Themontessoriplace Avis 

Absolutely love TMP and feel extremely fortunate to be part of it.
Our child has been part of the Young People's Community (YPC) at The Montessori Place in Easons Green, and we honestly can't speak highly enough of what it's given them. They joined when they were young, and the change over the years has been remarkable to watch: more confident, more independent, more sure of who they are. TMP hasn't only taught them well academically. It's also helped shape how they think about their own future and their ability to go after it.

TMP has stayed a constant, reliable, caring, always there for our child, it's become somewhere they feel genuinely safe and settled, whatever else is going on.

We've been with the school since it first opened its doors, and it's been genuinely lovely to watch it grow alongside our children. One thing that's stood out to us in particular is how seriously the school takes safeguarding and pastoral care, and how quickly they act when something needs attention. In this regard we've found them to be impeccable.

The atmosphere at TMP is truly wonderful. You feel a kind of magic envelop you when you enter the space. Both of our children are happy there and clearly enjoy the work they're doing, and we've always found the school easy to talk to and quick to respond. Pupils get real room to explore their own interests and work independently, while still building a solid foundation in academics.

If you're looking for a school that combines a calm, nurturing setting with genuinely high academic standards, we'd recommend TMP without hesitation.
The biggest thing for us is that the school feels like family for our children.

The most incredible school, our kids have been a the Easons Green school for six years and absolutely love it!! The environment is beautiful, carefully curated with gorgeous woodland and gardens that the children benefit from.
The children are in mixed age groups and build very sweet relationships with both older and younger kids. The guides are wonderful; warm, nurturing, kind and deeply supportive of individual kids and their needs. Our children feel safe and happy, they look forward to going into school each day and have flourished both academically & socially. They have made life long friends (as have we). We feel very lucky to be part of such an amazing school and community.

I enrolled my son at this school because I deeply believe in Montessori philosophy. Before he was born, I researched Montessori carefully and felt it aligned with my values as a parent. I truly wanted an authentic Montessori experience for him, and at first I trusted the guides completely.

However, once my son moved into The Children’s House in Hove, I began to notice serious concerns. He started telling me about repeated situations where he was being pushed and hurt by older children. There was a clear lack of safeguarding and adult intervention. The expectation seemed to be that children should resolve conflicts entirely on their own, even when they were not emotionally or physically safe.

Over time, the situation escalated. My son, who had always been gentle and had never hit anyone before, eventually reacted by hitting another child. That was the moment I knew something was deeply wrong. A child who is repeatedly hurt and not protected will eventually react. I addressed his behaviour immediately at home, but I also understood that the environment had failed him.

When I requested a meeting with the school to discuss my concerns. I was told someone would contact me, I waited several days but it never happened. I informed the school that my son would not return until we had clarity, and communication remained unsatisfactory.

The emotional impact on my son was significant. He became anxious and stressed. I have reports from professionals documenting the stress he experienced during that period. It took time for him to recover and feel safe enough to attend another school.

Despite all of this, I was pressured to pay for a future term that my son did not attend. I paid at the time because of contractual pressure, but always with the intention of formally challenging it. I have since taken legal action to recover the unused fees, as I believe it is unfair to require payment for a term that was never used.

In hindsight, I feel the school’s approach does not reflect true Montessori principles, particularly regarding safeguarding, emotional guidance, and appropriate adult responsibility. Independence does not mean absence of protection. Children need modelling, boundaries, and safety.

This was an extremely painful decision for me. I truly wanted it to work. But no philosophy justifies compromising a child’s emotional or physical safety.

We’ve been part of The Montessori Place community for several years now, and I can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made for our children. The teachers here really see the kids, not just as students, but as whole people. They’re calm, kind, and professional, and they take so much care to understand each child’s personality and needs.

The atmosphere is nurturing but also structured. There are clear boundaries, clear safeguarding procedures, and a real sense that the staff take their responsibilities seriously. Any time we’ve had questions or concerns, they’ve been listened to and handled respectfully. It’s a school that genuinely wants parents to feel part of the conversation.

Our children have flourished here they’ve grown in confidence, independence, creativity and curiosity. They come home full of ideas and excitement about their projects, and it’s obvious that they feel safe and valued. The pastoral support is strong, and the staff go out of their way to make sure every child is thriving emotionally as well as academically.

I’ve seen some of the negative reviews going around recently, and honestly, they don’t reflect what the rest of us experience day to day. They are likely to come from the same people who are unhappy with the school’s decision to remove a pupil. The bizarre and somewhat childish accusation that the school is a cult is repeated across various channels. It might even be a child writing it.

What I see is a professional, transparent, and deeply thoughtful school community. The leadership are experienced and open, and the teachers are extraordinary in their commitment and care. Parents are encouraged to ask questions, and there’s no sense of secrecy, just a lot of dedication, consistency, and love for the children.

If you’re thinking about joining, I’d really encourage you to visit and speak to families who are here now. You’ll see the warmth, the professionalism, and the genuine joy that fills the classrooms. For our family, The Montessori Place has been a steady, positive influence in our children’s lives a place where they’ve grown into confident, kind, capable young people. We’re extremely content here.

As a former parent at The Montessori Place (Hove / Easons Green), I feel a responsibility to share my experience so that other families can make informed decisions.

What first appeared to be a nurturing, independent Montessori school revealed, over time, a deeply concerning lack of professional structure, safeguarding accountability, and emotional care. Leadership often discouraged questioning or constructive dialogue, and there was a noticeable absence of transparent governance or external oversight.

The school’s culture felt increasingly closed, hierarchical, and insular — more like a belief-based community led by a few individuals than a professional educational institution.

My family and others experienced distress, manipulation of trust, and an environment where children's needs and parental concerns were not adequately met.

In my view, the Department for Education and Ofsted should closely review how such independent Montessori setups are permitted to operate with minimal regulation, especially when vulnerable children are involved.

I share this publicly in the hope of preventing others from being misled by what appears to be an idealistic, yet in practice highly questionable, organisation.

As a former parent at The Montessori Place, I feel a strong duty to share my experience so other families can make informed decisions.

What initially appeared to be a nurturing, child-centred educational environment turned out to be deeply concerning in practice. Over time, I observed a lack of professional safeguarding oversight, inadequate to non existing pastoral support, no governance and an insular, controlling culture where questioning the leadership was discouraged.

Many parents, myself included, came to feel that this was not a healthy educational environment. The atmosphere increasingly resembled a closed community with a “guru-like” hierarchy, rather than a transparent school accountable to professional standards. Serious issues around child welfare, emotional wellbeing, mental health support, sex education, risk assessment, governance, professional safeguarding and educational provision including the limited and non excisting choice of e.g. GCSE subject choice are not appropriately addressed when raised nor provided.

There appeared to be no effective channels for complaint or external accountability, leaving parents feeling powerless and misled. The combination of charismatic leadership, secrecy, and manipulation of trust left a lasting impact on our family and others.

In my opinion, the Department for Education and Ofsted must take a closer look at how this independent set up The Montessori Place in Hove and Easons Green school are allowed to operate with such little oversight, particularly when children’s and adolescent wellbeing is at stake.

I share this review not out of bitterness, but from deep concern that other families may unknowingly step into a situation that is not what it seems. Please research thoroughly, ask difficult questions, and prioritise safeguarding above all else.