Owner and Montessori Directress
Andrea Venathithan is the owner and manager of Arborescence Montessori School.
She was born in the Czech Republic and moved the United Kingdom in 1997. Her journey into the Montessori environment and the method of education began in 2004, when she decided this was going to be the educational start for her two young children. Both children were enrolled in Sitara Toto Montessori, where they began their early education. Inspired by their time there, she was introduced to Montessori and began to witness the fabric of this powerful method of education. Quickly, she was inspired and ultimately this led her to choose Montessori and dedicate her life to becoming a Montessori educator.
This path was made possible by the former Director of the school Mrs Shital Shah who offered her a position of an assistant at Sitara Toto. As time went on, her passion and dedication to the school and learning about the true principles of the Montessori approach, she decided at every opportunity that was supported by the school to further her own qualifications.Andrea went on to be trained at the Maria Montessori Institute in London and holds the AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Montessori Diploma 3-6 since 2008. She also holds a Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education qualifications since 2007.
She also went on to complete the Montessori Observation course in 2011 at the Maria Montessori Institute in London and with all these qualifications and her experience under her wings eventually become the Manager of the school.
Andrea has also completed the Forest School Leader training in 2014 and has been running the Forest school sessions in the extensive school’s woodland since then.
Today, Andrea is not only the owner but also the Lead Directress who still enjoys teaching. She carries on working in the classroom using her education and experience to deepen her understanding of the pivotal needs and requirements of children’s developments in learning and making sense of their journey to adulthood. In September 2023 , Andrea has become a member of the training team at the AMI Maria Montessori Institute in London, where she supports the students on their journeys to become trained Montessori teachers.
Her aim is for the school to continue to provide the solid foundation initially set by Maria Montessori and in addition any important advancements related to child development and education. Andrea and her energetic team will carry on with their dedication and devotion to continue offering the best possible nurturing Montessori setting and environment for all existing children and newcomers.
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Ms Inês is originally from Portugal, where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Basic Education and a Master’s degree in Primary Education. She later obtained the CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from International House Lisbon. She began her teaching career in Portuguese public schools, where she taught Portuguese, Maths, Science, History, and Geography. In 2019, she moved to London and joined Instituto Camões, where she taught Portuguese Language and Culture courses in several schools across the London area, to students aged between 5 to 18, including preparing students for GCSE and A-level examinations. Her work also included teaching Portuguese at the Anglo-Portuguese School of London.In 2025, she completed the AMI Montessori Diploma (3–6) and the IAO Level 3 Diploma in Early Learning and Childcare (Early Years Educator) at the Maria Montessori Institute in London. She joined Arborescence Montessori in September 2025 as a Lead Montessori Directress and is currently attending the Observation Course at the Maria Montessori Institute. She is passionate about supporting each child’s natural curiosity and helping them explore their full potential.
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