When Prince George strolled into his first day of pre-school at Westacre Montessori last week, he looked relaxed and happy – a sure sign that he was ready for school and it was the right place for him.
That's because it is just the place for a future king, says Louise Livingston, director of training at the Maria Montessori Institute, where many of George's teachers studied.
Following the methods pioneered by Italian educator Maria Montessori, Westacre Montessori School in East Walton, which is not far from the family's country home, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, stresses that children think for themselves as early as possible.
"There is a lot of focus on independence and helping children do things for themselves and make their own decisions and their own choices," Livingston tells PEOPLE in this week's issue.