This Oxford child development expert reveals her honest opinion on Montessori schools, plus the three things you should look out for when choosing your child's nursery

With back-to-school season already upon us, it seems that everyone has an opinion on the best form of early years education. And from forest to Steiner schools, Montessori-style learning is consistently among the most popular option for pre-schooling in the UK.Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not just about beige toys and playing in the mud; Montessori schools take a child-centred approach to learning, allowing the children to choose their own activities and engage in purposeful play. It became popular in 1990s and there are now around 700 Montessori schools and nurseries in the UK; with a vast majority in London.From Taylor Swift to Jeff Bezos, lots of the big names on the billionaire list started in Montessori schools. Lots of names on the billionaire list, from Taylor Swift to Jeff Bezos, started out in Montessori schools.So, how does this type of preschool measure up? We asked Professor Iram Siraj, an Oxford professor and expert in child development, for her opinion on how a Montessori education can affect everything from academic outcome to social skill development, plus what should parents be looking out for when choosing their child’s nursery.Montessori education was actually a teaching style first developed for children with special needs, but Prof. Siraj is clear that a child-centred approach to learning, particularly for early years, is beneficial for most children.She says, ‘The way Montessori has adapted to regular children has been very positive.’ Siraj explains that using children’s innate motivations, like play and exploration, can support their learning and development.‘If children under five do something, they’re much more likely to remember it than if they’re just told it,’ she explains.She also emphasises the benefits that experiential learning can have for children, including on their academic outcomes. However, her main point is that regardless of nursery and school type, parental input is the most important in children’s development.What to look for in a nursery... Staff interaction with children Siraj emphasises the importance of observing how staff interact with the children, advising parents to look out for high-quality interactions, including things like asking children follow-up questions about their drawings, for example. Siraj says that it's important to observe how staff interact with the children.She says, ‘These high-quality interactions extend children’s learning and give them vocabulary.’ Also look out for adults bending down to speak with children at eye-level, as well as those taking a warm and responsive tone.Strong record-keeping Another thing Siraj recommends is asking nurseries is how they manage record-keeping. She says, ‘It’s important to know that they are monitoring continuity and progression in learning, as well as the kind of feedback they give to parents.’Siraj says that a lot of nurseries provide parents with ‘razzamatazz’, it’s important that this doesn’t distract parents from how progress is really being monitored and communicated. Parents should check how nurseries track physical and emotional development, as well as literacy and maths.A child-friendly design While Montessori schools might be defined by their wooden toys and muddy outdoor areas, Siraj says it’s important for the children’s environment to be changed regularly. Drawers should be at the child’s level and be accompanied with a label and picture of the object it contains.Ensuring nurseries have an outdoor learning environment is also important for added enrichment, says Siraj. With young children needing around three hours of exercise per day, an outdoor playground is a great way to facilitate that. An outdoor learning environment is important for supporting children's enrUltimately, while Siraj recognises that Montessori nurseries can have their perks, she says, ‘Any curricula should be supporting development and learning.’ The best thing is to visit the nursery in person and see what you think, rather than being completely swayed by a particular methodology.