Section 1: Start here

Which campuses does PEP have, and which programs run where?

PEP HSR and ACCEL PEP Whitefield in Bangalore run everything: Toddler, Primary, Elementary, and High School (Grades 6-10). Ribbons PEP Varthur (Bangalore) and PEP Kokapet (Hyderabad) run Toddler through Elementary. Ribbons PEP Sarjapura (Bangalore) runs Toddler and Primary. Each campus page has the details.

Are Ribbons PEP and ACCEL PEP different schools?

No. Ribbons PEP and ACCEL PEP are campus identities within the same PEP Schoolv2 network. Same Montessori approach, same educator preparation, same programs, same admissions process.

What ages can join, and are admissions open?

Admissions are open across all our programs, from 15 months through Grade 10, depending on campus. Entry points: Toddler from 15 months, Primary from 2.5 years, Elementary from 6 years onwards, High School for Grades 6-10.

How do admissions work?

Through a consultative, mutual-fit process: you enquire, join an information conversation and school tour, read about the Montessori approach, your child visits a classroom (the observation), Elementary and High School parents observe a classroom too, we review fit together, and where the fit works and a seat is available, we confirm the offer. Among suitable families, seats go in order of application.

How do you decide which program or class my child joins?

By readiness, not age alone. We look at your child's prior experience, independence, and what we see during the observation, which is why we don't confirm a class before meeting your child, especially near the Toddler-to-Primary, Primary-to-Elementary, or Elementary-to-High School transition points.

When should we apply?

Admissions are rolling, but seats and intake windows are limited, so earlier is better, especially for Toddler. Mid-year entry is often possible in the younger programs; joining Elementary mid-year is considered case by case.

What happens during the child observation? Is it a test?

No. There is no pass or fail and nothing to prepare. Typically for children aged 3 and above: your child spends a short session in a working classroom while our educators watch how they engage with the environment, so we understand their comfort, curiosity, and stage of development. It also helps us hit the ground running if we move forward together, because personalising your child's learning starts with knowing them. Afterwards we share what we noticed in a debrief conversation.

What are the fees?

Fees are shared and discussed during the admissions conversation, along with exactly what they include. Write to contact@pepschoolv2.com or book a conversation and we'll walk you through it.

What are the school timings?

Timings vary by program and campus and are shared during the admissions conversation.

Is there daycare?

Yes. Daycare and extended care are available for enrolled students; it is not offered as a standalone service. Timings vary by campus and are shared during the admissions conversation.

Is there school transport?

Yes, on select routes, via school-operated buses. These are our own buses and staff, not an outsourced service. Whether transport works for you depends on your exact address and current routes, so ask us with your location and we'll check.

What about food and meals?

Children bring food from home. Where a child has allergies, we agree a specific plan with you, including sharing restrictions where needed. Medical needs are discussed candidly during admissions so we're sure the environment can support your child safely.

What safety measures are in place?

Multiple adults in every environment, with the strongest adult presence in the youngest classrooms; trained first-aid response; and prompt, direct communication with you if anything happens. CCTV operates as an internal safety tool, not a live parent feed. You'll see the campus's actual spaces and safety arrangements on the tour, and we encourage you to ask about them directly.

Can PEP support a child with developmental differences or additional learning needs?

Case by case, and we'll be transparent with you. The environment personalises pace naturally, and we discuss your child's needs candidly and observe before committing. We are not a specialist program and don't promise one-to-one support for special needs; if we believe another setting would serve your child better, we'll say so.

Which languages are used?

English is the main classroom language, with local-language exposure woven in through songs, stories, and vocabulary: Kannada and Hindi at our Bangalore campuses, Telugu and Hindi at PEP Kokapet in Hyderabad. Home languages are an asset, not a problem; a child who isn't yet comfortable in English is never treated as a barrier case.

Is PEP affiliated to a board?

PEP Schoolv2 is itself an officially registered IGCSE centre. Our high school (Grades 6-10) follows an IGCSE pathway. We chose IGCSE after thorough study as a strong foundation for different entrance exams, boards, and career paths.

Can my child join mid-year?

Yes, where seats are available. The same admissions process applies, and we plan the settling-in around your child's timeline. Ask us.

Section 2: Toddler (15 months to 2.5 years)

How does the program build independence at this age?

Through a do-it-yourself culture: toddlers manage their own belongings, set up their snack tables and feed themselves, wash their hands, and learn to wait their turn and care for their environment. We partner with parents on toilet learning using Montessori methods. Order matters enormously at this age: consistent routines in a very orderly environment help children know what to expect and feel secure.

Who will be with my child in the classroom?

Multiple adults, with the strongest adult support in the youngest environments. During settling-in, a consistent primary adult stays close to your child, offering reassurance without forcing engagement, every day, so your child knows exactly who their anchor is.

Do you help with toilet learning, diapers, food, and allergies?

Yes, this is a partnership. Tell us how things work at home (food preferences, allergies, nap rhythms, where your child is with toilet learning) and we align the school routine with it. Independence in eating, dressing, and toileting is built into the toddler program itself.

My child only speaks our mother tongue. Will they cope?

Yes. A strong mother tongue is a foundation, not a barrier. We map your child to adults who speak their language where possible so they feel understood from day one, and English comes naturally from the environment through peers, consistent phrases, and daily interaction. The first five years are the best window for absorbing multiple languages.

Can my 2.5-year-old skip Toddler and go straight to Primary?

We usually recommend the Toddler environment first for children new to school, even developmentally advanced ones, because it's designed for a child's first-ever transition away from home: socialisation, emotional security, and independence at their pace. If your child shows readiness for more, early Primary materials are offered within the Toddler environment itself. The right entry point is decided together during admissions.

How will I know how my child's day went?

Our educators observe closely and share what matters: patterns, progress, and anything that needs attention. One tip we give all parents: avoid bombarding your child with questions right after pickup. Children share more when they're allowed to do it at their own pace.

When does my child move from Toddler to Primary?

When they're ready, not necessarily on a fixed date. Educators watch for readiness signals and plan the transition with you, including acclimatization visits to the Primary environment.

What should we do at home to support settling?

Keep drop-offs consistent (same person where possible, same brief goodbye routine), keep home routines predictable, and don't over-prepare or pressure your child to "like" school. If a break or illness causes a regression, that's normal; children re-settle with consistency.

Is daycare available for toddlers?

Yes, for enrolled students. Timings vary by campus and are shared during the admissions conversation.

Section 3: Primary (2.5 to 6 years)

What does a normal day look like in Primary?

Children work through a long, uninterrupted work cycle: they choose real materials (language, mathematics, practical life, sensorial, culture), work with them at their own pace, and receive one-to-one presentations from educators. The classroom is calm because the environment is designed for focus, not because children are being controlled.

What does the Primary curriculum actually cover?

Five areas: practical life (self-care, care of the environment, pouring, polishing, buttoning), sensorial materials that isolate qualities like size, sound, and texture to sharpen observation, mathematics built through concrete materials for deep conceptual understanding, language, where children joyfully learn to write and read well before Elementary, and arts and culture, with exposure to geography, science, and history, and monthly field trips into the local community. Underneath it all, the program deliberately builds executive functions: self-control, organisation, time management, and perseverance.

How do reading, writing, and maths develop without worksheets and homework?

Through concrete materials that build concepts before abstraction: children trace sandpaper letters before writing, compose words with a movable alphabet before reading, and handle quantities before touching written numbers. Each material contains its own control of error, so children find and fix their own mistakes. That self-correction, not adult correction, is where learning consolidates.

Is there homework in Primary?

No. Learning at this age happens through the work cycle at school, with real materials and real repetition. Home is for family life, play, sleep, and the independence children carry back into the classroom. The most valuable thing to build at home is a reading culture.

How do I know my child is actually progressing?

Educators observe each child daily and track development against broad, research-based ranges for every milestone. If anything needs attention, we tell you first, along with a plan for addressing it. You'll always know exactly how your child is doing; what you won't see is your five-year-old reduced to a number.

Should every child read and write by the same age?

No, and the research doesn't support a single fixed age. Children have readiness windows, and the materials meet each child where they are. We watch closely: if your child's progress genuinely needs support, you will hear it from us first, along with what we're doing about it.

Why are classrooms mixed-age?

Because children learn powerfully from children. Younger ones absorb by watching older ones work; older ones consolidate mastery by helping. There is deliberately one of each material in the classroom, which teaches patience, turn-taking, and repetition until mastery, and lets a child who has mastered a material show it to a newer child.

My child is 3 or older and new to school. How does settling-in work at this age?

Gradually and individually, just like in Toddler: short sessions that extend as your child shows comfort, a consistent adult anchor, and honest communication with you throughout. Settling isn't the absence of tears; it's the growth of two attachments, to the work and to the people. Most children find their rhythm within a few weeks.

Isn't Montessori just play? Where's the rigour?

Watch a four-year-old repeat a material for forty minutes until she gets it right, unprompted, and the question answers itself. The environment has a culture of work: children take ownership of what they've chosen, complete it, and return it. Freedom in Montessori operates within clear limits, and concentration is the visible result.

How is discipline handled?

Through clear limits, consistent adult role-modelling, and conversation rather than punishment or rewards. When a child's behaviour disrupts the community's learning repeatedly, we address it seriously: the child is taken aside and worked with individually, and we partner with parents on what's happening at home. Grace and courtesy are taught as explicitly as language and maths.

My child is focused at school but distracted at home. Why?

Three reasons we see constantly: school has fewer competing options, school has a culture of work children recognise, and adults at school are deliberately less instantly available, which builds independent focus. At home, when an adult is always within arm's reach, children outsource their persistence to them. We're happy to share what works; this is one of the most common questions in our parent meetings.

Will my child be ready for Grade 1, at PEP or elsewhere?

Yes. By the end of Primary, children have language, number work, concentration, and working habits that map onto Grade 1 expectations, and we track readiness explicitly: language, math, independence, concentration, and group participation. Most children continue into PEP Elementary; for families moving on, we talk straightforwardly about the transition.

What about screen time?

We strongly discourage it for young children, and the research on attention and brain development backs that position. At school there are no screens in the early years. We'll happily share practical guidance for reducing screens at home; it's one of the most common conversations we have with parents.

How do parents stay involved?

Classroom observations followed by a debrief conversation, regular parent-teacher meetings about your individual child, and Family Day, where children present their work to you. We also expect alignment: what we build at school works best when home routines support the same independence.

Is Montessori right for my child and family?

That's exactly what the admissions process is designed to answer, honestly, in both directions. The information conversation, your reading, and the observation exist so neither of us commits blind. If we believe PEP isn't the right setting for your child, we'll say so.

Is Montessori Elementary academically rigorous?

Yes, and structurally so. Lessons happen in classes of six, matched to readiness, so no child hides at the back of a class of forty. Work is assigned with real deadlines, new work is unlocked by completing previous work, and children go deep: research projects, mathematics moving from concrete to abstract, writing, presentations. Rigour here means depth and ownership, not volume of worksheets.

How do you assess without marks and rankings?

We track each child's development closely against benchmarks and communicate qualitatively: what your child has mastered, what they're working on, and what needs attention. We deliberately don't hand children scores and ranks, because the moment the number appears, the learning becomes about the number. You will never be in the dark about your child's progress; we tell you directly, including when something needs work.

How do children complete work without punishment or rewards?

Our foundational belief: children naturally want to do things well. Work comes with reasonable timelines; peer momentum does much of the motivating (when one child in a group finishes and enjoys the work, others follow); and new, interesting work opens up as previous work completes. No stars, no scolding, no humiliation. It works better than fear does.

How do lessons actually work with "classes of six"?

Children are grouped by readiness for each subject, not just by age, in lessons of about six children per adult. A child significantly ahead in a subject may work individually at their own pace; a child who needs more support gets it in a smaller, targeted way. This is what personalisation actually looks like operationally.

What do children actually study in Elementary?

An integrated curriculum Montessori called cosmic education: mathematics to advanced mastery, writing and communication, reading comprehension at advanced levels, botany, zoology, history, geography, literature, art, music, and physical education, taught as an interconnected whole rather than separate silos. Children take on interest-based research work, learning to ask questions, think through problems, and find answers for themselves, and educator-led field trips plus child-led "Going Outs" carry the learning beyond the classroom.

What does Elementary cover beyond academics?

Mathematics, English, and languages (Kannada and Hindi in Bangalore; Telugu and Hindi in Hyderabad), plus art, music (vocal and instrumental), gymnastics, sports including football, public speaking, and outstation trips. The philosophy is broad exposure so children discover their interests and abilities. The exact sports and extracurricular offerings vary by campus; ask about your campus during the admissions conversation.

My child is ahead in some areas and behind in others. How do you handle that?

That describes most children, and it's precisely why lessons are grouped by readiness per subject. A child can be in an advanced maths group and a supported writing group simultaneously. Where a child needs help beyond classroom differentiation, we tell you honestly what we can provide and what we can't.

Can my child move to a conventional school later?

Yes, some children do, and in our experience most transitions have been seamless, because children have developed the academic and socio-emotional skills the next school expects: strong conceptual understanding, self-direction, and the ability to work without supervision. We support families through the transition when it's the right move.

My child is joining FROM a conventional school. How do they adjust?

The first weeks are about learning to own their time: choosing work, planning, and discovering that adults here won't constantly instruct them. Most children find their feet within the first term, and educators scaffold the freedom deliberately rather than dropping children into it.

How much homework is there?

Elementary children don't get conventional daily homework; the deep work happens in the long school work cycle. What we do ask of home: a reading culture. Reading habits built by age six make everything easier later, and a home library matters more than any worksheet.

What happens after Elementary?

Children continue into PEP's High School (Grades 6-10), which follows an IGCSE pathway. PEP Schoolv2 is itself an officially registered IGCSE centre. High School currently runs at PEP HSR and ACCEL PEP Whitefield.

How do you handle friendships, conflict, and social difficulty?

Elementary is intensely social, and verbal conflicts are a normal part of it. Educators moderate lightly rather than prosecuting every incident, teach grace and courtesy explicitly, and watch patterns over time. If something crosses a line or a pattern concerns us, you'll hear from us directly.

Do children really help teach each other?

Constantly, and it's by design. Ten-year-olds mentor younger children, children who've mastered material demonstrate it to others, and older students take real responsibility for how the community runs. Teaching something is the strongest form of mastering it.

What is PEP High School?

Grades 6 to 10, currently at PEP HSR and ACCEL PEP Whitefield (and being set up at Ribbons PEP Varthur and PEP Kokapet): the continuation of the Montessori journey into adolescence, ending in the IGCSE examinations. PEP Schoolv2 is itself an officially registered IGCSE centre, and students are prepared for their board exams by the educators who know them.

How is it different from a conventional high school?

Structurally. Roughly half of a student's time goes to academics, taught in classes of six grouped by readiness. The other half goes to real work, self-expression, and life skills. That split is deliberate: adolescents who feel useful for genuine contribution, not just marks, engage more deeply with academics, not less. We are preparing young people for life, and the exams are one part of that.

Is this a standard Montessori program?

It's a modern reinterpretation of one. Montessori designed her adolescent program to be residential and farm-based: teenagers living together, running a real working community. We keep the essentials she identified (real work with real stakes, genuine responsibility for community life, and academic seriousness) and run them as an urban day school, adapted for city families.

What is "real work"? Why do teenagers run enterprises?

Our students run real enterprises: actual products, actual customers, actual money, actual consequences. Roles rotate through production, sourcing, sales, customer service, and accounting, so every student answers, at some point, for outcomes someone else depends on. This is where responsibility, recovery from mistakes, and the felt sense of being useful actually get built, and it is where Business as an academic subject finds its application.

Do students really sit board exams? How does a Montessori school prepare them?

Yes, and we take them seriously. Exam skills are taught explicitly as skills: revision planning, time management, understanding mark schemes, past-paper practice, timed writing, and full mock examinations. Wherever possible we spread the examination load rather than concentrating everything into one final season. What we refuse to do is let anxiety, comparison, or panic become the dominant note of the exam years.

How much do Grade 10 board marks actually matter?

They matter: they are a real academic record, they affect confidence and future subject choices, and a strong result keeps options open. They are not, however, the life-defining event many parents remember from their own schooling. Future pathways depend on a much broader picture: Grades 11 and 12, entrance examinations where relevant, and your child's developing strengths.

What subjects do students take?

A core of English, Mathematics, the sciences (taught individually or as an integrated award, depending on the student), Business, and Economics, with Business and Economics tying directly into the enterprise work. Subject profiles are finalised individually with each family. Languages continue as taught subjects in school, though not as board-exam subjects. And students who are especially motivated to take a subject beyond this core are free to do so: as a school, we do not restrict subject choices, and we support the preparation.

Is there homework in High School?

Yes, roughly an hour most days, and it's the student's own responsibility. What we ask of parents: make the conditions at home that allow it (sleep, routine, an organised place to work), and don't do the work with them. Their job is the doing; yours is making the doing possible.

What about exam stress and well-being?

We watch carefully, name what we see early, and act before things get heavy: adjusting load, changing revision approach, or stepping back from a mock cycle when that's the right call. We are honest about our limits too; we are not a clinical setting, and where a student would benefit from professional support, we say so and refer families to trusted external counsellors. Parents hold the calm at home; children take their emotional temperature from the adults around them.

What happens after Grade 10?

Our program ends at Grade 10, and the IGCSE qualification opens every standard route: CBSE or ISC for Grades 11-12, the IB Diploma, or A-Levels. We help families think through the transition, share what we know about receiving schools, and support the documentation the next step requires. That conversation starts formally at the beginning of Grade 10.

Will my child cope with Indian entrance exams later?

IGCSE builds conceptual application: interpreting, reasoning, and explaining rather than only recalling. In our experience, these transitions have been smooth: a student who has engaged seriously with IGCSE mathematics and sciences steps into Grade 11, including entrance-exam preparation tracks, with exactly the conceptual habits Grade 11 demands.

Can my child join High School directly from a conventional school?

Yes, case by case. The admissions process is the same consultative one, with one addition: parents of High School applicants spend time observing a working classroom themselves, because seeing adolescents plan and manage real work answers questions no brochure can.