IT was back to basics for visitors at Chagford Montessori School last week as Grandparents' Day was celebrated in conjunction with the school's fourth anniversary.

The day provided an opportunity for grandparents to find out what the youngest members of the family get up to at nursery school — and for little ones to show off what they are learning.

Grandparents' Day was organised in Montessori schools all over the country as part of the national Montessori Month of May when people can find out more about the methods of educating very young children.

Headteacher Rose Patterson said: 'It went really well — what I really liked was that the grandparents were so thrilled with it, having not been in the classroom before.

'One of them, she was a great-grandmother, even said she would like to be a Montessori teacher!'

Rose said the idea of having grandparents in the classroom was 'wonderful' and she would love Grandparents' Day to become an annual event.

Claire Ash Wheeler and Deirdre Skilton opened Chagford Montessori Nursery School in April 1996.

Claire said: 'When we opened our priority was to offer a child's world, designed to put them at ease by giving them freedom in an environment prepared with attractive materials, and to follow Maria Montessori's ideal.

'This was that the learning experience should occur naturally and joyfully at the proper moment for each individual child.'

Deirdre added: 'Interest in the Montessori approach to early years education has grown consistently and we now attract families from a wide area — there are currently 33 children on the register.

'We passed last year's Ofsted inspection with flying colours and have established a close relationship with Chagford Primary School.'