Frequently asked questions

Maria Montessori, an Italian doctor and educator, founded her first children's home, Casa dei Bambini, in Rome in 1907. Based on her observations and empirical research, she developed an educational concept for guiding and teaching children and young people from 0 to 18 years of age. The content and method of Montessori education are based on her findings about the laws of child and adolescent development.

The aim of Montessori education is to promote the individual growth of children and young people in such a way, that the child learns holistically with a high degree of freedom, while at the same time recognizing their place in the world and being able to take responsibility for themselves.

The freedom of the individual child is limited by the needs of the community. Practice shows that Montessori pupils are particularly valued by employers. In a school where not only intellectual abilities are addressed, key skills such as teamwork, creativity and the ability to think in a process-oriented way can be developed from the very first day of school. Montessori pupils study and work successfully in all fields of study and employment.

The school is located between the Kaiserpfalz and the hospital. The address is Carolinenstraße 2, 55218 Ingelheim am Rhein.

You can reach them as follows:

By public transport: Regional train and regional express from Mainz or Koblenz stop in Ingelheim. The route from the train station to the school is 1.8 km long and leads via Binger Straße and Mainzer Straße to Turnerstraße/ Carolinenstraße, there is a sidewalk. The walk takes around 15 minutes. In addition, bus lines 611 and 620 stop approx. 100 m from the school.
On foot from the so-called "Kiss-and-Ride-Parkplatz" / Natalie-von-Harder-Straße - parking lot at the Kaiserpfalz (approx. 7 minutes from the highway exit "Ingelheim-Ost"): Head southwest on Natalie-von-Harder-Straße in the direction of Karlstraße. After 260 m turn right onto Mainzer Straße. After 100 m turn left onto Carolinenstraße.
By car: The so-called "kiss-and-ride parking lot" on Natalie-von-Harder-Straße - parking lot at the Kaiserpfalz - is located approx. 7 minutes from the freeway exit "Ingelheim-Ost". How to get to the parking lot: After leaving the freeway, take the L422 towards Ingelheim for 1.5 km - continue on Turnierstraße/L422 for 95 m - take the second exit at the traffic circle to stay on Turnierstraße for 800 m - turn left at the traffic lights onto Vorderer Böhl for 400 m - then turn right into Natalie-von-Harder Straße.

The school is a state-recognized primary and secondary school plus in integrative form, which we run with (two classes. ??? meaning??)

Montessori schools are open to all pupils. We accept pupils of all abilities, as the Montessori pedagogy supports pupils in their individuality and guarantees permeability.

There is no selection based on grades or an entrance examination. We are much more concerned with the social skills of our pupils. Pupils who are willing to use the freedom at our school for their development are very welcome.

The Bilingual Montessori School is based on the framework plan of the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Education. After the four years of elementary school, there are various paths and opportunities open to your child. Most fourth graders at our school remain at the Bilingual Montessori School, so that nothing changes for your child. Of course, your child can transfer to another secondary school after the first four years. We will prepare your child for the transition.

Experience has shown that transitions work extremely well, as pupils have learned to work independently, pursue their learning interests and feel responsible for their learning process.

In principle, the same qualifications can be obtained at the Bilingual Montessori School as at state schools. These are:

Vocational maturity at the end of year 9
Qualified secondary school leaving certificate I with or without entitlement to attend upper secondary school (this depends on the grades - as at state schools) at the end of year 10

You will find the necessary documents for registering your child in the downloads section of our website. Fill out the relevant documents and simply send them to us. You will first receive a confirmation of receipt. We will contact you if we can consider your application. We will then get to know you as a parent/guardian in an initial information meeting. In the next step, we will get to know your child during a visit. Your child will experience our everyday school life and we will experience your child. After the observation, we will discuss with you whether admission is possible. On the school side, representatives of the educational team, the school management and the school authority decide on this - always against the background of educational and group-structural criteria. Please note the registration deadlines (see Registering a child)

A change during the school year is generally possible, but this is always an individual decision. If your child would like to change to our school, please contact our office on 06132-422 990.

A class comprises approx. 20-25 pupils. Learning content is worked on and deepened in small learning groups in so-called input phases. Two teachers are present in each class for the majority of the time. Each class has a permanent and responsible class teacher.

1st or 2nd state examination, Montessori diploma, know-how and experience
Position towards the child: the individual child is at the center
Structured, willingness to learn, team spirit

The teacher takes on a different role in a Montessori school than in a conventional school: he or she tries to encourage the pupils to work independently by presenting the materials in a precise way, and by continuously showing individual pupils or smaller groups of pupils how individual materials work during the lesson. However, the teacher is primarily an observer. Their task is to withdraw more and more as the pupils develop. In a Montessori school, there is no "frontal teaching" in which all pupils receive the same content from the teacher at the same time. Nevertheless, the pupils meet as a group to distribute responsibilities and exchange news, complaints and infringements.

In all social, political and societal areas, people work and live in mixed-age structures. In schools, this principle is practiced in order to teach pupils to give and receive help. Both are important for the intellectual and social development of adolescents. In addition, mixed-age classes reduce rivalry and promote tolerance.

Free work is at the heart of Montessori education. In free work, the pupil decides what to work on, with whom, where and for how long. Because the interest in the subject, and the individual learning and working rhythm are taken into account, free work is a time of maximum concentration. The aim of independent work is independent and autonomous learning and working. The basic prerequisite for this is a "prepared environment" that is continuously adapted to the learning and life needs of the pupils.

Yes, but they learn in a different way. A wide range of experience and comparative studies with mainstream schools show that pupils in Montessori schools learn just as much. However, they also acquire particularly high levels of competence in work planning and independent work as well as in cooperation on joint work projects.
The free choice of work in the "prepared environment" and the mixed-age composition of the learning groups motivates and encourages pupils to tackle tasks that older pupils already enjoy and are proud to demonstrate.

No. Because all learning areas are interconnected and students develop a natural curiosity (through observing other students at work, through different teacher presentations), it is relatively unlikely that a student will avoid one learning area completely. In addition, the Montessori teacher is as familiar with every aspect of the content of the learning areas as she is with each individual student in the class. Based on their very close observations, the teacher can quickly identify which learning areas are being avoided by a student and can then work to encourage interest and curiosity in those areas.

Bilingual teaching cannot be defined uniformly for elementary school and secondary school plus. Due to child development, there are different sensitive phases for foreign languages, which justify a different approach to learning foreign languages. The following are examples for the corresponding class levels:

Elementary school:

Pupils are prepared for bilingual lessons at secondary level using the immersion model (language bath).
Systematic English lessons (topics such as plants, clothing, numbers, forming simple sentences ...)
English through projects and suitable specialized topics.

Orientation level (grades 5+6):

Systematic English learning according to the curriculum
Explicit English free work
English through projects and suitable specialized topics

From grade 7:

Systematic English learning according to the curriculum
Explicit English free work
Bilingual subject teaching in selected subjects (CLIL / content and language integrated learning)

There are no grades (1-6). (Exception: when changing school). Instead of a report in numerical form, pupils receive a detailed and comprehensive assessment. A so-called report interview takes place before each report is issued. The class teacher discusses and explains the content of the report with each individual pupil and reflects with the pupil on whether he or she agrees with the assessment and performance evaluation.
How does the Bilingual Montessori School assess learning progress?
The learning progress assessments are not carried out simultaneously for all pupils in an entire class. Instead, the pupils receive feedback on their work and working methods at regular intervals. They learn to reflect on their own working methods and, if necessary with the help of the teacher, develop strategies for improvement. Pupils are assessed individually and learn to assess themselves correctly. This self-monitoring is supported by many Montessori materials.

We do not have routine homework that is the same for all pupils and is set at the same time. However, if a pupil does not make use of their free work phases or only does so to a very unsatisfactory extent, the binding individual work plans may make it necessary to complete or finish these tasks at home.

The Bilingual Montessori School is a compulsory all-day school. The following school hours apply from Monday to Friday:
The school morning starts at 7:30 am. with flexitime until 8:00 am. During this flexitime, pupils can arrive at school and start the work process stress-free.

Lessons end at 3:00 pm. Pupils are also taught by qualified teachers in the afternoon.

Yes, on 4 out of 5 days we offer afternoon supervision until 5:00 pm at cost price. The average cost is approx. 20 euros per course per month, depending on the type of course. You can find current course offers here.

There is a one-hour lunch break, which is also used for eating. A warm and healthy lunch is offered here. The cost for this is 69 euros per month.

We are a privately run school (non-profit organization) that had to finance itself from its own resources without public subsidies for the first 3 years after its foundation. After receiving state recognition, we receive pro rata state subsidies for personnel and material costs. In order to maintain the high standard and the above-average number of teachers, we are still dependent on regular support from parents and sponsors.

All parents whose child attends the school should become members of the association. In addition, interested and committed people are also members.

They should have familiarized themselves with the educational concept of the Bilingual Montessori School and agree to it. We regularly offer seminars for parents to familiarize them with the Montessori pedagogy.

Parents are still expected to support the approaches by encouraging their child's independence and self-activity, setting boundaries and lovingly accompanying them on their journey.

It is also desirable for parents to get involved in work for the school community (e.g. supporting parties, painting, mowing the lawn, cleaning etc.). Inclinations and skills are gladly taken into consideration.

Please contact us via the contact option on our website and we will be happy to call you back. The telephone number of our secretariat is: 06132 - 422 990.

The film "Greenhouses of the Future" by Reinhard Kahl has received many awards and praise. It is available on the Internet from the "Archive of the Future".

There are several books on Montessori education. Ask for our literature list. You will find numerous articles on the Internet under the keyword "Montessori". The Montessori Dachverband Deutschland, in particular, provides detailed information.

The contact lists for the individual learning groups are compiled by the parent representatives. Parents can fill out a contact form on the first parents' evening. If you do not wish to have your contact details shared with the the other parents in your learning group, please let the parent representatives know. Please note that important information from the parent representatives will not reach you in this case.

Excursions take place regularly at our school. Excursions such as visits to museums, theaters, cinemas and the like, are school events. School events can also begin and end outside the school. If a different place or time is more convenient for the start or end, we will inform you in due time of these exceptions. You will be notified in advance about the planned excursions.

At the request of a parent or guardian, the class teacher can approve a one- to two-day exemption from lessons, however, as also regulated in the school law, not adjacent to vacations (neither before nor after). If the exemption from lessons lasts at least three days, this must be decided by the schoolboard.

The parent representatives of the learning groups organize a parents' evening in cooperation with the respective learning guides at least once per school year and as necessary. Invitations to the parents' evenings are issued by the parents' representative. The parents' evenings serve to provide general information and give the opportunity to discuss and clarify current situations and topics of general interest. Participation in these events should be attended by all parents/guardians in the interest of a cooperative partnership between all parties involved. The first parents' evening in the new school year takes place in the first four weeks. On this evening, the parent representative and representative of the respective learning group is elected.

Parental involvement is a fundamental element of Montessori education and an important part of our school concept. With your active participation as a parent, you support your children and the development of our school.

Parent seminars on various topics are offered each school year. Participation in at least two parent seminars per school year is desired. Some dates are listed in the planning calendar. Additional dates will be announced in good time.

As a recognized alternative school, you have the same rights to reimbursement of travel costs as at a regular school. All pupils at our Realschule plus can apply to the Mainz-Bingen district administration for reimbursement of travel costs. You can obtain the relevant form from the secretary's office. This also applies to all pupils who do not come to school by public transport. Travel costs are reimbursed by the Mainz-Bingen district administration in accordance with § 6 of the Mainz-Bingen district statutes on school transportation (see below).

§ 6 Transportation to independent schools (statutes on school transportation)

In the case of state-recognized Realschulen plus or Gymnasien in freier Trägerschaft, which receive contributions in accordance with § 28 Para. 1 of the Private Schools Act, the travel costs are paid to the nearest Realschule plus or Gymnasium in freier Trägerschaft. In the case of state-recognized elementary school that receive contributions in accordance with § 28 Para. 1 of the Private Schools Act, the travel costs are covered provided that the school is located in the district of the public elementary school responsible for the pupils or in an adjacent school district. If the school is located in a municipality with several primary school districts, the costs for the transportation of pupils from all school districts of this municipality can also be covered.

If you are looking for a carpool to get to school, you can post your requests on the board in the entrance area in the basement.

Vacations are based on the vacation regulations of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The vacation times for the current school year and the 6 flexible vacation days, which each school can determine for itself, can be found in the planning calendar or the school calendar on our homepage.

The association has set itself the task of supporting the Bilingual Montessori School in the implementation of its concept financially and through the procurement of support and aids. The Friends of the Bilingual Montessori School are financed by membership fees, donations, monetary donations and donations in kind. We encourage additional membership in the school's support association.

Each pupil has the opportunity to take a 15-minute breakfast break during the morning - within a specified time period. Please provide your children and young people with a healthy breakfast and sufficient drinks for this breakfast break. Please bear in mind that children usually need more than half a liter to drink in summer, especially on sports and swimming days.

Lost property from grades 1-3 is collected in the locker area of the elementary school. Items that are not collected by the end of the semester (i.e. end of January and beginning of the summer vacation) are donated to the clothing collection.

Manditory parent-teacher meetings are offered to parents once a year. Additional meetings can also take place at the request of parents and/or learning guides. Please make use of the parent-teacher consultation hours for this purpose. Please contact the learning guides directly by email to arrange an appointment.

Cell phones and other electronic media (e.g. smart watches and all accessories such as headphones) may not be used by students on school grounds and must always be switched off. This rule also applies to all journeys to other places of learning (e.g. sports hall) and for other school trips. In addition, all students are required to leave their mobile devices switched off at the beginning of the lesson in the cell phone baskets specially purchased for this purpose until the end of the lesson. This decision was made unanimously by student representatives, parent representatives, learning guides and school management.

As a principle, there is no homework at our school! Pupils are encouraged by their teachers to complete their homework during free work or study periods. It is possible that students may have to revise basic arithmetic or vocabulary at home. The teachers will inform you of this if necessary.

Joint house rules have been drawn up by pupils, learning support staff and the school parents' council. These rules set out binding rules of conduct for daily interaction at school. The house rules are displayed on the information board in the entrance area of the school.

If a pupil or family member is suspected of having an infectious disease, the legal guardians are obliged to inform the school management immediately. For further information, please refer to the "Instructions for parents and other guardians in accordance with the Infection Protection Act".

The parents and guardians of the pupils in a class elect one parent from among their number as class parent representative and a second parent as deputy for a period of one year.

Our pupils need a pair of comfortable slippers (firm sole) for lessons. Pupils go out into the fresh air during the break, whatever the weather. So that the pupils can let off steam and get wet during this time of relaxation, we ask you to give your child rain gear, rubber boots and a change of clothes to bring to school.

Letters to parents that concern the entire school or contain information exclusively for adults, are sent by e-mail or made available for download in the protected area of the website. Please always give us your current e-mail address or, in the event of temporary technical difficulties, a notification of the change. We also ask you to register in the parents' area of the website in order to receive or look up all school information. You will also find contact information, event information and lists of helpers as well as requests from the parent teams, for example.

Individual learning group/grade letters containing information about your child's everyday school life are handed out in paper form via "Ranzenpost". This is part of the pedagogical concept so that children take responsibility for their everyday school life. Minutes of parents' evenings (was ist hier gemeint?) are distributed by the learning group parent representative to the relevant parents by email.

The absence of a pupil from lessons must be reported by the parent/guardian to the school office by the end of the open start time (8.00 a.m.) at the latest. Please inform us by telephone (also on the answering machine) or by e-mail directly to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. In any case, a written excuse must be submitted to the learning guide directly from the first day of recovery, in addition to the telephone message. The school management reserves the right to request a doctor’s note.

Our teaching staff have regular office hours during which they are available to you. Please refer to our website for the office hours of our teachers. Please contact the teachers in advance by e-mail to make an appointment so that any waiting times can be avoided.

At the beginning of the school year, a fee for the class fund is set out in the fee schedule. This amount is used to pay for various activities and materials required for the class. The amount is collected from your account at the beginning of the school year.

A list of the work materials that the pupils need will be given to you before the start of the school year.

Depending on the year group, pupils have between 60 and 75 minutes for lunch and breaks. During this time, pupils have the opportunity to eat their lunch in a specified time slot. Lunch is an important part of the school's educational concept and is compulsory for all pupils. Our caterer's meal plan is displayed in the canteen. You can find more information about our caterer on our website or from the secretary's office.

A separate data sheet must be completed for each pupil, on which you can indicate whether your child would like a vegetarian or lactose-free diet. Any allergies can also be noted here. The emergency card can be found in this folder under point 8 and must be handed in to the respective learning group leader at the beginning of each school year. The costs for lunch will be debited separately from your account each month. Vacation periods or sick days do not entitle you to a reduction, as the costs are already divided over 12 months.

From Monday to Thursday, our school offers afternoon supervision in the form of courses. The courses are newly advertised for each school semester and may vary per semester. In order for the course to take place, there must be a minimum number of participants. If the minimum number of participants for a course is not reached, the course cannot take place for that semester. A parental contribution is charged for each afternoon course, depending on the course offered. The amount will be deducted from your account. The afternoon program begins at 3:15 pm and ends at 4:45 pm. You will be informed of any exceptions to this at the beginning of the school semester.

The time from 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm can be used for a snack break. Please provide your child with sufficient food. During this break and during afternoon supervision, a supervisor or the course leader is responsible for supervision (but only for students registered for afternoon supervision)

There is no afternoon supervision on the following days:

in the first week of school after the summer vacation
on all last school days before the vacations

Please decide together with your child which course they would like to take. Every child is welcome to try out the courses in advance. After written registration, the course is compulsory for one semester.

Injured and sick children can recover on a cot in the secretary's office. In an emergency, parents are informed immediately and, if necessary, an ambulance is called for first aid. So that we can reach you at any time, it is important that we always have your current cell phone number. Please inform the office if you change your number.

There are two pedagogical days per school year for our learning guides. All pupils are free from school on these days. Please refer to the planning calendar or the school calendar for these dates, which have been agreed with the school parents' council.

All pupils in grades 1-6 receive a planning calendar at the beginning of the school year. The planning calendar is used by the pupils to plan and document their school day. In this way, they learn to organize their school day independently.

Once a week, pupils receive the planning calendar to take home for their parents to sign. In this way, parents can follow their child's progress and, if necessary, use the planning calendar as a means of communication with the teacher. The planning calendar also contains an overview of dates for the entire school year and your child's timetable.

To support the school and also to get to know the learning materials better, the parents of a learning group share the weekly cleaning service of their children's rooms. The cleaning service in the rooms of the learning groups is obligatory and independent of the assumption of certain offices within the school. The cleaning service includes cleaning the windowsills, shelves, teaching materials, tables and chairs, as well as vacuuming and cleaning the floor and carpets. The cleaning schedule is drawn up by the parents' representative and sent by email at the beginning of the school year and half-year. This regulation applies primarily to the learning groups in years 1-6. The learning groups in years 7-10 have separate arrangements in line with the pedagogical concept of the development stage.

The Bilingual Montessori School is a state-recognized alternative school in the organizational form of a connected primary and secondary school plus in independent sponsorship. It is also a recognized compulsory all-day school. "Substitute" means that the Bilingual Montessori School is considered an equivalent alternative to state institutions. The Bilingual Montessori School is authorized to make educational recommendations, conduct its own examinations and award diplomas. We are, of course, bound by the requirements of the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs in order to ensure the comparability of qualifications. The school teaches according to the pedagogical principles and methods of Maria Montessori. The lessons are based on the contents of the framework plans of the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs. The school's legal framework is laid down in the statutes of the school authority and in the rules of procedure and fees.

For everyone’s protection, it is not permitted to enter or leave the school grounds on a scooter. Please instruct your children not to use scooters in the immediate vicinity of the school, but only to get on their scooters after crossing the respective streets (Carolinenstraße and Turnerstraße).

The student representatives are made up of the class representatives from all classes. The student representatives are elected for one year and also elect a liaison teacher from the group of teachers for one year.

The School Parents' Council is elected every two years from among all parents. The tasks of the School Parents' Council are set out in the Rhineland-Palatinate School Act.

The school conference is an instrument of exchange on all questions of organizational and content-related school development. If possible, invitations to the school conference are issued 3 times a year. The school conference is made up of equal numbers of the following groups - Pupils (represented by student representatives) - Parent representatives of the school parents' council - Teachers and school management - Board of the sponsoring association - Commercial management

Our school concept defines the content, methodological and organizational principles of the school. The school concept is currently being revised and will be made available to you shortly in the protected area.

The school regulations are based on the higher-level school regulations of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The sponsor of the Bilingual Montessori School is the "Montessori-Fördergemeinschaft Ingelheim e.V.". The purpose of the association is the promotion of education and upbringing, in particular the promotion of Montessori education.

The office is available from Monday to Friday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The sports times at our school are flexible, depending on the sports facility times available to us. In consultation with the Ministry of Education, lessons can start and finish at other locations (swimming pool, sports hall, etc.) from Year 3 onwards, provided there are acceptable transport connections. The pupils are expected to make this additional journey to school.

Please provide your children with appropriate sportswear in a backpack. This includes sturdy sports shoes appropriate to the season, and comfortable sportswear. Attendance is compulsory for PE lessons and doctor’s notes must be given, just like in any other subject (see sick notes for pupils). For details, please refer to our regular information on sports lessons.

You can find your child's current timetable in the planning calendar.

For us, the Open Day is a comprehensive information event at which the work of the school and the premises are made accessible to the public. Attendance is compulsory for all pupils on this day, and usually takes place on a Saturday. The date will be announced beforehand, and can also be found in the planning calendar. A day off from school will be scheduled to compensate for this and will be announced in advance.

A schedule is drawn up at the beginning of the school year, for the entire school year, and is distributed to parents. This enables you, as parents, to be aware of important dates in the annual planning at an early stage. We always strive for correctness and completeness, but please understand that appointments can/must be made or changed at short notice.

The Bilingual Montessori School is run as a compulsory all-day school with lunch. The schedule for all pupils is as follows;

7:30 - 8:00 am open arrival time
8:00 am start of lessons
3:00 pm end of school day

The exception to these regulations is the last day of school before the start of the summer vacation, when classes end at 11:00 a.m.

Lesson times may vary, especially for older students, due to changes in the timetable. School-wide changes to the schedule or locations are discussed with the parents' council, and parents are notified in writing at least 3 weeks in advance. School staff are responsible for supervision during school opening hours (7.30 am - 3.00 pm).

The contact lists for the individual learning groups are compiled by the parent representatives. Parents can fill out a contact form on the first parents' evening. If you do not wish to have your contact details shared with the the other parents in your learning group, please let the parent representatives know. Please note that important information from the parent representatives will not reach you in this case.

Excursions take place regularly at our school. Excursions such as visits to museums, theaters, cinemas and the like, are school events. School events can also begin and end outside the school. If a different place or time is more convenient for the start or end, we will inform you in due time of these exceptions. You will be notified in advance about the planned excursions.

At the request of a parent or guardian, the class teacher can approve a one- to two-day exemption from lessons, however, as also regulated in the school law, not adjacent to vacations (neither before nor after). If the exemption from lessons lasts at least three days, this must be decided by the schoolboard.

The parent representatives of the learning groups organize a parents' evening in cooperation with the respective learning guides at least once per school year and as necessary. Invitations to the parents' evenings are issued by the parents' representative. The parents' evenings serve to provide general information and give the opportunity to discuss and clarify current situations and topics of general interest. Participation in these events should be attended by all parents/guardians in the interest of a cooperative partnership between all parties involved. The first parents' evening in the new school year takes place in the first four weeks. On this evening, the parent representative and representative of the respective learning group is elected.

Parental involvement is a fundamental element of Montessori education and an important part of our school concept. With your active participation as a parent, you support your children and the development of our school.

Parent seminars on various topics are offered each school year. Participation in at least two parent seminars per school year is desired. Some dates are listed in the planning calendar. Additional dates will be announced in good time.

As a recognized alternative school, you have the same rights to reimbursement of travel costs as at a regular school. All pupils at our Realschule plus can apply to the Mainz-Bingen district administration for reimbursement of travel costs. You can obtain the relevant form from the secretary's office. This also applies to all pupils who do not come to school by public transport. Travel costs are reimbursed by the Mainz-Bingen district administration in accordance with § 6 of the Mainz-Bingen district statutes on school transportation (see below).

6 Transportation to independent schools (statutes on school transportation)