Prince George effect packs out Montessoris

INTEREST in Montessori nurseries has been boosted by the “Prince George effect”, with parents keen on signing up their children to the same education as the future king.

The Maria Montessori Institute in London, which runs a teacher training centre and several schools, said it had been inundated with calls since the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge signed up two-year-old George to the Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk.

Louise Livingston, director of training at the Maria Montessori Institute, said: “When it was announced, our phones were ringing off the hook with people asking whether we had space in our nurseries.”

Stephen Tommis, chief executive of the Montessori St Nicholas charity, said the George effect – when whatever the prince wears or uses becomes an instant hit – had led to more curiosity over the Montessori approach.

“Many people have heard of Montessori but they don’t know what it means and they’re thinking ‘if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen a Montessori nursery, they have for a good reason’,” he said.

Montessori is an educational system which focuses on a child-centred learning approach. There are around 700 Montessori nurseries in the UK.

Painted equipment in children’s playgrounds contains dangerous levels of lead, scientists have discovered. Researchers from Plymouth University analysed climbing frames, swings, roundabouts and slides at 50 play parks in the south of England. Paint used in such items is supposed to have 2,500 lead parts per million, but researchers found levels of up to 152,000 parts, raising lead poisoning fears.