Preschool with holiday club and forest school

Accredited Montessori Preschool

Based in Pratts Bottom village, Orpington, for 14 years, Rushmore House Montessori Preschool has been helping children to reach their full potential in a safe, caring environment using the Montessori method which includes the EYFS.

Download info sheet
  • a photo of Rushmore House Montessori preschool in Pratts Bottom Orpington showing the front garden

Our Ethos

Our ethos and our story are closely bound together. Cima Shahroudi, the preschool founder and manager, started teaching with the Montessori method in her own home in 2005. One of the members of her preschool class was her youngest daughter.

I wanted the best for my daughter and all the children in my class were treated to the same high standards. (Cima Shahroudi)

These principles have guided our teaching for the last 14 years:

  • A safe environment
  • Your child’s happiness
  • Engaging activities
  • Progression and preparation for transition to school
Our story

  • photo of a child assembling the words hat hen pot using the Montessori Large Movable Alphabet

Our Montessori Curriculum

Our Montessori curriculum is used by your child, with the guidance of their key worker and other Montessori teachers, to achieve their full potential. Unlike the curriculum for older school children it is not a document on a website or in a teacher’s desk drawer.  The Montessori curriculum surrounds your child in the classroom. Each part of the curriculum has its own area in the classroom and each area is equipped with activities your child needs to exercise their abilities in specific areas and fulfil their full potential.

Your child’s key worker and other Montessori teachers help your child to understand how to use the environment. However, it is your child that decides what activities they use and when, by selecting them from low level shelves.

Our curriculum

Montessori accreditation

We are one of only two MEAB accredited Montessori preschools in Orpington and we are very proud of this achievement. The accreditation is awarded after a two stage onsite inspection process and of the 700 Montessori preschools in the UK, only 124 are accredited and only 2 are in Orpington.

The setting provides an education in accordance with the principles of the Montessori approach and environment and merits accreditation by the Montessori Evaluation and Accreditation Board.

The logo of the Montessori Exam and Accreditation Board
the logo of Ofsted good provider
the logo for 5 food rating

Messages from our parents

photo of a thank you card with a big thank you written on it

Dear Cima,
It is with much appreciation, that we’d like to thank you for your care and understanding, especially in these past 15 months.
Despite missing a great deal of school due to the pandemic, with the guidance from you and your staff, I have seen … grow these past months, and we are sorry that her time at Rushmore House has come to an end.
Thank you again for providing such a wholesome experience.
Best regards
… & … (…’s parents)
(From parents of a child leaving in July 2021)

photo of inside of thank you card with a message
photo of a christmas card with three trees and london tune station names

To the teachers,
Merry Christmas
Thank you for making … first term at pre-school so enjoyable. We hope you have a lovely Christmas and New Year and a well deserved break.
Love …,
… and …
(From the parents of a child that started in September 2021)

photo of the inside of a christmas card with a message from the parents
photo of a christmas card with Merry Christmas written on it

Dear Rushmore House.
Merry Christmas
Thank you for all you do for me – I really love my preschool days.
Love …
(From parents and child attending the preschool in December 2021)

photo of the inside of a christmas card with a message and a drawing

The best start for your child

Download the preschool info sheet for a summary of all the important details about our preschool on one handy page.

Download info sheet

Articles

Each of these articles provides more information on a particular feature of the preschool or an answers to common questions.

Contact us

We welcome your questions, comments and feedback.

Office, Pratts Bottom

Rushmore House Montessori Preschool

Rushmore Hill, Pratts Bottom, Orpington BR6 7NQ
Phone: 01689 856066
email: [email protected]

Telephone link

Frequently Asked Questions

These are some questions we are often asked.

We take children from the day of their second birthday

Your child needs to attend regularly so they can settle and get the most from their preschool. For this reason our minimum attendance policy is three sessions per week and a full day counts as two sessions.

To reserve a place for your child at Rushmore House you need to return the Reservation Request form, Terms & Conditions signed by both parents together with the deposit and registration fee. Sessions are allocated on a first come first choice basis, so you need to return the forms and payment rapidly.

The preschool does not have a car park however there is ample parking on the roads close to preschool.

We invoice each half term in advance with fees due on the first day of each new half term.

We accept payment via BACS, cheques and cash given to a member of staff; we are also registered with the tax free childcare scheme and several childcare voucher companies too.