Primary Years

6 - 12 years (1 – 4 grade)

The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim therefore is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorise, but so to tough his imagination as to enthuse him to his inmost core.

Dr Maria Montessori

Discover a World of Learning and Personal Growth

Discover Montessori School harmoniously blends the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) with the Montessori approach to offer an enriching, child-centred educational journey. Here, every child is an explorer, ready to navigate the vast seas of knowledge in a bilingual setting that respects and nurtures individual potential.

The Best of Both Worlds

IB PYP: Our school is proud to implement the IB PYP, a globally recognised program that encourages students to be active, caring, lifelong learners. The PYP framework empowers children to inquire into various issues and ideas of local and global significance, fostering a sense of responsibility and an international mindset.

Montessori Approach: Complementing the PYP, our Montessori classrooms provide a prepared environment where children can freely choose from various developmentally appropriate activities. This approach promotes independence, self-discipline, and a love for learning, ensuring that our students excel academically and develop into well-rounded individuals.

A Bilingual Adventure, Power of Imagination and Critical Thinking

Language is the key to understanding the world. Our bilingual program immerses children in both English and Bulgarian, enabling them to develop fluency and appreciation for cultural diversity. Through engaging, real-life contexts, students learn to communicate confidently and express themselves creatively in both languages. Our bilingual program gives a constructive space for the children to use their new powers of reason and imagination as they move into a new phase of life with a new focus on the mind: the moral-social and intellectual abstract. We give grandeur and a mystery to fuel the tendency for exploration and abstraction and feed the hungry intellect. We enlighten the children about details so they can connect the concepts and relate them to the whole. Every time the child works with a piece of material or makes observations of nature, the mind is building generalisations based on patterns discovered. The imagination allows the child to travel in time and space. Whether or not a child is interested in the arts, literature or science, the guides encourage each child to create rather than consume knowledge.

Learning in Context for Deeper Understanding

Learning Freedom with Responsibility

Our Primary Program offers your child an unparalleled opportunity for growth in this new period of life. Your highly imaginative, social and creative child needs an environment with appropriate freedom with responsibilities, with an expansive curriculum to support her curiosity and prepare her for the challenges of the future. Real learning occurs when children are engaged in practice and study on their path towards self-mastery. Curiosity is championed in our Primary, and your child is encouraged to explore concepts to a level of detail only limited by his imagination.

Engagement is Essential

The Teacher is an “Enlightened Generalist”

The guide/teacher is a storyteller of the truth. The main task is sowing all the seeds and presenting the curriculum as a rich and inviting buffet. Our AMI-trained Montessori teachers don’t have a specific area of expertise, as they have a broad knowledge of all subjects to help your child discover interests in any imaginable area and challenge her to deepen the field of study through research. Instead of giving the correct answers, the teacher will ask your child the right questions to inspire her to find the answers for herself.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

We believe that authentic learning extends beyond the traditional classroom walls. Our students engage in project-based learning, outdoor education, and community service projects, applying their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways. These experiences cultivate critical thinking, collaboration, and a sense of empowerment to make a positive impact in the world. Learning beyond the classroom is a planned undertaking by a small group of children. The excitement for going out always comes from something they want to know about as part of their research projects. The children find a resource in the community, schedule the outing, arrange their transportation, and prepare themselves for the experience. Each going out is an entire course of study on independence, responsibility and good citizenship, together with the intellectual rewards children get from such experience.

Learning Occurs Beyond the Classroom

Engagement, Maximum Efforts and Achieving the State of “Flow”

The children plan, monitor and discuss their work, thereby enhancing their independence and responsibility for their actions. The learning environment is child-centred and designed to promote the development of organisational and time management skills, conflict resolution skills, concentration, independence, cooperation, and collaboration. It encourages the child’s spontaneous activity, provides community building and leadership opportunities appropriate to each level, allows for a balance of self-directed and collaborative learning. Creating a framework for children to do their best work, our class day consists of long, open-ended work periods that respect your child’s curiosity and concentration. She may form or join a group to work with concepts introduced in a lesson. And, because she is free to move around the classroom, it’s not uncommon for ideas to spread; children are stimulated not just by the lessons they receive but by each other.

Children learn how to challenge themselves

Learning in Global Scale

Unlike in a conventional program with a separate time of the day for each subject, your child will gain a much deeper understanding of concepts by learning in context. The starting point for all courses of study is the “Great Lessons”; these impressionistic and scientific stories give your child the “big picture” of astronomy, earth science, geography, physics, biology, history, anthropology, cultural and social studies, language, math, music and art. The cosmic vision answers the wonderment, understanding of the interdependencies, order in the nature, harmony, work, cooperation, dynamic balance. Your child is excited to explore working by himself or in a group, moving from one concept to another, testing whether it is valid and always true to fill out the learnings of the ‘big picture’. Meaningful learning happens when children understand the “why” as much as the “what” – and are inspired to learn even more independently. The curriculum is interdisciplinary; no subject is taught in isolation.

Children’s Learning is Without Limits

Supporting Your Child’s Developing Moral Muscles

Your child is in a social and moral exploration period and is now interested in testing her understanding to find out how this works in real life. The community of our primary classroom facilitates this exploration for them. The children group spontaneously for much of the day, sharing responsibilities and allocating tasks on a particular project. Through group discussions the children decide which rules work good for the community. They are given the possibility to test out what makes a community thrive and reject the things that make it challenging to work fairly and productively together.
In the same way, they get the opportunity to find out for themselves what is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’, not by being told these things by the teacher but through testing them out with their peer group and living the consequences for themselves so that their moral compass is developed from within rather than being imposed from above. We believe children learn to be adaptable by supporting them to solve their problems rather than solving problems for them. With the help of a supportive adult, your child can most often find the best solution for him.

Helping Children to Solve Their Own Problems

Developing Skills for Resilience, Self-reflection and Grit

Your primary-age child has a strong drive for social connection. She/he is starting to develop deeper friendships and a connection to the community around her. We embrace your child’s natural need for social exploration by giving lessons in small groups and encouraging children to work with a variety of others on follow-up projects and research into subjects of intense interest. In a Montessori primary program, children support and help each other, resulting in teamwork, independence and a true learning community.

Environment for Great Work

Your child will study broadly and deeply, covering many subjects not attempted in conventional schools. As the learning is individualised, your child can focus intensely on her self-chosen work with minimal interruption. At the same time, she will collaborate with the guide/teacher to ensure that her work is challenging and purposeful – and that basic standards are met.  In that way, the teacher is in charge of the minimum scope of work – your child is in charge of the maximum.

Children Connect Ideas, Events and Places

Join Our Community

Become part of a school that celebrates diversity, embraces innovation, and nurtures each child’s potential. Our welcoming community of educators, students, and families is eager to share this educational adventure with you. Discover the unique blend of IB PYP and Montessori education at our bilingual school, where every day is a journey of discovery, growth, and joy.

Embrace this opportunity to give your child an unparalleled educational experience that combines the strengths of the IB PYP and Montessori approaches in a nurturing bilingual environment. Join us and witness the transformative power of a vibrant learning community. 

Visit us to experience the magic of learning in action. Welcome to our school, where every child shines!

My child is different, like everybody else’s. For a long time we searched for a school that measure the students’ progress in “happiness” rather than standardised grades. And I believe we have finally found it.

Mother of a 2nd grade student

Feedback for and from our child is paramount to us and everyday we discuss wit Zahari school, new knowledge and skills, adventures and experiences.

Mother of 7 year old student

Schedule a tour

We invite you to visit us and meet our team before submitting your Registration for enrolment.

Tuitions

Tuitions of Discover Montessori School are revised on an annual basis. The tuition includes:          

  • Holistic Education according to 
    • Bulgarian state requirements.
    • International standards for holistic Montessori education.
    • Primary years programme (PYP) and Middle years programme (MYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB).
    • Bespoke individualised program responding to the child’s needs.
    • English language program as a main language of instruction.
    • Intensive study of a second foreign language (Spanish, German, or Russian) in Middle Years and High School.
  • Core and Extended School Day
    • Early Years (Pre-school): Core school day: by 4:00 pm. Extended day: by 5:30 pm.
    • Primary and Middle Years (1. – 7. grade): Core school day: by 4:30 pm. Extended day: by 5:30 pm.
    • High School (8. – 12. grade): Core school day: by 1:30 pm. Extended day: by 5:30 pm.
  • Extra Curricular Activities:
    • Early Years (Pre-school): arts.
    • Primary and Middle Years (1. – 7. grade): sports games.
    • High School (8. – 12. grade): theatre club.
  • Meals: fruits and vegetables
  • Visits to theatre or music productions, activities in a museum or gallery, architectural and natural attractions, and practices in Sofia.
  • Medical professional attention includes morning checks, first aid, and prevention measures.
  • Annual “Accident” insurance.

Extracurricular activities, which require additional payment:

  • Clubs (robotics, photography, dancing, digital skills, handwork, theatre, piano, handwork, sports math, writing workshop, chess club).
  • Sports (swimming, tennis, football, yoga).
  • Ski and green camps (for children over six years old).
  • Trips and educational activities outside Sofia.
  • Classes with a speech therapist.

Tuition for School year 2025-26:

Program  Age/Grade One payment Two payments Monthly payments
Primary Early Years  Pre-school 7 400 2 х 3 800 = 7 600 1 х 2 600 and 9 х 585 = 7 865
Primary /Elementary Years
Grades 1 – 7
7 650 2 х 3 925
= 7 850
1 х 2 600 and 9 х 610 = 8 100
High School
Grades 8 – 12
7 200 2 х 3 750 = 7 500 1 х 2 000 and 9 х 633 = 7 700

Discounts:

  • Signing a 3-year contract provides a 5% discount.
  • For a second child in the family, a 5% discount is applied to their annual tuition fee.
  • For a third child and twins in the family, a 7% discount is applied to his annual tuition fee.

School Year:

  • Primary Yearly Years (Pre-school): 1 September – 31 July.  
  • School: 15 September – 15/30 June.

Terms of Payment:

1 payment
by 1st June
2 payments
by 1st June and 1st of September
Monthly payments
from September till June

Deposit:

A deposit of 15% of the tuition is payable upon signing the educational contract. The deposit guarantees the child’s place in the program and is refunded from the first paid instalment of the tuition for the academic year.

Enrolment:

Upon signing the contract, the enrollment fee is 500 EUR for preschool and 750 EUR for primary and middle years.

Learning Resources:

The learning resources fee is paid once for the entire academic year: 400 EUR for preschool and 500 EUR for primary and middle years.

Meals:

  • Early Years (Pre-school): breakfast, fruits and vegetables, lunch, afternoon snack: 1 200 euro.
  • Primary Year (1. – 4. grade): fruits and vegetables, lunch: 1300 euro.
  • Middle Years and High School  (5. – 12. grade): breakfast, fruits and vegetables, lunch: 1 500 euro.

Extracurricular Activities:

Clubs and extracurricular activities are part of the Extended School Day program, which is offered every day of the week. They play an important role in school life, providing children with a wide variety of activities. The list of clubs and activities is updated every school year.

Transport:

The service is offered for children who have reached the age of 5, according to the schedule of the students of Otkrivatel Montessori School (from 15.09. to 15.06.). A subcontractor performs the service, and a transport fee is charged in addition to the tuition. The transport fee for the academic year 2024/2025 is 2 500 euros and can be paid once or in two instalments before the beginning of each term – September and January. If the transport is used in one direction only, a discount of 35% of the price is used. If there is a second child from one address, a discount of 60% of the price is applied.

Summer School:

From June 15 to August 25, students can attend Summer School, where a bilingual language program continues in all subjects. The Summer School fee is per week.

All figures are in euro.

For more information, please contact us: hello@montessorischools.bg