Josiah Montessori is a bilingual preschool in Suntec City, on Temasek Boulevard, and it has been in Singapore since 1997. What sets it apart is that it runs two methods side by side: Montessori in the mornings, and a music, art and performance programme called MAP through the week. Children are looked after from two months old up to the Primary Years, with separate rooms for infants, toddlers, nursery and kindergarten.
Montessori work is built on real apparatus and a set routine, and the school teaches Josiah Phonics for reading in English, with Mandarin literacy as well. MAP covers vocal training, dance, art appreciation, classical music appreciation and Chinese speech and drama, and kindergarten children perform on stage at term showcases and at graduation. The website describes a typical kindergarten morning, starting with arrival at 7am and a family-style breakfast, and says a 45-minute tour can be booked.
Parents say the infant and toddler teachers make a real difference. One family enrolled a daughter in infant care at 13 months and was still there at the toddler stage. Another says the school was a second home for six years. Reviews praise the effort of the teachers and the way children build confidence. Our pick in Tanjong Pagar for a child who will grow from infant care through to kindergarten under one roof.