Can we send our child to mainstream school at five and then transfer him/her over into the Montessori Unit when he/she is six?
Unfortunately, this does not work as the final year at a Montessori preschool is a very important year in the life of a five-year old child as it is now that he/she begins to develop leadership qualities, takes on more responsible roles as well as understands the links of his/her acts and the needs and rights of others. Younger children in the classroom aspire to the work of their older classmates who in turn act as ‘little teachers’ reinforcing their own learning.
The opportunities for learning that your child will be presented with as one of the older children in a multi-age 3-6 year preschool environment cannot be replicated in a mainstream new entrants single age classroom.