Cheeky Monkey Montessori Pre-School in Ardee celebrates 10 years in business
THE Early Years Service opened in September 2007 with just nine children and has gone from strength to strength since then, growing and expanding in line with the needs of the local community. Cheeky Monkey can now accommodate 51 children and has three rooms. The centre is owned and run by Adell Woods who has more than 16 years experience in Early Years Care and Education having previously worked in Aladdin’s Cave in Ardee, Hedley Park Montessori Primary School in Merrion Square Dublin, Just Kids in Drogheda and in a number of kindergartens and childcare providers while living in Australia. Adell and her mum Marie (co-owner) took over Cheeky Monkey back in 2007 after the previous owner decided to retire and has been there ever since. Adell has just finished a BA degree in Early Childhood Studies and Practice with NUI Galway and will receive her First Class honours Degree in October, which she completed over four years on a part time basis. ‘All our staff are highly qualified; Niamh our Manger also has holds a BA in Early Childhood Education and Care, all our staff are highly qualified and experienced,’ explained Adell.
Now boasting a staff of eight, when Cheeky Monkey first opened its doors back in 2007 it was run by Adell and her Mum, who still works at the school, and is Manager of the After School Club. Our Junior Montessori pre-school
room is for children aged from two and a half to three and a half years of age. This includes children in the first Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) free preschool year. There are currently limited places still available in the Junior Montessori room at the moment, but these tend to fill up fast in January. The Early Years Pre-school then has two Senior Montessori pre-school rooms for those children in their final pre-school year before they go to primary school. Cheeky Monkey provides a very popular After School Club service. What started with just two children in the afternoon has now grown into 16, catering for children from Junior Infants up to sixth class. The After School Club opens from 2pm to 6pm. ‘We walk over and collect the children from both the Boys School and the Girls School, which are within a few minutes walking distance from the service’ explained Adell. We also provide a Morning Club service, so children going to school can come in from 8am and staff walk the children over for the start of school at 9.20am. Cheeky Monkey also has a playground which has recently undergone renovation and is almost completed.
Cheeky Monkey follows a comprehensive Montessori and play based approach based on the children’s own interests and strengths, ‘our curriculum is lead by “Aistear” the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework which ensures that we provide a ....
holistic learning environment for the children in our pre-school’, explains Adell. Over the school year Cheeky Monkey welcomes parents and persons from the local community into visit the children, from hairdressers, to dental nurses, to Garda and ensures to provide the children with an inclusive and diverse curriculum. In addition, Cheeky Monkey now has an Access and Inclusion Co-ordinator. ‘Pamela has now completed the LINC programme and will also graduate in October ; her role sees that Cheeky Monkey provides for each child’s individual needs within our curriculum and that it is inclusive of all children’s interest, strengths and family traditions in all we do from art activities to our Montessori work to free play’ advises Adell. All staff continuously attend workshops and courses that ensure we are progressing and keeping up to date with the constant changes within the ECCE sector.
Adell said it is advisable for parents to register their child now for their 2 Year Free ECCE place. ‘After your child turns three you are entitled to a free pre- school place, there are three different time strands for when children can start depending on when their 3rd birthday falls so it is worth giving us a call.’ There are other discounts under the new “Affordable Childcare” that parents can avail of. For more information contact Adell or Niamh in Cheeky Monkey on 087 983 4304.
Adell wanted to express on behalf of her mum and herself their ‘ Thanks to all the past and present staff, parents and most of all the children who have created many memories for us over the last ten years, and to our continued success in Ardee Parish Centre’.