Our History
This project was born in 2015. At the time Tim, the Director, was looking for employment as an Early Years Educator, having completed his training as a Tecnico Superior de Educacion Infantil. His first daughter was also ready to start nursery.
After visiting a number of options, including public, private and those specialising in alternative pedagogies, he came to the conclusion that he wanted to develop his own project.
English is his daughter’s mother tongue. Therefore it seemed logical that any nursery should incorporate English, along with the local languages of Spanish and Catalan. The nursery finally opened its doors at the end of 2015, as a very small project with only 8 children in a 130 square meter reformed shop and quickly to over 40 children within 3 years. Following parent demand and funding, Barcelona Montessori School was opened in September 2020.
Our school now serves over 180 children and their families on over 3000 square meters of installations and 6000 square meters of land.
Our Mission
To provide an optimal environment for students to develop into prepared and fulfilled citizens of the world.
Our Vision
To be a reference for a holistic Montessori education program for the future benefit of all humankind.
Our Values
Respect
As a means for a peaceful world.
Curious, Life-Long Learning
To encourage practical and emotional skills that promote educational and social independence.
Child-Centered Approach
To keep the children at the center of all our decision-making processes in order to support every student's holistic development.
Responsibility
For oneself, others and the wider world.
Belonging
To ensure that all staff, students and parents share a sense of connection and contribution to the BMS mission and vision.
Our Team
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
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Tim, Director
Timothée studied History of Art and Literature in France before becoming a French teacher while living in London. This is when he decided that he wanted to work with children. After moving to Spain he learned about Montessori method and practice and went to France to enrol in a teaching assistant’s course near Lyon. After working for several years as a teaching assistant in pre-schools and seeing how little diversity there is in educational method for this age group, he decided in 2014 to create Nido, the first Montessori centre in Barcelona since 1924. In 2020 Nido grew and led to open Barcelona Montessori School, this time with the help of an amazing team and families.
In 2021 Tim has started the 12 to 18 years old AMI diploma course which will give him a good understanding on how to create the adolescent program in the new campus.
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Abi, Head of School
Abi grew up in London. At school she was always good at science and maths. When she was old enough, she went to university in England to study Neuroscience because she was fascinated by why people think the way they do. After a short break travelling she started teaching in 2008 when she completed her Teacher Training (PGCE) at the Institute of Education in London before moving to Barcelona to continue teaching. In 2012, she took a break from teaching for a year and completed a Masters research project looking at the effects of early life stress on brain development and learning. At this time she became interested in Montessori method and practice and how neuroscience can lead to a better understanding of child development and improvements in education. Since then she has gone on to study Montessori Education for 0 – 7 year olds through the MCI London. More recently she has completed the AMI Administrators course, which supports school administrators in designing a holistic educational program.
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Julianna, Deputy Head and Primary Guide
Julianna entered the world of Montessori in 2009 unexpectedly. She immediately fell in love with the method and has embraced her world in this philosophy for 14 years now. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in English Philology from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. She also has a postgraduate degree in Psychological and Pedagogical Counselling and Support. She obtained a Montessori Lower and Upper Elementary diploma from the North American Montessori Center and has worked as a Guide for both levels over the past 14 years. In addition, she recently finished her School Leadership Montessori diploma from CGMS.
Julianna is originally from Hungary and Poland, however, she spent the majority of her childhood in London. She has lived in a number of countries, including Italy and Cyprus. She loves to travel and to learn about new cultures. Julianna’s true vocation is being a guide and inspiring others to see the beauty and magic of the Montessori philosophy. She loves children and helping them grow into their own individuals. She deeply loves the Montessori approach and can’t imagine her life any other way. In her free time she enjoys taking long walks in nature, enjoying the sea and relaxing through yoga. She also completed a Yoga Teacher Training Course in Thailand.
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Nuria, EYFS Coordinator for Nido, Infant Community and Children’s House
Nuria was born and raised in Barcelona. As the youngest child of her family, she learnt wonderful things from her older siblings, such as how to pick blackberries, make a jasmine necklace, swim or ride a bicycle. Nuria started her career in Public Administration. In 2007 her life changed when she got the opportunity to move to San Diego, California (USA). There, she had the opportunity to work as a Spanish language teacher for kids from ages 1 to 12 years old. Working with children revealed as her true passion, and she decided to get formal training in the education field. She obtained an official European Master’s Degree in Montessori Education (0-6 years-old) by the University of Vic (UVic) and The Montessori Institute of San Diego. She worked for 3 years as an English Toddler Guide and Infant Community Supervisor at Kinderhouse Montessori School of San Diego. After a long stay in the USA, life brought her back to her hometown, where she joined the team of teachers at Nido Montessori Barcelona in 2019, and later Barcelona Montessori School in 2020. She has collaborated as well as an Associate Teacher and AMI referee within the UVic’s Montessori Master’s degree program. She has a child happily enrolled in the BMS Primary program.
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Laura, Primary Coordinator and Guide
Laura grew up in Sant Cugat and had just started her engineering studies after a year of living in London, when she found out, thanks to a volunteering job in a Turkey orphanage, that her vocation was in the Educational field.
Right after finishing her studies in Primary Education, she got a position at a Pestalozzi school and started to learn about the method of scientific pedagogy of Maria Montessori. While working, she studied a postgraduate course and took the AMI training for 6-12 years.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, nature, playing tennis, maths and watching movies.
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Judit, Administrative Assistant
Even though part of Judit’s family is from Valencia, she was born and raised in Barcelona. From an early age she was always interested in books and, as she grew up, she discovered other hobbies like traveling or watching movies or TV series. That interest in books and languages is what made her study Translations and Interpretation in Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Thanks to that, she was able to do a three-month Erasmus in London, a city she fell in love with.
Judit does not have much experience working directly with kids, but she usually connects with them, as she is sometimes a little like Peter Pan, and she is not afraid to show her inner kid.
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Aleksandra, Children's House Guide
Alex is from Poland, but she has lived in Spain for almost ten years. From early childhood, she has enjoyed organizing games and activities for her younger cousins and, she even tried teaching them some English or whatever else she already knew.
While growingup, she became interested in nutrition, and that’s why she studied Dietetics at the Medical University of Warsaw. Nowadays, even though she doesn’t pursue her career in this field, she is very keen on healthy and sustainable eating.
Alex has tried many different jobs throughout the years, but finally, she realised that what she really enjoys is working with children. As she has been learning English all her life and after obtaining her Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, she started to work as an English teacher. That’s when she began to look for different ways of teaching and found out about the Montessori method. She is an AMI certified 3-6 guide and a positive discipline classroom educator.
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Ana, Children’s House Guide
Ana was born and raised in Barcelona, where her innate passion for stories and children began to flourish, setting her on a diverse and enriching journey.
From a young age, Ana found fulfilment in working with children, whether as a volunteer, babysitter, or private tutor. Her love for children and stories inspired her to pursue higher education focused on understanding and nurturing these passions.
During a transformative experience living in Philadelphia, US, Ana pursued her Master's degree in Hispanic Studies. It was during this time that she delved into research on Spanish literature, particularly focusing on children's books, igniting her scholarly interest in the intersection of literature and childhood.
Ana's academic journey took her across the globe to Melbourne, Australia, where she was awarded a scholarship to pursue her doctoral studies and write a thesis centred on children's literature. This experience deepened her understanding of the importance of storytelling in shaping young minds and solidified her commitment to working with children.
Following the completion of her doctorate and the arrival of motherhood, Ana realized her long-held dream of directly impacting children's lives by undertaking the AMI Montessori 3-6 Diploma. Embracing the Montessorian principles of mutual respect, trust, independence, and fostering a love for learning, Ana is dedicated to creating nurturing environments where children can thrive at their own pace.
Ana continues to champion the values of Montessori education, recognizing the profound impact it has on the holistic development of children and the creation of a more compassionate and equitable society.
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Anna, Children's House Guide
Anna comes from a small village in Austria, around an hour away from Vienna. She was always good at working with children and had no problem learning other languages. After finishing school, she decided to go to Spain as an Au Pair to learn Spanish and try living abroad. When she returned to Austria, she studied a degree in transcultural communication, translation and interpretation where she obtained a C2 certificate in English. She came back to Barcelona to work with children teaching them the German language and she realised that education was her true calling and passion in life but found that the traditional education is against her principles and so decided to do a Master’s degree in Montessori pedagogy for the age 0-6. After working as a Montessori teacher, she also discovered the Positive Discipline and other certifications to complete her pedagogical work.
Anna starts everyday with positive energy, as she enjoys her work and spending time with children. Anna loves to study and learn new things, and in her leisure time, she likes to dive, read and practice sports too.
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Camille, Children's House Guide
Camille was born in France and spent many years growing up in the French Alps, surrounded by beautiful nature. Thanks to her father's work, before she was eighteen, she had already discovered many countries and lived in the USA and England.
Knowing she would work with children, she studied psychology and Early Childhood Studies at Canterbury University, UK. In 2002, she certified as an AMI 3-6 Montessori Guide.
After four years teaching at the Bilingual Montessori School of Paris, her desire for discovering new cultures took her to Asia. She spent six years in Tokyo, working and learning a lot from a fabulous International Montessori School. Then, she was lucky to work in Thailand, Hong Kong and the Caribbean but her travelling bug finally brought her back to Europe.
Having spent many summers on the Costa Brava, she was delighted to find a Montessori position and fulfil an ancient dream of making Barcelona her home.
Two decades later, she is still amazed by the greatness of the pedagogy and in love with her job. During her free time, she volunteers in a growing patch for a food bank, paints on ceramic and enjoys outdoors sports.
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Cèlia, Catalan and Spanish Teacher
Cèlia was raised on the outskirts of Barcelona and spent all her summer vacations in the north of Spain with her family and relatives. Nowadays, she still goes to her "green and blue paradise" at least once a year.
After she graduated from Blanquerna Teacher Training School, she spent a year in the United States working as a Spanish teacher assistant. Soon after she came back, she started working as an English teacher in Pre-Primary and Primary in a Catalan school. For the last seven years, she has been part of a cooperative school where she worked as an English and Primary teacher and Primary Coordinator.
Since she started working at Barcelona Montessori School, she has become really interested in the Montessori methodology and she is eager to keep on learning about it from her colleagues and students.
When she is not enjoying nature or hiking, Cèlia loves spending time with her family and friends, reading, travelling, going to the cinema or doing yoga.
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Christiana, Primary Guide
Christiana grew up outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her mother is a retired upper elementary guide who taught at the Montessori school that Christiana attended from the infant community through lower elementary. Following her interests in the arts she attended Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia and graduated with a bachelors of fine arts degree in graphic design. Christiana moved to NYC for work but in her free time she volunteered at a homeless shelter in the Bronx and, inspired by the children she worked with there, became a classroom assistant at a NYC Montessori school. Her brief time there was enough to encourage her to complete her AMI children’s house training at Washington Montessori Institute (WMI) in Columbia Maryland along with obtaining her Masters of Education from Loyola University. She moved to Madrid, Spain after completing the course and worked as a children’s house guide for 3 years before being sponsored by her school to take the elementary training. She received her AMI elementary teaching certificate from the International Centre for Montessori Studies Foundation (CISM) in Bergamo, Italy and has been working as a Guide since then. She enjoys painting and drawing in her free time and often finds inspiration in her work with the children. The steps a child takes in learning, with multiple attempts, sensory and intellectual discovery as well as challenges and errors, are not too different from the steps an artist takes in order to develop, create and communicate their work.
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Diego, Physical Education and Spanish Teacher
Diego grew up in a small, friendly village in Barcelona. He was a very lively and energetic boy who entertained family and friends. From a very young age, he already had a clear passion for physical activity and sports, which led him to train as a Sports Technician.
He had the opportunity to study in Finland, where he perfected his knowledge of physical activity and got to know the Montessori methodology first-hand. It is for this reason that, at the end of his stay there, he returned to Spain to study and graduate in his vocation: teaching. When he finished his studies in Primary Education, he began to gain experience in teaching, where he became interested in the Montessori philosophy.
He likes to spend time with his family, his pets and enjoys sports in the company of his group of friends.
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Elodie, Chef
Elodie was born and raised in France in a small village between Nantes and Bordeaux. Since she was a child, she loved cooking with her mother and sister, especially typical French dishes with the vegetables her father grew. She also enjoyed inventing and creating new recipes.
After studying at a hospitality and catering school, she began working as a cook in a hospital for 14 years, where she was responsible for training the team in food safety, diets, and hygiene.
In 2019, she took advantage of her husband's job change to start a new life project with their two children, Manon and Léo, here in Barcelona. While learning the language, she developed a passion for pastry and created her own pastry page on social media to share her creations.
She has always wanted to work with children, and now she is happy to combine her passion for cooking in a school environment.
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Erika, Catalan and Spanish Teacher
Erika was born in Barcelona. She is the oldest among her siblings and cousins, so she spent a lot of time with the family playing with the younger ones. She has always spent her summers at a campsite in Blanes (Costa Brava) where everyone knows each other and there was a Miniclub; where there were lots of activities and games for everyone. If you didn't know where Erika was, she was there doing handicrafts, making necklaces, painting, helping the other younger children, or in the swimming pool. She is a great swimmer.
Over time, people around her noticed that Erika was very good at helping others, and they always said she would be a very good teacher of young children. So, when she grew up, she studied for a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education. She then decided to continue her academic training by studying Early Childhood Education at the University of Barcelona (UB).
During her formative years, she never stopped working. She worked as a nanny, in a school cafeteria, had a summer camp at the neighbourhood English academy and also provided classroom support for children with special needs.
Last summer she discovered Montessori working as a monitor at the Casal de Verano of the Montessori School in Barcelona. She finds it a very interesting pedagogy as an alternative to traditional education.
Although she is always busy with different activities, when she has a moment to herself, she loves to read, do handicrafts, relax on the beach and sleep.
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Estefanía, Primary Guide
Estefanía was born in Barcelona. She went to a strict and traditional school where all children were treated equally, with no interest in following their abilities or interests. Even if she was good at studying, she felt few subjects were difficult, and her self-esteem and self-confidence decreased as teachers used to teach ignoring children’s needs and emotional issues. Due to her own experience, she realised she might become someone who could change part of the educational system, and this is the main reason why when she finished school, she decided to study a degree in Pedagogy at the University of Barcelona.
Then, she moved to the UK to improve her English communication skills and started to work in different nurseries and schools. She learnt a variety of educational methodologies and worked with a diversity of professionals, when she became very interested in studying a masters in Educational Neuroscience at the University College of London – Birkbeck. There, learning about how children’s brains process information, she became more aware about how Maria Montessori created a child-centred educational approach based on scientific observations and how her evidences are still alive nowadays. She felt very curious about this approach so she decided to study her diploma in Montessori Education (3-6) while working in a Montessori Kindergarten in London. She also became amazed in how emotions have an impact in children’s development, and how learning to control them benefits their own educational process. This is why she learnt about mindfulness and became a Yoga Teacher for Kids.
After eight years living abroad, she came back to Barcelona and began working in this beautiful environment. She is now guiding children to be the best possible version of themselves. In her free time she enjoys going to the mountain, dancing and practising yoga.
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Estefanía, Cleaning Crew
Estefanía Alexandra was born in Quito (Ecuador) 28 years ago, she grew up in Badalona since she was six years old.
When she finished high school, she started volunteering at the Batlloria home for the disabled and in the Badalona volunteer group of the city council. She collaborated with the Badalona Food Bank in its collection and distribution. She supported various institutions in carrying out support activities, workshops and excursions for both the elderly and the disabled. She also worked as a babysitter for different families. She was also a volunteer at the summer camp of the Fundació Salut Alta.
She was eager to learn and discover what her profession was, and when the opportunity to work as a cleaner at Barcelona Montessori School presented itself, she accepted to join the cleaning team. Estefania, with her son at school and herself working as a school cleaner, feels like the happiest woman on earth.
She likes her job and the school environment has always been pleasant for her. She can learn from the teachers, whom she respects and admires. And being close to the children makes her happy. She feels fulfilled in her work, as a mother and in teaching her son values which she considers very important.
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Jasmin, Children's House Assistant
Jasmin was born in Rome, Italy and was raised in a multi-cultural household. She went to London to study a BA in 3D Animation and an MA in Visual Arts: Illustration.
After her studies, the opportunity of working in a Special Needs College supporting young adults emerged. It was then that Jasmin realised her true passion. She worked in the school for 3 years and obtained a Rebound Therapist qualification and a Level 3 Award in Education and Training to proceed in teaching Rebound Therapy classes to the students within the College. She then proceeded to move to Barcelona and get more experience in working with a younger age range within different schools. Jasmin is keen on gaining Montessori knowledge and experiencing a different approach to teaching and learning.
In her free time Jasmin enjoys to paint, travel, bake cakes, swim and take dancing lessons.
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Jasper, Primary Guide
Jasper was born in a small town in New Jersey, but his family soon moved to Portland, Oregon. Growing up in Oregon, he loved outdoor activities and spent much of his time on his mountain bike.
He moved to California to attend Loyola Marymount University, and soon after graduation, he began his teaching career. He has worked in education for eight years, starting as a Director of Physical Education at Rising Star Montessori in Alameda, CA. There he was exposed to the Montessori teaching philosophy and quickly fell in love with it.
After discovering his passion for inspiring joy in young learners, he decided to continue his studies in education. He received his California Teaching licence and Master's in Education from Mills College. Through his graduate studies, Jasper became interested in how to create equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.
After his graduate studies, he led a second-grade classroom in a public school in California, working with culturally and linguistically diverse students. There he worked with students and families whose first language was not English and learned about the importance of creating a welcoming and supportive classroom community. He later returned to the Montessori setting in his role as an upper elementary teacher in a small town in Oregon. With family in Barcelona, he decided it was time to move out of the United States and continue his teaching career here.
Jasper’s teaching philosophy is based in cultivating a joy for learning. He believes when students feel a sense of joy in their learning, they are more likely to be curious, creative, and lifelong learners. He strives to create a classroom environment where all students feel supported to explore their passions and realise their potential. He loves science, nature, and technology, and he and his wife spend much time cooking recipes from around the world.
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Jenna, Nido Guide
Jenna grew up surrounded by art raised in Brooklyn, NY by two artists. Early on she had a keen interest in psychology and was fortunate to be able to begin studying it in high school.
Throughout her upbringing and in college she developed a strong passion for analogue photography.
In 2009 she moved to Madrid and began to teach English in schools and privately. By 2011 she had decided she wanted to go back to school to study art therapy. Art therapy was a perfect way to bridge her two interests of art and psychology. Upon completing her Masters degree in art therapy from Pompeu Fabra University she furthered her studies and got a masters degree from the University of Barcelona in clinical psychoanalysis and psychopathology. With such an importance placed on early childhood development in her previous studies she decided to pursue a certificate degree to be a Montessori guide for 0-3 years from the International Montessori Institute.
She had always been quite interested in the Montessori methodology and developed a project of art therapy in Montessori schools because of the similarities in their respective philosophies.
She started working in nursery schools in Barcelona as a guide along side organising groups of art therapy for children. She loves to observe the development process in young children and learn about human nature. Using her creativity abilities she is enthusiastic to contributing to the children’s emotional growth.
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Julia, Children's House & Primary Art Specialist
Julia was born in a tiny city on the Polish/German border, and hour away from Berlin. When she turned eleven her parents decided to move to England and start their life in a foreign country, taking her with them. She then attended high school where she decided she wanted to go to University and study degree in Arts.
Completing her foundation diploma in Art and Design in a school near Leeds. She was offered a place at Manchester School of Arts to study Illustration and Animation.
After completing her Bachelor’s degree she had several solo exhibitions in Manchester, had her own studio space where she worked on her paintings, but one day decided she wanted to try her luck learning a third language and moving overseas. So she did just that.
She believes that art should unite, connect and most importantly give confidence and guide people. She moved to Madrid and started her adventure as a Montessori assistant in a school right here in the center of the Iberian peninsula. Along with being the luckiest person in the world doing what she enjoys she also gets to run her own art workshops and currently is working on a street art POP-up community project.
She enjoys all types of creativity and believes that art and languages go hand in hand with each other. She is very passionate about writing, pottery, photography, and most importantly utilising our hands and getting messy and creative, and kids are the best example to do just that with. She enjoys teaching as well as learning and has recently qualified as an Art Teacher for Secondary school students.
Julia is a strong believer in arts as therapy.
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Katie, Infant Community Assistant
Katie is from Ireland. Growing up she loved playing sports and being outdoors, exploring and using her imagination. Katie studied Social Science in Ireland. After she graduated she went to Thailand in October 2019 to teach English. Katie fell in love with teaching and working with children. When she returned to Ireland in 2020, she began working in social care where she truly found her passion in helping others through teaching them independent skills to help them daily.
Katie moved to Spain and is interested in the Montessori Method and is excited to begin studying Early Childhood Education further in a new country.
In her free time, Katie enjoys reading and traveling to see new places all over the world.
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Loida, Chef
Loida was born in Barcelona in 1992. She has always loved travelling to the highest mountains and discovering new places.
When she was a child and stayed with her grandparents, she used to watch the cooking channel with her grandmother. She was one of those children who, instead of watching the cartoons on Club Super 3, preferred to watch Arguiñano's programmes on 1 every afternoon.
When she graduated from high school she decided to start a nursing degree at the UIC, as she always wanted to take care of others and help them physically and psychologically. After the first year, she decided to make an abrupt change in her studies and began to study what she had always loved since she was a little girl, cooking.
In 2011 she signed up for a higher degree in kitchen and dining room management at the Escuela Superior de Hosteleria de Barcelona (ESHOB).
She graduated in 2015 and since then she has cooked for the most important critics she has always considered, the children and her daughters, Avril and Emma.
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Marina, Music Teacher
With a degree in Communication Sciences from Ramon Llull University, Marina began to play the piano at the age of 6, dances salsa, plays the guitar and the ukulele in a self-taught way, sings and is currently a Music Together teacher and promoter of her own project Rockin’ Moon, both inspired by Montessori's method. She lived in Bristol (ENG) and Dublin (IRL) before returning to her hometown, Barcelona, where she began teaching English in different academies for children; and where she also realized that music is vital in teaching.
She just finished her Higher Technical studies in Early Childhood Education to be able to work on what she likes the most: making music with children.
Her classes are full of sensitivity, vitality and lots of rhythm!
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Marion, Infant Community Guide
Mariona was born in Barcelona, a city that she adores. After studying Journalism and Humanities for her undergraduate degree at UIC University, she moved to London to obtain a Masters in Arts and Aesthetics at Birkbeck University. Upon completing her diploma, she started working as a teacher in
London, which is when she discovered the Montessori methodology. Its philosophy had such an impact on her that she decided to study it in depth and she graduated as a Montessori Guide from the Montessori Centre International (MCI) two years later. After remaining in London for seven years, she missed her family and friends and decided to return to Barcelona. She then trained in Secondary Education and also worked in an international school as an Art teacher developing a methodology called SpeakArt. This methodology connects visual thinking strategies, communication and art. More recently she has returned to preschool education and has been working as a Montessori Guide in Barcelona. She believes strongly in holistic education, loves to learn about and apply new ways to connect with children, including using mindfulness or meditation practices. In her spare time she enjoys being with her family, reading, or practicing yoga.
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Molly, Children's House Assistant
Molly was born in the South of England and later grew up in the Irish countryside with pet chickens, donkeys and many more animals. While she was a teenager her love for children developed and after she finished secondary school she went Au-paring in Italy and then later in Germany. Through this worthwhile experience she decided her calling was working with children and researched courses in her home city. She loved the idea of children becoming their own learners and decided to study a Bachelor of Arts in Montessori Education.
After graduating she traveled to Asia working in schools whilst gaining insightful knowledge in all types of educational methodology. After a while she decided to return to Europe and settled in Barcelona. Whilst living in this beautiful city she has had the opportunity to work as a Montessori assistant with Barcelona Montessori school’s previous and current projects and teaching in other non-traditional schools.
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Monica, Cleaning Crew
Monica was born in Quito-Ecuador but has been living in her beloved Barcelona for more than half her life. Barcelona, where she plans to stay until she gets old.
As a child, she loved to play football and marbles with her two brothers, but she also liked playing kitchen and washing her dolls' clothes.
Since she was a child she has always liked tidiness and cleanliness.
Nowadays she enjoys going to the gym and above all she loves travelling.
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Natalia, Infant Community Assistant
Natalia was born in San Sebastián. She went to Madrid to study to become a teacher but after three years she got an opportunity to work and travel all around the world so she has been 8 years working in different countries such as Italy, Germany, France, Mexico, Colombia, Greece, Israel, Turkey, Switzerland or Austria. Finally, she decided to go back to her country, Spain, specifically to Barcelona where she resumed her studies. During 2021-2022 she has been working in an active methodology school and she is so happy to be part of this project in Barcelona Montessori School.
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Natàlia, Support Assistant
Natalia was born in Barcelona. From a very young age, she was clear that her dream job was to be a teacher in Early Childhood Education because she loved spending time with the youngest members of her family. For this reason, she decided to start her university degree in Early Childhood Education at Blanquerna, Ramon Llull University, combining her studies with babysitting jobs. She has always been close and attentive to children, fostering the love and trust they deserve.
Natalia had heard about Montessori pedagogy since she began her classes, and she found it very interesting. A few months ago, she joined the BMS team as an assistant in the afternoons in the Children's Community and as a monitor in the school's Summer Camp.
Currently, she is close to completing her university studies.
In her free time, she enjoys travelling and discovering new places all over the world, reading books, researching Early Childhood Education in all its aspects, and listening to music.
Natalia is a proponent of how passion, academic training, practical experience, and a commitment to continuous learning can come together to become a teacher in Early Childhood Education.
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Natalie, 6 to 12 Support Teacher
Natalie was born in England, in Nottingham, the city of Robin Hood.
Since she was little, she has always loved animals and loved being outdoors, walking in the countryside. When she was growing up, her mum was a preschool teacher and from being very young, she loved going to help her look after the little children. She always knew She wanted to work with children and was extremely motivated to go to University to train to be a teacher. Since qualifying with a BEd in Education Studies and a primary
PGCE, she has been working as a primary school teacher. She has four years of British teaching experience but was always very keen to travel and teach abroad. After five years of teaching in international schools in Barcelona, one of which involved her working in a Montessori-based farm school, she realised that she wanted to change the way in which she taught and educated children and started to explore different pedagogical methods. When discovering the Montessori methodology, she realised how much the pedagogy motivated her and she felt very excited to train as a Montessori guide. As a result, she is now studying the Montessori methodology and she is very excited to start working as a Montessori guide.
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Nathalie, Children's House Guide
Nathalie was born and grew up in southern Spain and is of Irish/French origin. She has been living in Barcelona intermittently for the past 20 years.
Originally a history BA graduate, she became a photographer to tell stories visually. As a freelance photographer, she has worked mainly in the fields of performing arts, stop motion, and architecture.
After touring many parts of the world with a self-constructed micro-cinema and creating performances in situ using the public space, she settled in Barcelona.
Having observed the qualities of people who work with movement in dance and realising how much the body-mind connection was lacking in the traditional schools, she got interested in finding pedagogies that included movement and hands-on learning. For the past 3 years, after experiencing the method with her own children, she has been training as a Montessori guide and giving art workshops with this approach to children.
Her other passions include; cooking, permaculture and volunteer work in endangered animal rescue centres.
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Paulina, Primary Guide
Paulina grew up in Mexico and, as a teenager, moved to the U.K. with her parents. She obtained her GCSEs and A-Levels in York, Yorkshire, England. She attended a bilingual (English-Spanish) Montessori elementary school as a child, which inspired her love for Montessori education. Paulina has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Diego State University in California, an AMI 3-6 diploma from The Montessori Institute of San Diego, and an AMI 6-12 diploma from Montessori College Dublin in Ireland. She is currently working part-time towards an M.Ed. at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. With over 12 years of Montessori teaching experience, Paulina has taught children aged 2.5 through 12 in authentic Montessori environments worldwide, especially in Europe. She has a passion for languages, speaking English, Spanish, and French fluently, and has a working knowledge of German. Paulina is the proud mother of a young daughter. In her free time, she enjoys reading, travelling, and taking classical ballet lessons, a passion she shares with her daughter.
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Romina, Nido Guide
Romina was born and raised in Chile, but at the age of 19 she decided to follow her dreams and moved to Barcelona to train as an actress, she studied 4 years at the Institut del Teatre where she obtained the Superior Degree in Dramatic Art. She has always been passionate about children, what led her to be part of children's theater companies.
In December 2013 she decided to take an adventure and change of scenery. She lived for 2 years in New Zealand, where she worked taking care of children of different ages and learned the importance of contact with nature at an early age. In 2015 she returned to Barcelona and worked in different areas dedicated to art.
The Montessori world appeared in her life, with the arrival of her first child, she felt a huge need to train and learn other types of teaching, while raising her son, she trained as a Montessori Guide 0-3 years, right after finishing her studies, she began working in a Montessori school where she met the Positive Discipline, which led her to take several courses and become passionate about respect for the emotions of children and how the adult must be involved in it in a respectful and kind way.
She is currently training as a Doula, another great passion that is closely linked to parenting and that brings a lot to her work with families and children.
Romina firmly believes that our attention as adults should be focused on children, because they are the future of society and it is in our hands to devote all the attention they deserve. "Who loves a child, sows love for the future" Enrique Blay.
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Valentina, Infant Community Guide
Valentina was born in Venezuela, but grew up in Uruguay. From the age of 6 her family lived in the United States. Her upbringing in a multicultural environment forged her character and personality and guided her towards the study of the human being. After finishing her studies in Psychology, she moved to Barcelona with the illusion of continuing her education and to grow personally. She began specialising in Autism. This training gave her the ability to sharpen her vision of childhood and to respect the uniqueness of each individual. Then life led her to enter into the world of Child Psychomotricity. There she discovered another way of approaching the child, the expressions of it’s inner world, their experiences and desires, all through the body and movement. Her belief that a different kind of education and accompaniment is possible, awakened in her the interest of connecting with children from a more educational approach. As a result of her experience working in an alternative day care centre, she became acquainted with the Montessori method.
She has been dazzled by its methodology and the respect given to the child.
For this reason she decided to train as a Montessori Assistant for children from 0 to 6 years old and later on continued her studies as a Montessori Guide for 0 - 3. She is trained in Montessori pedagogy, as well as in emotional education and Yoga.
It is for her a way of accompanying children that is in tune with her way of being, which is based on love, calm and respect.
Curious by nature, she wants to take all these learnings with her to the present day, walking with the children and learning from them.
Life at BMS
At Barcelona Montessori School we follow the Montessori Curriculum and learn the objectives outlined by the British National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage. We are first and above all a Montessori school. The English language unites our community of more than 40 different nationalities. Communication in class follows the principle of naturality and we appreciate the richness that other languages and cultures bring to our understanding of the world.
Barcelona Montessori School is a micro-society. The school is a safe space for students to develop an understanding of their and others’ emotions and behaviours in an increasingly complex social context. Adaptability is a critical skill that students need in order to grow into capable young people, able to navigate real-world situations successfully. By experiencing life’s challenges in a safe environment, students develop the emotional muscle to be ready to navigate life.
“We can’t prepare them for everything, but we can prepare them for anything.”
Michael Waski
The Montessori Method
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Nido, meaning nest in Italian is a space designed to be a secure and nurturing space for babies and young toddlers until 12 months of age.
The design of the Nido space offers our youngest students opportunities for exploration, sensory experiences, and the development of motor skills. The environment is created to be safe, inviting, and conducive to the child's learning and self-discovery.
An ordered and safe space allows for freedom of movement and exploration. The watchful eye of responsive caregiver ensures that children feel safe and secure to explore their second home. Our Nido is opening soon, find out more here.
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The Infant Community space builds upon the foundation established in the Nido. It caters to the emerging capabilities and increasing independence of toddlers.
The focus expands to include language development, coordination, independence, social interaction, and the refinement of fine motor skills. Child size furniture and more complex activities encourage children from 18 months to 3 years old to develop their independence and social skills.
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A Montessori Children’s House is designed to cater for the needs of children from 3 - 6 years old.
The Children's House continues to provide an environment that allows children to select their own activities, work at their own pace, and take responsibility for their learning. Materials are designed to be self-correcting, enabling children to learn through exploration and discovery.
While children have the freedom to choose their activities, there are also guidelines and boundaries to ensure respect for others, the environment, and the materials. This freedom within limits helps children develop self-discipline, concentration, and a sense of responsibility.
Practical life activities are an integral part of the Children's House curriculum. These activities, such as pouring, buttoning, or sweeping, develop fine motor skills, coordination, and independence in daily life tasks and create a sense of belonging, empathy, and respect for oneself, others, and the world around them.
Grace and courtesy lessons also directly teach social skills which are so fundamental to a child’s emotional development.
These characteristics create an environment in which children can develop a love for learning, critical thinking skills, independence, and a positive self-image, laying a strong foundation for their ongoing educational journey.
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As children reach the age of six, a true social awakening takes place and children want to learn more about the wider world around them and their place within society. Montessori Primary programs often emphasise "Cosmic Education," which provides a holistic view of the interconnectedness of the universe and humanity's place within it.
This approach encourages children to explore diverse subjects, such as history, geography, biology, and the sciences, to develop an understanding of the world and their role in it.
Whilst children can work at their own pace, the presentations and activities that students complete tend to be in small groups.
Children are encouraged to take ownership of their learning, manage their time, and set goals. They also engage in practical life activities that promote responsibility and independence.
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Barcelona Montessori School is opening a Secondary School Program in September 2025.
Barcelona Montessori School is authorised by the Catalan Department of Education after inspection by NABSS and certification by the British Council. Additionally, we have been a verified school by the American Montessori Society Association.
Read our latest full report here.
Inspection & Accreditation
“Pupils generally show outstanding independent learning skills in relation to their age.”
“The school provides an attractive learning environment for the children.”
“The school offers a broad curriculum which meets the needs of its pupils and very successfully follows the Montessori system.”
“They have a strong sense of being part of a community and the school has developed this effectively by ensuring that they participate in many of the daily tasks that are necessary to keep everything organised and tidy.”
Location
Barcelona Montessori School is located in the neighbourhood of Sarria. The school is easily accessed from the centre of Barcelona and Sant Cugat by metro and FCG . The school has a bus service for students at the start and end of the day.
Carrer Pomaret, 25 opened in September 2022. The building is one of the oldest Masia’s in Sarria, whose many hectares once were used to farm wheat and olive groves. The remaining building and land now house a dedicated space for our Early Years Pre-School for children up to the age of 6 years old. There are two Infant Communities for 12 children and two Children’s Houses for between 24 and 35 students. The school has 1900 square meters of installations and 5000 square meters of outdoor space. This space will eventually house our Secondary environments.
Carrer Esperança 13, opened in September 2020 and now houses our Primary classrooms for children from age 6 - 12 years old. The school has 3 Primary classrooms for between 24 and 35 students. Two classes are dedicated to students from 6 - 9 years of age and one for 9 - 12 years of age. The school has a dedicated art and music room as well as a library. The space has 1100 square meters of indoor space and 1000 square meters of outdoor space. Our new Nido space is a quite haven for children before they join our Infant Community on the Pomaret site.