At Edinburgh Montessori Arts School, learning extends far beyond academics. Just as we teach children to read, calculate, and inquire into the world around them, we also teach them how to listen, to express themselves clearly, and to resolve conflict with empathy and respect. Restorative practice is woven through the fabric of our school, beginning in the nursery and primary classrooms and continuing all the way through to our adolescent programme.

Early Foundations: Peace Tables and Discussion Groups

In our nursery and primary settings, proactive strategies lay the groundwork for healthy communication. The peace table is a safe and familiar place where children can go to work through problems with one another. Sitting down together with the clear intention of listening and being heard, children are guided in finding solutions that are respectful to everyone involved.

Once children are able to find comfort in the routine of discussion and having their worries listened to, we soon see them begin to resolve conflict without the help of an adult. As I walk past a small group of four-year-olds, I hear one exclaim:

“I didn’t like what you did, we need to talk with the peace table!”

The children bustle off to another corner of the room and fetch the lightweight, floral-painted stool that acts as a table. Another child gathers a potted plant, placing it carefully in the centre, while a third organises the ‘talking stone’ for participants to hold when it is their turn to speak. A delightful role-play, one they have learned through many peace conversations, ensues. Without any adult guidance, the children listen, share, express, and decide when they have reached a solution. Interestingly, not the kind of solution I, as an adult, might have guided them to – but one they are satisfied with. They agree on their decision, put away the artefacts, and return to their previous work.

These early experiences are practical expressions of what Maria Montessori called education for peace. From the very beginning, children learn that peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to work through differences with respect and understanding.

Alongside the peace table, discussion groups provide a forum where children learn to articulate their experiences and feelings in a supportive group context. These spaces normalise open conversation and encourage children to see problems not as crises, but as opportunities for growth and understanding.

Emotional Literacy as Daily Learning

Restorative practice at EMAS is supported by an ongoing focus on emotional literacy. Just as they learn new vocabulary in reading and writing, our students learn a rich vocabulary of feelings. They begin to understand the connections between their bodily responses, their emotions, and their underlying needs.

For example, a child might learn to say:

“I feel frustrated when you talk during the lesson because I need quiet when I am listening to the teacher.”

This kind of clarity helps students to advocate for themselves while also recognising the needs of others. It is a practice that builds empathy and lays the foundation for healthy, respectful relationships.

Restorative Circles in the Adolescent Programme

As students mature into our adolescent programme, restorative practice becomes even more central. Advisory time is always conducted as a restorative circle, where every student has the chance to be heard. Circles are spaces for reflection, acknowledgement, and shared problem-solving.

In these circles, students regularly acknowledge one another’s strengths, kind deeds, and accomplishments. They also engage in thoughtful discussions about decision-making. Importantly, they learn to distinguish between a decision and a person: a poor choice does not define who someone is. This insight allows them to approach mistakes – their own and others’ – with compassion and responsibility.

A powerful example of this comes when several students, having been involved in some rough-and-tumble play where more than one person’s feelings were hurt, sit down with an adult guide to take part in a restorative conversation. Each student is listened to as they explain what happened from their own perspective — a reminder every time that perspective-taking is a skill in itself.

The group reflects on what thoughts were going through their minds at the time. One student, visibly upset, shares that they had felt afraid during the conflict. Others are quick to defend themselves, insisting they would never try to hurt their friend. The guide remains neutral, holding the circle steady and reminding the students that everyone will have their turn to speak and that perspectives may differ. When the upset student goes on to share a vivid memory of a past encounter in another setting, the room falls silent. The empathy is palpable as the group listens and begins to understand the depth of their peer’s reaction.

Learning to actively listen, and to respect the words of another, is a fundamental pillar of the education for peace that Maria Montessori and others have long advocated for. Blame, shame, and punishment have no place in a system that allows students to discover the richness of perspective that emerges when time is taken to communicate well.

Reflection and Growth

Adolescents at EMAS are given dedicated time, both in group settings and one-to-one with their mentors, to reflect on their learning, growth, and personal development. Restorative practice here is not a one-off event, but an active and ongoing dialogue. Students learn to pause, to consider, and to understand their own actions in the broader context of community.

This work develops the emotional insight that young adults need to navigate the complexities of the wider world. Just as algebra or essay-writing equips them academically, restorative practice equips them emotionally – with the tools to resolve conflict, to value diverse perspectives, and to take responsibility for their choices.

At EMAS, restorative practice is not an add-on; it is a core part of how we live and learn together. It nurtures the capacity for empathy, reflection, and resilience – qualities that are as important as any academic skill, and essential for life beyond school.