The choice of private over State education is one many parents make. Montessori education is also popular, and, "if you choose Montessori, you have to go private," says Anne Curley.

When Anne knew that her young family Eoin (6), Aisling (4), Conor (3) and Leah (6 months) were going to return to Ireland, after five years in Paris, she made sure to put their names down for the local national school in Dalkey, Co Dublin.

But she changed her mind and now the older two attend Castle Park, a private school.

Aisling and Conor were born in Paris and Eoin began his schooling at a bilingual Montessori school there. "We chose the school in Paris because it was bilingual and it was Montessori. We knew we would be coming home relatively soon and we didn't want them to be completely in the French system," says Anne.

"We wanted a bilingual education because we wanted them to read and write in English as well as French," says Curley.

The family didn't know much about the Montessori method then, what was most important initially was that the school offered two languages.

While away Anne had put down the children's names for the local national school in Dalkey, but had second thoughts when she discovered that the boys and girls were split at the age of eight.

"I didn't want that because I want them all in a mixed sex school until they are 12. And I also want them going to the same school," she says.

Although that was the main reason for not sending her children to the local national school, she says that because they liked Montessori, they looked at the Montessori options available here. Someone recommended a local private school, Castle Park, where Montessori is taught from the ages of three to six. Anne was impressed and enrolled her children. Only the older two are in Castle Park. Conor is at another Montessori school in Dalkey, because he is too young. He started at two-and-a-half, but Castle Park doesn't take children until they are three years old, so he'll join next year.

Although some schools will educate children using the Montessori method until they are 12, Anne would not like that for her children. "For a three- to six-year-old it's wonderful. I love Montessori. I think it's great." Curley believes Montessori is a less formal approach to education, but she insists that there is nothing wrong with State schools - it is just that having had a taste of Montessori education, she decided to continue with it.

"This suits my children and I think it's a more gentle introduction to education," she says. In her opinion, Montessori caters very well for the individual child. "Children go in and they work at their own pace, doing their own individual work."

The three Rs are still part of a Montessori education. "They do do the mainstream stuff, but they do it in an individual way. I prefer that method at the age they are at."

Also, there doesn't seem to be too much pressure put on them, she says. "They are learning plenty. They learn huge amounts, they come home with a wide range of information and did project work on the Olympics and the American presidential elections. The school seems to incorporate a lot of current information into the programme as well."

Curley believes her children are much happier in this environment.

"They adore school. There's never any problem with going to school. They absolutely love it.

"Children are different anyway, but you often hear of other children who don't want to go to school. Mine absolutely love school, they hate the holidays."