Mission & Purpose
Garden House
In 2004, Heleen Hoogendijk founded a Montessori preschool, the first international preschool in Sarajevo, with a clear and heartfelt vision: to create a warm, stimulating place for young children, a “home away from home” rooted in Sarajevo itself and carried by the women who worked there. Read more
Our mission
In 2011, that founding mission continued with renewed love — for children, for learning, and for a home where childhood can unfold with warmth and respect. What began earlier as a clear vision became the next chapter of the plan: a kindergarten in Sarajevo shaped by Montessori practice and the UK Early Years pathway, where experience leads the way.
Every child deserves the best — attentive educators, and relationships that honour both the child and the family. We carry that promise forward so it is not only spoken, but lived each day: parents can trust the journey as much as the destination.
Today, at Prozorska 10, Vraca, 71000 Sarajevo, the mission is reality: a calm, nature-inspired space where classroom and garden share one daily rhythm — indoor focus and outdoor discovery, independence and joy taking root. Love made tangible, for every child who walks through our gate.
Our approach — Montessori & UK Curriculum
Young minds with love and learning
At its heart, Montessori is a philosophy — rooted in how children learn and develop, it fosters independence, concentration, and a lifelong love of learning. We do not aim to fill a child’s head with facts for a test: knowledge still matters, and so do kindness, confidence, and the quiet pride of real work done with their own hands. Educators prepare the environment, observe carefully, and guide with respect so each child can move at their own pace — step by step, without pressure to perform.
Respect for the Child
We listen, observe, and honour each child’s pace, voice, and dignity.
Sensitive Periods for Learning
We follow natural windows when language, movement, and order take root most easily.
A Prepared Environment
Classrooms and garden are ordered, beautiful, and sized so children can act independently.
Independence and Discovery
Real work and free choice build concentration, confidence, and a lasting love of learning.
EYFS and Reception year
Montessori independence meets the UK Early Years Foundation Stage — so children grow confident, capable, and ready for the next step.
UK Early Years Foundation Stage
Learning builds through enabling environments and positive relationships. Creativity, language, and early foundations take root through joyful, purposeful play — aligned with EYFS while also remaining true to Montessori practice.
Communication & language
Listening, speaking, and early literacy grow through conversation, stories, and purposeful talk.
Physical development
Gross and fine motor skills strengthen through movement, outdoor play, and careful hand work.
Personal, social & emotional
Children build confidence, friendships, and self-regulation in a calm, respectful community.
Reception year
Reception is the bridge year before formal primary schooling — typically for children around four to five. At Garden House, this pathway deepens literacy, early mathematics, and social confidence without rushing childhood.
Children still choose meaningful work, move freely, and learn outdoors. Educators gently strengthen school-readiness skills so the transition to Year 1 — or another international setting — feels natural and secure.
Phonics, counting, and early writing grow through concrete materials and everyday conversation, while friendships and self-regulation stay at the heart of the day.
Families receive clear, calm updates on progress, so you always know how your child is growing toward the next chapter.
Safety & care
A place parents can trust
Warmth and wonder only work when every child feels secure.
Clear care, calm trust
Safety at Garden House means clear routines, attentive supervision, and an environment sized for children — indoors and in the garden.
We partner with families openly. Arrival and departure follow known pathways, so children feel expected and held from the first hello to the last goodbye.
Life here
Learning that feels like home
Practical life, nature, creativity, and friendship — woven into ordinary days.
Ordinary days, lasting growth
From pouring water to planting seeds, children practice real skills that build independence. Outdoor time, quiet pauses, and unhurried work cycles give the day a gentle shape.
In the house and garden, friendship grows beside concentration. Families are welcome to visit, ask questions, and feel whether Garden House is the right fit before applying.
Come see the house and garden
Visit Garden House, meet our team, and feel whether this calm kindergarten is right for your child.