FAQs

A Caedmon student is unique! Each child brings a sense of whimsy and rigor to work and play, and their individuality is encouraged here. Based on the teachings of Maria Montessori to let the child lead, Caedmon students are instilled with a sense of independence early on, which fosters a sense of confidence, and inquisitiveness.

At Caedmon, our Early Childhood Montessori program for our youngest students is taken from the teachings of Maria Montessori. Here, curiosity and independence bloom. Children refine their tactile understanding of the world around them, while engaging in the five areas of a Montessori classroom: Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language Arts, and Cultural Arts with time for imaginative play, block building, reading, art, social studies, science, discovery, music, and play.

Throughout our Elementary program of  Kindergarten through Fifth grade, we embrace the Montessori principles of independent and group work where students are the drivers of their success, fostering the development of confident, driven, collaborative, and creative children. During Kindergarten and the mixed-age First and Second Grades, we teach with both Montessori materials as well as progressive curricula and approaches. By Third grade, there are considerably fewer Montessori materials, allowing students to focus on the progressive curricula as they prepare to move into Middle School.

A major component of the Montessori philosophy is that children from different age groups interact together in one classroom. Our Early Program classes combine three and four-year-old children, and our mixed-age First and Second grades combine students in a two-year age span. Older students are proud to act as role models; younger ones feel supported and gain confidence about the challenges ahead.

Upon graduating from Fifth-grade at Caedmon, our students are accepted into and attend some of the most prominent independent and public middle schools in NYC. Our Head of School and Associate Head of School partner with families of graduating students to see that each child is placed into a school that best suits their academic interests, social intelligence, and learning style.

Graduate Schools

In New York City, sixth grade is the next major point of entry for new students after Kindergarten and therefore, our graduates have a wide array of schools to consider for middle school. We’ve built strong relationships with our ongoing schools over the years, and Directors of Admissions are extremely impressed with candidates from Caedmon.

Twice a year, parents engage in parent-teacher conferences with their child’s homeroom teacher. In addition, in-depth report cards are mailed out twice a year, which detail each child’s progress based on a number of competencies, skills, characteristics, and practices. Teachers are also frequently in touch with families via email and phone calls, and parents are welcome to request appointments to discuss a child’s progress as necessary.

Caedmon is proud of its rich, engaging, and ever-evolving Afternoons@Caedmon program. Among the most robust in the city, we offer an array of sports, art, cooking, language, science, engineering, and music classes. Most classes are taught by current Caedmon teachers or professionals from outside of the school. 

After School Programs

Time and again, we are told by ongoing schools how confident, collaborative, and poised our alumni are. It is not unusual to hear former students rattling off about coding, foreign policy, basketball stats, or the latest exhibit at the Met. Our students go off into the world having built life-long friendships in our courtyard and hallways, armed with the everlasting inquisitiveness, curiosity, and sense of agency that is characteristic to a Montessori education.

The Caedmon School is one of the only schools in NYC that spans the years of childhood, ages 2-10. While embracing the individual and allowing the child to lead and discover, students at Caedmon are also given opportunities to assume authentic leadership roles and develop an age-appropriate sophistication that is not commonly found in K-12 environments.

Caedmon is committed to equity, diversity, and community and ensuring that all students and their families feel a sense of belonging.

Faculty are genuinely interested in getting to know each of their students and are invested in their success. In our warm, down-to-earth, respectful community, status isn’t important. We value children as leaders and view parents as partners throughout this momentous and endearing journey toward adolescence.

No, we are not a Catholic school; however, because of the building’s historical connection to St. Monica’s Church on 79th Street, Roman Catholic religion class from Kindergarten through Fifth grade is available outside of school hours if families request this instruction for their children.