Our History
The story of West Coast Montessori began in February 1985. Originally known as the Rockingham Family School, it was founded by a group of dedicated parents and Elizabeth Sugars, our school’s first leader. Elizabeth’s guiding principle was the "TEAM Spirit"—an acronym for ‘Together Everybody Achieves More.’ What started in a small house in Safety Bay quickly outgrew its walls. By 1988, the success of the parent-led community led to the construction of our first dedicated school building on Attwood Way.
An Evolution into the Montessori Method
As the school matured, the community made a pivotal and unique decision: to adopt the Montessori philosophy in its entirety. Unlike schools that are founded as Montessori from day one, we evolved into it by choice, recognising it as the gold standard for child development.
By 1999, we had fully transitioned into Rockingham Montessori School, employing specialised Montessori-trained staff, investing in authentic materials, and establishing the programs that define us today.
Growing with Our Students
As our students grew, so did our vision. We expanded our reach to ensure a consistent, high-quality Montessori journey from infancy through to adulthood:
2012: We launched our Adolescent Program at the urging of families who wanted their children to continue their Montessori journey into High School.
2013: Our school achieved registration to deliver a comprehensive program from ages 3 through to 18.
2021: We expanded our community support by opening a second Playgroup in Lakelands.
2022: A second Primary School opened in Port Kennedy, alongside a dedicated facility for our Adolescent Program.
2024: West Coast Montessori Early Learning opened, providing specialised care and education for children aged 0–5, blending Montessori principles with the National Quality Framework (NQF).
2026: A Unified Future as West Coast Montessori
In 2026, we reached a major milestone by uniting all our campuses and programs under one banner:
West Coast Montessori.
Today, across five locations, we provide a seamless educational pathway including Childcare, Playgroup, Pre-school, Primary, and High School. While we have grown significantly from that small house in Safety Bay, the "TEAM Spirit" of our founders remains at the heart of everything we do, ensuring that together, our students, families, and educators achieve more.
Discover the difference a Montessori education can make. Book a tour, view our classrooms, and experience our approach in action.