Founded in 2000 by husband and wife Charles and Colette Assaf, Montessori Academy began with a deeply personal mission: to give children the strongest possible foundation for school and life through authentic Montessori education.

As parents of five young children, Charles and Colette were searching for more than traditional childcare. They wanted an environment where children were respected as capable individuals, where education was purposeful, and where learning extended far beyond simply keeping children occupied.

Everything changed when they visited a small Montessori kindergarten in Croydon.

Standing behind an observation window, they watched children independently choose activities, concentrate deeply, problem-solve, and care for their environment with confidence and calm. The classroom felt calm, purposeful, and entirely different from anything they had seen before. The educational materials were hands-on, intentional, and designed to help children learn through real experience. Most importantly, the children were genuinely engaged, capable, and joyful in their learning.

In that moment, Charles and Colette knew they had discovered something extraordinary.

Not long after, the kindergarten was placed up for sale. Despite having no background in childcare, and after taking enormous personal and financial risks, Charles and Colette made the life-changing decision to purchase the Croydon childcare centre, which became the very first Croydon Montessori Academy.

Over the following years, they immersed themselves in the world of Montessori education, learning everything they could about child development, the Montessori Method, and how to create environments intentionally designed to help children thrive. Montessori philosophy became the foundation of the organisation, grounded in the belief that children are naturally capable, curious, and driven to learn when provided with the right environment, guidance, and opportunities.

What began as one small childcare centre in Croydon quickly gained a reputation among families for being different. Parents spoke about children becoming more independent, confident, capable, and engaged at home. Kindergarten teachers consistently recognised Montessori Academy children for their strong academic foundations, concentration, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and readiness for school and life.

Word of mouth spread quickly. Families shared stories with friends, neighbours, and local communities about the remarkable growth they were seeing in their children. As demand grew, Charles and Colette reinvested everything they had into opening additional centres so more families could access the Montessori approach.

Today, Montessori Academy has grown into Australia’s leading Montessori early learning provider, with more than 70 childcare centres across NSW, VIC, and the ACT. Over the past 25 years, Montessori Academy has been trusted by more than 100,000 families to support their children’s early learning journey.

Despite its growth, Montessori Academy remains proudly family-founded and family-led. More than 25 years later, Charles and Colette continue to play an active role in the organisation, guided by the same vision that inspired them from the very beginning: to make transformative Montessori education accessible to more children and families across Australia.

More than two decades later, their grandchildren also attend Montessori Academy childcare centres, bringing the story full circle for the family who started it all.

The same values that inspired the very first Montessori Academy continue to shape every centre today. By combining authentic Montessori education with the highest standards of safety, nurturing care, purpose-built learning environments, passionate educators, and a comprehensive Montessori curriculum, Montessori Academy supports children’s academic, social, emotional, and practical development through every stage of early childhood.

Through hands-on learning, real-world experiences, and carefully designed Montessori materials, children are empowered to become confident, capable, and independent learners, prepared not only for school, but for life and extraordinary futures.

As the needs of families and communities evolved, Montessori Academy Group expanded into Montessori Care, extending the same values of dignity, independence, respect, and empowerment beyond early childhood and into aged care and disability support services.