Ros Bowles
Founder & Co-Proprietor
Ros holds a BSc in Zoology and Botany, a 3-6 AMI Montessori Diploma, and Early Years Professional Status.
Ros trained at the Maria Montessori Institute (AMI), having witnessed the transformative effect of Montessori education on her own children. She founded Clapham Montessori in 1991, and then went on to found Clapham Park Montessori, extending her vision across south London.
Her commitment to families reached beyond the nursery walls — she was an active member of the Clapham NCT branch and worked as a Breastfeeding Counsellor for several years. In 1998, Lucía joined Ros, and together they co-founded the Montessori Infant Community in 2006, bringing Montessori to toddlers from around 14 months.
Most recently, in 2021, they established the Parent & Baby group, offering weekly sessions for babies from around two months and their parents. Ros now oversees the Nursery Education Grant funding across all our environments.
Lucía Gómez-Santana
Co-Proprietor, Co-Founder & Head of Nurseries
Lucia holds a BA (Hons) in Psychology from the Open University, a Guildhall School of Music and Drama Diploma, Montessori Diplomas for both the 0–3 and 3–6 age ranges, and a CertTESOL qualification. She is fluent in Spanish and English, and competent in Italian and French.
Lucia came to London to study and perform professionally as a singer, before returning to her Montessori work. She joined Ros in 1998 and together they co-founded the Montessori Infant Community in 2006 and the Parent & Baby group in 2021. As Co-Owner and Head of Nurseries, Lucia also co-manages the day-to-day running of Clapham Park Montessori, working closely with Ola. Lucía brings her love of music directly into the environment on a daily basis, and through our weekly Music Sessions. Since 2022 she has also worked as a trained Montessori Coach, supporting lead guides across our environments.
Aleksandra (Ola) Britton
Lead Teacher & Co-Manager
Ola holds a BA in Care and Education Pedagogy from the Baltic Graduate School of Humanities in Poland, an AMI 3–6 Montessori Diploma from Wimbledon, and a qualification to teach yoga to children. She is fluent in Polish and English,and has knowledge of Russian.
Ola joined Clapham Park Montessori in 2005 and has been a central figure in the life of the nursery ever since. Now Lead Teacher and Manager, she brings over twenty years of experience to her role, as well as a lively creativity; she runs both the Drama and Yoga sessions for the children. A qualified Montessori guide and Montessori Coach, Ola combines deep professional knowledge with a genuine warmth that runs through everything she does.
Tamara Riley-Smith
Montessori Teacher, Coach & Sustainability Lead
Tamara holds a degree in French and Spanish from the University of Cambridge, an AMI 3–6 Montessori Diploma, AMI Assistant Certificates for the 0–3 and 6–12 age groups, and a Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification. She is half-French.
Following an earlier career as a barrister, Tamara retrained as a Montessori guide. A parent of three children who attended both the Infant Community and Clapham Montessori, she joined us in 2013 and spent ten years in the Infant Community before moving to Clapham Park Montessori, where she also teaches French. Since 2021, she has supported lead guides across our environments as a trained Montessori coach, and she leads our sustainability initiatives as Sustainability Lead. As a Communication Champion, Tamara implements the WellComm scheme to support early speech and language development.
Leila Robinson
Welcome & Admissions Coordinator; Lead Teacher
Leila holds a PGCE in Primary Education from Roehampton University, gained in 2005, and a Montessori Partnership 0–6 Montessori Diploma, gained in 2021.
Leila’s connection with Montessori began in childhood, as she was a Montessori child herself. Years later, when her daughter started at the Montessori Infant Community and later on, at Clapham Park Montessori, that early experience was rekindled. Before joining us, Leila had qualified as a primary school teacher and taught children aged 4–11 for a number of years. She joined the Infant Community team in 2016 and qualified as a Montessori guide in 2021, moving to the Clapham Park Montessori team the same year. In 2024 she became our Welcome & Admissions Coordinator, and in April 2026 she took on the lead of the Parent & Baby Group — a full-circle moment for someone whose own Montessori journey began in childhood.
Wendy Thompson
Lead Teacher
Wendy holds an AMI 0–3 Montessori Diploma from the Maria Montessori Institute (2006), and a NCFR CACHE Level 3 Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCo), obtained in 2024.
Wendy first came to us as a parent, as both of her children attended Clapham Montessori. It was through that experience that she was inspired to train as a Montessori guide. She has been with the Infant Community since its founding in 2006, initially co-managing the Community alongside Lucia and Ros, and now as its Lead Teacher. Wendy brings a deep warmth to her relationships with the children, weaving together the efforts of her team into the life of the Community. She plays a key role in supporting families through the transition from home into the Infant Community, and onwards into the Children’s Houses. (120 w)
Magda Brydiuk
Lead Teacher & Manager
Magda holds an MA in Philology from the University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska in Lublin, Poland, and an AMI 3–6 Montessori Diploma from the Maria Montessori Institute, gained in 2012. She is fluent in Polish and English.
Magda has always loved working with children. She joined Clapham Montessori in 2009 as a Montessori assistant and trained part-time at the Maria Montessori Institute, qualifying as a guide in 2012. She is now Lead Teacher and Manager at Clapham Montessori, bringing years of experience and a steady, committed presence to the role. She works closely alongside Deputy Silvia to create a calm and nurturing environment and an authentic Montessori experience for the children (111 w)
Silvia Donati
Deputy Lead Teacher
Silvia holds an AMI 3–6 Montessori Diploma, an AMI Elementary (6–12) Assistant Certificate, a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from La Sapienza University of Rome, a Diploma in Teaching and Sociology Studies, and Qualified Teacher Status.
Originally from Italy, Silvia trained in the UK and joined Clapham Montessori in 2018. She serves as Deputy Lead Teacher, working closely and collaboratively alongside CM’s Lead Guide Magda. Her background in clinical psychology, combined with a strong interest in family psychotherapy and systemic approaches, gives her a broad and considered understanding of children and families, as well as bringing a distinctive depth to her role within the team. (111 w)
Alex Blaringhem
Montessori Teacher & Communication Champion
Alex holds degrees in Chinese and International Marketing from France, an AMI 3–6 Montessori Diploma, an AMI 0–3 Assistant Certificate, and a Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification, all gained in London. She is fluent in French, Spanish, Mandarin and English.
Alex has lived and worked across the world — in Spain, Peru, China, Nigeria, and Malaysia — as a journalist and with education-focused NGOs. Inspired by her three children’s Montessori guides, she trained in Montessori education herself, gaining experience in Kuala Lumpur before completing her qualifications in London. She joined Clapham Park Montessori and the Infant Community in 2025. Alex has a strong interest in neurodiversity and inclusive education, with further specialist training in learning differences from the AMI, and she brings both her international perspective and her commitment to multilingual, inclusive practice to her role as a guide and Communication Champion.
Noha Aronowit
Montessori Teacher & Admin Support
Noha holds a BSc in Microbiology and Genetics from University College London, an AMI 3–6 Montessori Diploma and Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification from the Maria Montessori Institute, gained in 2024, and an AMI 0–3 Montessori Diploma, gained in 2025. She is British Bangladeshi.
Noha worked in medical research before retraining to work with children — a journey that took her through volunteering in a children’s centre, working as a nanny, supporting children
with disabilities, and working as an Infant Mental Health Worker. Her deepening interest in early childhood eventually led her to Montessori. Noha joined the Infant Community in 2024. Alongside her role as a guide, Noha provides administrative support to the Infant Community team — helping to keep communications and organisation running smoothly behind the scenes. She is also a Communication Champion, implementing the WellComm scheme to support early speech and language development.
Irina Chavez
Assistant Teacher
Irina holds an AMI 0–3 Assistant Certificate from the Montessori Institute in London, gained in 2024, and is currently completing her AMI 0–3 Diploma, due in 2026.
Before becoming a mother and moving to London, Irina studied Film and TV Production and worked in television production in Germany. She came to Montessori as a parent, as all three of her children attended the Infant Community and Children’s House. The warmth of the teachers and the sense of community in the environment inspired Irina to join the team in 2023. A musician as well as a teacher, Irina plays several types of recorder and the violin, and regularly brings these instruments to life for the children in music sessions. She is fluent in German, English, and Spanish.
Xahra Ashraf
Montessori Teacher
Xahra holds a BSc in Psychology from Anglia Ruskin University, gained in 2021, and an AMI 2.5–6 Montessori Diploma and Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification, both gained from the Maria Montessori Institute in London in 2025.
Montessori has been part of Xahra’s life since childhood. She attended a Children’s House herself, and this early experience stayed with her. After graduating from University, she worked in childcare from 2021, both in nursery settings and as a nanny, before training as a Montessori guide. She joined Clapham Montessori in 2025, bringing with her a genuine love for the approach and a warm, grounded commitment to the children in her care.