•  
  MSA
   
•  
  Accreditation
   
  • MEAB Vision, Mission and Values
  • Benefits of MEAB accreditation
  • Accreditation process
    • Eligibility Criteria
    • Step by Step Guide
    • How to Prepare for Accreditation
    • International Accreditation Process
    • Re-accreditation Process
    • FAQs
    • Testimonials
    • MEAB Accreditation Handbook
  • Documents & Guidance
  • History of MEAB
  • Who's who
  • Assessors
  • Recruitment
  • MEAB News
  • Accredited MSA Schools
  • Accreditation reports
  • Press Release
•  
  Find a School
   
•  
  Primary Montessori
   

The How to Prepare for Accreditation page gives full details of what to do and think about. Read this along with the Step by Step Accreditation process page.

What forms do I need to complete? 

There are only two forms that schools must fill in:

The Expression of Interest and the Schools Form (S1), which you should complete in your own timescale, with your team and so begin the process of successful self-evaluation.

There is also an S2 form which details the documents that the assessor will need to see when visiting.

All of these forms are available on the Documents and Guidance page.

The current fee is £190; this is a contribution to the cost of the process.

The shortfall is funded by MEAB, which is supported by the Montessori St Nicholas charity as part of its aim to ensure that all schools using the Montessori name offer high quality education and care to children.

Who do I contact?

For general queries about the process contact Philip Davies (MEAB Administrator) by email admin@meab.co.uk or by phone on 0207 493 8300.

For specific queries regarding preparation of documents and Montessori practice contact Michele Dows-Miller (Deputy Accreditation Officer) on michele@montessori.co.uk

Who will visit our setting? 

You will be assigned an assessor (two assessors for large schools), who will visit your setting twice.

MEAB assessors are highly skilled and experienced Montessori practitioners, many of whom have run their own schools. They are selected for their interpersonal skills and ability to perceive the 'bigger picture'.

The majority of assessors have undertaken training with the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (the independent national body that trains right across the education sector).

Is it like an Ofsted Inspection? 

No.

The assessment process, visits and reports are not designed to imitate Ofsted inspections. The accreditation visits look at how a setting delivers the Montessori principles and should be read alongside a setting's Ofsted report, which looks at the statutory compliance involved in running a school.

Relevant national regulations should be considered for schools operating outside England.

These reports are available on the related websites, while you can access the MEAB reports through this site.

How long does the process take? 

This depends on a number of factors, such as how long it takes you to submit the Schools Form (S1), how long the timescale is between the assessor's visits and when your report is presented to the Report Monitoring Group (RMG) and to the Montessori Evaluation and Accreditation Board (MEAB).

Please refer to the Step by Step Accreditation process page for more details.

What if my school is not in the U.K.? 

The first step is for you to join the MSA in order to be eligible.

You will need to complete the International Expression of Interest form and contact Philip Davies (MEAB Administrator) by email admin@meab.co.uk

Will I receive a grade? 

No. The accreditation process is about on-going improvement. You will be given recommendations and an action plan to help you work towards these. Some of the recommendations will be achievable for your setting in the short term, others may be longer term goals.

• Electronic and paper copies of your report, which will also be included on this website, linked to your school's entry on the MSA database
  
• A MEAB accreditation plaque inscribed with your setting's name and the duration of the accreditation valid period
  
• The opportunity to market your school as a genuine Montessori setting and to include the MEAB logo on your publicity materials and your website
  
• You will be given cards/publicity to give to prospective parents, explaining the process that you have been through
  
• Additional benefits such as supplier discounts and national conference for leaders of MEAB accredited schools
  
• The most important benefit will be the sense of having your genuine Montessori practice recognized. This will give your nursery, day care or school the opportunity to belong to a group of settings committed to the continued delivery of high quality Montessori education.

If you have not been able to find the information that you need on these pages, please contact: admin@meab.co.uk or michele@montessori.org.uk