★★★★★Taryn Camden-Smith· 6 months ago

After visiting many schools, we chose Hatfield Montessori Preschool and we have been happy with our decision for 10 months now. What stood out immediately was: The deep respect shown to children. There are no timeouts or “naughty chairs”. Instead, the focus is on conflict resolution and respectful conversations. The environment and exposure to nature is a child’s dream: real grass to run on, trees to climb, a mud kitchen to explore, and organic farming. Outdoor time isn’t just a token hour (or less like other schools)- it’s a meaningful part of every day. Art is authentic and expressive- each child’s art is unique and that is beautiful to see! Animals are part of the classroom experience too, with a class dog and fish, and guinea pigs outside. The children help care for these animals and it’s a beautiful way to teach empathy and responsibility. We love the weekly themes and daily story time, supported by an enormous library with countless classic storybooks. Meals are healthy and cooked fresh everyday. There are precious school traditions like making lemon cordial, mulberry jam, raising silkworms, and visiting the ducks/going to the park. Parents are actively involved and some parents do weekly ballet and origami. Our child, who is slow-to-warm, has settled beautifully and now goes to school happily. We are grateful to have found this precious school.

★★★★★Annette Chingandu· 4 years ago

There are times when one gets overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude and the blessing of being part of a community. On more occasions than I can count this has been me. When caught in meetings that can’t be rescheduled or those that have run over time such that I am unable to make the school run, I have reached out to the HMP community and one or other parent and in some instances a teacher has stepped in to help me get my little person safely home. Hatfield Montessori is not just a school, it is also a community. Despite the limited interaction allowed to us in these mask wearing times, we have been able to get to know each other and have enjoyed a few school outings…hiking was a big hit for all. If you are looking for an environment where your child’s natural curiosity will be natured and where they will be encouraged to develop holistically this is definitely the school for you. My little person has grown in leaps and bounds since joining the school, she is curious about nature, tells me about how biomimicry is used in things we use or eat, tells me about places in world she would like to visit and even explained Picaso’s painting style to me. The school does not only focus on building an academic foundation but on all round growth and development. The usual foundational learnings on numeracy, letter recognition are spiced up with morning stretches, dance ,music, sports, gardening, caring for the resident pets and yoga. And, let me not forget the school lunches, apparently no one makes rice and lentils as well as Teacher Kate. The fact that I don’t have to stress about packing snacks or lunch helps ease the morning rush. We have enjoyed being part of the Hatfield Montessori Preschool community and will miss it when we transition to big school.

★★★★★Kiki Ash· 4 years ago

Hatfield Montessori Preschool is our daughter's home away from home. The school is in a secure area close to the University of Pretoria and many embassies in Hatfield. The staff are exceptionally friendly and all of them truly care for the children deeply. I am a huge fan of the Montessori ethos of being child-led and HMPS follows this closely. The school offers delicious, primarily vegetarian, meals that my daughter loves. They have pets (a hamster & a fish) that the children help take care of as well as lovely garden that the children tend to. They offer soccer starz classes, yoga, art & music classes and a wide array of activities for the children to partake in. Parents never feel left out and we are invited to events every term. The staff communicate exceptionally well by phone, email and through a communication book. I love this school and would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone with a child between the ages of 3 - 6. Thank you to all of the HMPS family!

★★★★★Sally Gandar· 2 years ago

Community, thoughtfulness, and love - the best place to send your child to preschool in Pretoria! We moved to Pretoria a few mo the before our little one was about to turn two. It was quite daunting - new city, new job, and no knowledge of the local schools. A friend recommended Hatfield Montessori Primary to us, she’s a past student from the 80s. We had visited over five schools trying to choose the right one. HMP was, and remains the most wonderful fit for our child and us. There is great care taken in each decision, love for each child. Watching our child thrive at HMP has been so affirming. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the school ❤️

★★★★★Kashmiri Sivapersad· 5 years ago

How do I explain what a remarkable school Hatfield Montessori is..I thought a fitting way to do so would be a few “reviews” from my 2 kids that actually go there, 1. The first thing my daughter says when she wakes up on a Saturday morning, my sunflower plant grew at school..beaming smile on her face. 2. Hannelie teaches us all about bugs says my son and daughter proudly. 3. Kate cooks us delicious food at school. Hatfield Montessori is a special little world that my kids have fallen in love with. They are developing in such an extraordinary way and this school has a huge part to play in this. The teachers and staff are always friendly, ever ready to listen if there are concerns and display such kindness and caring to my little ones. This is a really special school with very special people at the heart of it!!!