Where your child will get a solid foundation

The Shadel Montessori Centre first opened its doors in Nairobi in February 2017, on Halai Road in Ridgeways, with only two learners. In the subsequent years, the centre quickly gained popularity, thanks to its location within the serene neighbourhood of Ridgeways, Nairobi.

As enrolment continued to grow, it became apparent that Shadel Montessori Centre would need a larger space. This led to its relocation to Oak Lane, Garden Estate.

Four years later, on January 4, 2021, Shadel Montessori Centre opened the doors to a new campus on Gatundu Road in the upmarket Kileleshwa neighbourhood.

The centre’s unique and enriching Montessori learning experiences led to an increasing demand to maintain students within the campus even as they proceed to the next level of their learning journey. Thus, the centre undertook a significant expansion that culminated in the establishment of a fully-fledged preparatory section – Shadel International School, Kileleshwa. This was officially launched in September 2022, and it currently hosts learners in Years 1–4.

A year later – in September 2023 – we launched Shadel International School in Ridgeways, to also host learners in Years 1–4.

Two campuses

This growth has allowed the school to provide tailored educational experiences as learners advance in their education in the two campuses: Shadel Montessori Centre, Ridgeways; and Shadel Montessori Centre, Kileleshwa.

The Montessori system

As its name suggests, Shadel Montessori Centre offers the Montessori approach to learning, which provides children with a holistic education that supports intellectual, emotional, physical, and social development. The curriculum is delivered through five learning areas, namely Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, and Cultural Studies.

Each learning area is made up of a set of materials, which increase in complexity as the children advance. This method of education is based on self-directed activities, hands-on learning, and collaborative play.

At Shadel, each component of the curriculum is thoughtfully designed to develop specific skills crucial for success in school and beyond.

Practical Life 

The Practical Life area includes activities that help children develop life skills, independence, coordination, and concentration. Activities involve everyday tasks where children learn essential life skills like pouring, sweeping, dressing, and preparing snacks. They develop their independence and sense of responsibility through fine motor skills, self-care abilities, and caring for their environment.

Lock and Key: The Lock and Key activity encourages independence through purposeful play, while at the same time helping your child to develop fine motor skills and real-world experience. The children will learn how to lock and unlock different sizes of padlocks, using keys. Children enjoy this activity and find it very rewarding once they are able to complete the activity and unlock all the locks.

Sensorial

Sensorial materials help children refine their senses and develop their ability to classify and compare objects based on size, colour, texture, sound, and other physical properties. Engaging in sensorial activities lays the foundation for cognitive skills, such as observation, analysis, and decision-making. Through activities that engage the senses, children refine their reasoning skills and understanding of the world around them.

Knobless Cylinders: A set of Knobless Cylinders typically consists of four colour-coded groups of cylinders, each representing a different type of gradation – for example,  height or diameter. By arranging cylinders in order, children begin to understand the concept of seriation, which is foundational for mathematical concepts such as sequencing, patterning, and measurement. The main functions and benefits of the Knobless Cylinders are: Visual discrimination of size; understanding of increase/grading of size or diameter; and development of fine motor skills.

As children work with the cylinders, they are encouraged to use descriptive language, enhancing their vocabulary in relation to size, dimension, and comparison.

Manipulating and fitting the cylinders help children develop an understanding of spatial relationships and geometry. Overall, Knobless Cylinders are a versatile tool in Montessori education, supporting cognitive development, motor skills, and early mathematical understanding.

Sound Bottles: Sound Bottles are a set of six pairs of sealed wooden cylinders, each pair consisting of one red and one blue cylinder. The cylinders produce different sounds, ranging from loud to quiet, when shaken. Sound Bottles help stimulate learners’ auditory senses and enhancing memory. They help learners improve their Matching Skills, Auditory Perception, Sound Discrimination, and Listening and Concentration.

Language

Early language development is emphasised through phonetic awareness, vocabulary building, and laying a solid foundation for literacy. Montessori materials in this area include sandpaper letters, movable alphabets, and language cards, which help children learn phonetics, vocabulary, and sentence structure. Jolly Phonics is incorporated to support the children’s phonemic awareness.

Large Moveable Alphabet: The key purpose of the Moveable Alphabet in Montessori learning is to prepare children for writing, reading, and spelling readiness. The learner uses these tools to progress from single sounds to phrases and eventually to stories. 

The Moveable Alphabet enables children to increase their language competency. It allows them to symbolise their thoughts and write creatively.

Mathematics

The mathematics area introduces children to basic mathematical concepts like numbers, operations, and geometry. Montessori math materials, such as number rods, golden beads, and fraction circles, help children understand abstract concepts through hands-on, concrete experiences in early arithmetic and varied numeracy calculation strategies.

Number Rods: Number Rods are an effective resource in Montessori education. They help children learn number names, sequencing and ordering, association of number to its quantity, addition, subtraction, and number bonds.

Cultural Studies

The cultural area encompasses the following subjects: Geography, Science, History, Art, Music, and Foreign Languages. These are integrated into the curriculum, broadening children’s horizons by exposing learners to the world around them, fostering a sense of curiosity, respect, and appreciation for diversity.

For full information about Shadel Montessori Centre and the full range of advantages its curriculum offers, here is a detailed flyer.