited her. I moved her to the school nursery when she was old enough because the Montesssori is so popular here I could only get 6 hours a week and she needed more than that. The school preschool is very different - provides different types of play. It is more boisterous and less calm but also lovely. DD has enjoyed both.

I was desperate for DS to go to montessori nursery, but the only one here is for 3+ and on the other side of town, in the opposite direction from work so it was no good when he was 14months old and starting nursery. I think it would have suited him much better, but going to a normal nursery (he's in the equivalent of the preschool room now) he loves it and has come on in leaps and bounds while there.

I'd still love him to go to a montessori or even steiner school, but again wrong direction and too far. If they do get state funding under the free schools proposal (both the montessori and steiner schools in brighton are applying), then i may well reassess and apply for him there.

I have no experience of the montessori schooling here, but have seen my DH's much much much younger cousins go through montessori schooling in sweden and was highly impressed, although somewhat surprised that the school had flexitime so kids could go on holiday whenever they wanted, just as long as they had built up their hours in advance (this was the high school).

i'll be watching this thread as i want to send ryan to one too

Which ones are you looking at Kerry? Will ask at Stevens school if they're round here for opinions if you want

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Elliott has been going to a Montessori 2 mornings a week since September and I must say so far I'm really impressed. He was originally going to go to our local pre-school where my other 2 had gone but when I went to have a look at it before he started it had definitely gone down hill

In my experience of both I do find the Montessori to be much more attentive to the childs needs but then I'm sure you might get this at a really good pre-school as well. Elliott still has a little tear when he goes in and there's always someone there to give him a cuddle and settle him in straight away, but I know this wouldn't have happened where my other two went

He can probably start the school Nursery in September but I'm thinking of leaving him at the Montessori a bit longer and letting him just do the one term at the school nursery before he starts reception.

I hope you find one that suits whether it's a Montessori or Pre-school, I think as pp have said you just have to go with your gut instint.