Enrolment

Enrolment at Stoney Creek Montessori

Stoney Creek Montessori is a small, high-fidelity Montessori school. Enrolling your child with us is a meaningful commitment, both to the Montessori pedagogy and to our community. This page walks you through the process from waiting list to first day.

Joining the waiting list

All families begin with our waiting list. There is no fee to register your child, and we welcome enquiries over email at any time. Full details of how the list works, how spaces are allocated, and how we communicate with families are on our Waiting List page.

Tours

Once a family reaches the top 10 to 15 places on our waiting list, we invite them to visit the school for a tour. Children must attend alongside their parents: a tour is as much an opportunity for us to meet your child as it is for you to see the school. Only after a tour has taken place will we offer your child a spot when one becomes available.

Confirming your child’s place

Once a space is offered and accepted, our enrolment process is almost entirely electronic. You will receive:

  • an online enrolment form, including all required consent forms;
  • a pre-authorised debit form for monthly tuition;
  • an initial invoice for a two-month tuition deposit.

The deposit is non-refundable and is held as credit against your child’s final two months at the school. Your child’s place is confirmed once all three items are completed and returned. Families who require repeated reminders may have the offer withdrawn and passed to the next family on the waiting list.

Tuition and fees

Meals and snacks are included in tuition. The monthly base fee does not fluctuate through the year: holidays, professional development days, and pre-planned closures are already accounted for in the annual fee, which is then divided into twelve equal payments.

Current fees and any applicable non-base charges are published on our Fees page. Stoney Creek Montessori is part of the CWELCC program.

Payment

Pre-authorised debit is the only accepted method of payment for monthly tuition. Fees are debited on the 28th of each month for the following month, or on the next business day if the 28th falls on a weekend or holiday. Invoices are emailed automatically on the 20th of each month, and any queries should reach the office by the 25th.

Declined payments incur a fee, and repeated declined payments or extended arrears may result in the tuition deposit being applied and the child being unenrolled.

Early drop-off and late pick-up

Our core hours are 8.30 am to 4.15 pm. A limited number of families each year can arrange earlier drop-off (from 7.45 am) or later pick-up (until 5.00 pm) on an as-needed basis, subject to staffing. Each use is charged as a non-base fee. Families interested in this option should mention it to the administrators during enrolment.

Year-round enrolment

Enrolment at Stoney Creek Montessori runs continuously across the calendar year, including July and August. Our summer programme is available only to children who are enrolled for the following September; it is not offered as a stand-alone summer option.

Confirming enrolment for the next school year

Each February, families of currently enrolled children are asked to confirm their child’s place for the coming September by completing a Notice of Intent form by the stated deadline. Without this confirmation, a child’s place is not guaranteed, even for existing students.

Settling in

We believe children benefit from a gradual introduction to school life. Every child’s first week is structured to build comfort and confidence, beginning with partial days and lengthening progressively. Parents should plan to be available for early pick-ups during this first week.

Our staff are experienced in supporting this transition with warmth and patience. Confident, upbeat drop-offs from parents make an enormous difference: children take their cues from us, and clear expectations help them settle. Daily updates are provided through Transparent Classroom, and parents are welcome to email for a check-in, particularly in the early weeks.

Withdrawal

We require families to give at least 65 days’ written notice, ending on the last day of a calendar month, if they decide to withdraw their child. The two-month tuition deposit is applied to the child’s final two months once notice is received. Full details, including circumstances under which the school may discharge a child, are set out in our Parent Handbook.

Questions?

Please contact info@stoneycreekmontessori.com. We look forward to welcoming your family.