A SPECIAL teaching method passed down through five generations of a family has inspired one of its members to start up her own school.

Mrs Sheila O'Neill is the third generation in a family that has fully embraced the now world-renowned Montessori teaching skills.

Now she runs the Montessori School in High Elms Lane, Garston, which is so much a part of family life that three of her daughters teach there.

Her seven grandchildren all attend the school, which caters for children aged between three and 12.

Mrs O'Neill said: "My grandmother, Olga, started the family's interest because she was very impressed with this teaching method after meeting Marie Montessori.

"My mother was educated this way. It gave her the skills to teach in New York and England and helped her career as a painter and a writer.

"My brothers and sisters and I have all benefited and have turned out fairly well."

The success story is apparent. One of Mrs O'Neill's family is a professor of philosophy, another is chief accountant for the mayor of New York, while another relative is a missionary working in Africa.

The backbone of the Montessori method is a belief that children should be encouraged to learn at their own pace.

Children are taught the national curriculum but are allowed to fully explore a subject before moving on.

Mrs O'Neill explained: "It is very much a hands-on teaching method. Children do not sit and stare at the blackboard all day but have lots of colourful equipment to learn with."

Originally, there were 11 Montessori schools in the area set up by Mrs O'Neill, but several have been amalgamated and moved to Garston.

A recent Ofsted report praised the school's methods.

This month, the family is celebrating the reprint of most of the 25 children's books written and illustrated by Mrs Hilda van Stockum, Mrs O'Neill's 91-year-old mother.

Mrs O'Neill said: "These are just very nice, healthy family books. Children grow up far too quickly these days."

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