Kimmage Montessori provides an excellent childcare service. The expertise offered by the highly qualified staff is second to none. My child was developed in all areas and at a pace that suited him which allowed his confidence to grow.

The relaxed atmosphere and small teacher – child ratio ensured that my child had all of his needs met with lots of time to play and enjoy the warm, bright surroundings of the class rooms. My son will leave this early childhood setting with a strong foundation to build upon in primary school. A truly wondrous place for all who are fortunate enough to be part of Kimmage Montessori. 

Alison Delaney

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Philomena and her staff for their dedication, kindness and professionalism. My daughter was with them for 2 years and thrived under their guidance and care. When my twin boys were born (a few years later) we were no longer living in the locality but there was no question that the boys would be going there even though it meant driving down from Firhouse twice a day for two years. The quality of care and the nurturing environment were exceptional. 

Each of my children’s individual strengths were harnessed and encouraged. My children got a thorough grounding in not just academic subjects, but also fine and gross motor skills, social
skills and emotional intelligence/development in a calm, fun, safe and caring setting that allowed them to springboard forward with ease and confidence to Primary School.

Carmel Ward

My eldest daughter joined Kimmage Montessori in Sept 2004. I am now sending my 5th child there. Words could never fully describe the love and care understanding and attention they have received there. I can honestly say that They have skipped in every morning and I have never had a moments concern for them.

The place is an oasis of calm yet full of fun and learning. It is welcoming and bright and the kids are stimulated and encouraged everyday to reach their own potential. My children have thrived in Phils. We are so lucky to have found it for our family

Niamh and Brendan Kelly
(parents of Orlaith, Eoghan, Eimear, Aoibhe and Luke)

Thank you so much for looking after Jamie so well this year and for catering for his every need. He had a blast and will miss you all so very much. I honestly could mot speak highly enough of the fantastic job you have done.

Joanne & Ger – Parents of Jamie

It’s hard to put into words how fabulous Phil and her team are! It’s strange to call it a Montessori when you actually fell more like your dropping your child off with family. The atmosphere is just so relaxed and loving I would have liked to spend my day there too! One of my boys spent a year with Martina, one of the kindest, gentlest ladies I’ve ever met. He loved going in every morning and thrived in her company.

My youngest started the following year and of course being my baby I would have struggled to let him go but knowing he was spending his morning’s with Phil and Maria are not just amazing teachers but amazing people as well.

I just can’t recommend them enough, it was heartbreaking leaving them. The best thing I ever did was find this charming, fabulous place to share my children with. It’s with all my heart I thank Phil, Maria, Martina and girls for everything.

Sharon Egan – Mum of Caleb and Adam

Thank you so much for a wonderful 2 years at your fabulous preschool. I really can’t thank you enough for the amazing care, teaching, love, and understanding that you offer all the children – and of course especially Tadhg.

He has loved being there with all of you. You have created such a lovely place of learning with all the other lovely, thoughtful and fun teachers. Tadhg has benefitted in countless ways as has out whole family.

We have learned so much from you, Martina, Maria and Juanita.

There is so much harshness out there in other schools it was a blessing for us to find your brilliant approach to caring for, and teaching children. It has been great for us to see Tadhg flourish in your preschool. It means so much to know you’re putting your child somewhere they feel happy, contented and understood, as Tadgh has done.

Thank you, Thank you!

Sarah, Kevin and Tadhg

It may sound strange, but the first time I walked in to collect my daughter from ‘school’, and wasn’t immediately greeted cheerily by an adult, I knew I had found a special place for Hazel. Phil and her small team’s undivided attention is always where it really should be – on the children. They come first – each and every one of them.

Hazel spent 2 years in Kimmage Montessori and enjoyed every moment of it. The process of fostering a love of learning was begun. She skipped in every morning and was full of news of all they had done when I collected her. She learned how to be a friend and enjoyed lovely friendships. She was nurtured, encouraged, supported and challenged. She gained confidence daily. I am so glad she has had such a lovely start.

Sarah Devlin – Mum of Hazel

Prior to selecting Kimmage Montessori for Ailbhe, our first born, we had visited a number of play schools, creches and other Montessori’s in our area, and were not fully confident in any of them: they were too packed, noisy and cramped. I couldn’t imagine spending the day there, I’d be agitated within an hour. But from the very first time we met Phil we were impressed with her passion for the Montessori system and her delightful Montessori.

On entering Phil’s Montessori, you step into a colourful home away from home. Immediately I was struck by this sincerely welcoming, spacious, uncluttered place of learning set in an abundance of natural light. Each spacious classroom leads out to a large, safe, enclosed garden. This stress free, small, intimate environment ensured that my daughter was always relaxed and happy and ready to learn.

Phil embodies Marie Montessori’s philosophy. Her faithfulness to Maria’s vision, filters down to each teacher and their through to their class plans. Respect for each child and their unique stage of learning is evident in every class. The teachers are passionate, highly qualified professionals who relished creating structured, supportive, stimulating and social classes for their students. Ailbhe would amaze us at home with stories of how the universe was formed and the workings of the human body, regaling us proudly with near verbatim tales of what she had learnt that day at Phil’s.

Her teachers’ love of imparting knowledge and lighting the spark of curiosity ensured classes were rich places of learning and brought Ailbhe happily into the world of learning and knowledge. It astounded me how she had absorbed these concepts with apparent ease. Now I gladly see how these concepts have formed further questions in her mind and a desire to know more without the fear of knowledge being somehow unattainable and difficult. This self belief can be attributed to her time at Phil’s, thank you.

Phil’s consistently gentle and patient spirit and warm open nature prompted our daughter to feel confident and to find her social voice, as she happily made those first tentative steps towards initiating friendships.

Marie, a linguist, taught them French at no extra cost, on Monday afternoons for the duration of the year. Thank you for your altruistic act of teaching our children French. Her use of puppetry, friendship and props totally hooked her audience. Kimmage Montessori is taking the lead here teaching French to preschoolers, and should be commended for it. It is such a pity that the Department of Education and Science will not follow their lead until 8 years later, when it is ‘introduced’ to them at second level.

This team of consummate professionals, sculpted the ground on which Ailbhe now purposefully and confidently walks towards her next place of learning. Ailbhe has unconsciously realised that the world of learning offers many fun, creative and stimulating challenges that should be relished and embraced and not feared. Ailbhe leaves Montessori with the confidence that she can learn, with the knowledge that she loves learning and with the surety that she can make friends in the world outside of the home and that it can be a loving, supportive and encouraging place.

It is with a sad heart that we leave Phil’s for the last time today, it was such a happy home away from home for my daughter Ailbhe, she entered a wee thing with pig tails in her hair unsure of where to put her coat or how to talk to the other kiddies, she leaves now skipping and looking forward to her time in her new school. Now I must wait and look forward to the day when I hold my second daughter, Eibhlin’s hand and walk down Devenish road once again to drop my daughter off at Phil’s knowing that she will flourish there. I unreservedly recommend Kimmage Montessori – a place that nurtures friendship, creativity and curiosity. Thank you Phil and your team of passionate professionals.

Siobhan Reynolds – Ailbhe’s mum