Raffles Montessori International School of Phnom Penh (RMISSP) is focused on English teaching while placing an emphasis on Chinese learning, applying the Montessori Education system. The school is the only licenced Montessori school in Cambodia.

Equipped with its own swimming pool for the kids to hone their swimming technique, the Montessori has gathered positive word of mouth, resulting in increasing admissions since its inception in 2012

“RMISPP was developed to offer parents/guardians the opportunity to enrol their child into a school with a difference. Montessori is very different to traditional ways of teaching – it takes a child-centered approach through self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. At RMISPP, we are able to provide an environment where children can discover and explore knowledge of the world in their own unique way,” commented Melissa Close, principal of RMISSP.

Heavily influenced by the Singapore education system, the Phnom Penh school only differs in incorporating local adjustments to ensure the school is respectful of the local culture. This is a foolproof international education system, with students graduating from K3 receiving their official graduation certificates directly from Singapore.

Elaborating further on the method of teaching, Close said: “Montessori teaching is about being receptive and responsive of every child at each stage of development. We recognise that children learn in different ways and at different paces, so therefore we aim to offer the support needed to ensure no child is left behind. Additionally, we also seek to tap into the individual interests of our students - whether it be through academics, creative expression or music and movement.”

 The school is on the precipice of many changes. From this new school year, the K3 students will be learning on a full day basis. It is pertinent to inculcate this discipline and set the right foundations for children from a young age. This, along with incorporating Chinese into the curriculum and new facilities, are in the pipeline for RMISSP.

“In the coming years, we predict that there will be four types of schools in Cambodia. The first type will specialise in providing unique curriculums and/or covering only a certain age range such as Early Years. The second type will focus on providing education from Early Years and Primary only. The third type will focus on bringing students from Early Years all the way through to High School. Lastly, the fourth type will provide a platform where students can study from Early Years all the way through to University. It is predicted that the established schools that have opened are going to transform themselves and move locations to new buildings that are more aligned with the standards of what an international school should look like.” concludes Close.