Smart Start Montessori is a vibrant, nurturing and welcoming Montessori preschool for 2–6-year-olds. Our preschool is located at 99 Grange Rd, Mt Eden, just a short drive from Epsom, Balmoral, One Tree Hill, Onehunga, Morningside, Sandringham, Remuera, New Market, Mt Albert, Blockhouse Bay, Mt Roskill, Hillsborough, Kingsland, Newton and Grey Lynn.
Our inclusive preschool adheres to the holistic principles of Maria Montessori and Te Whariki, New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum, fostering a love of learning in all tamariki, with individual tailor-made learning for each child.
Smart Start Montessori had its humble beginnings over 35 years ago, in Elizabeth Abbott’s living room. Since then, it has evolved into a modern purpose-built early childhood centre operating a full-day specialised preschool programme from 9am-4pm. We also offer before care (8.30am-9am) and aftercare (4pm-5pm). Our centre is licensed for 40 children in which we accommodate two light filled spacious rooms of 20 mixed age children from 2 to 6 years old, to create a calm and nurturing learning environment, a home away from home for our tamariki.
Our peaceful learning environment is managed by a long serving team of highly experienced, qualified and registered Montessori teachers, providing a prepared stable learning environment and fostering a sense of belonging.
Our holistic program aims to develop a love of learning in each child, where every child is guided to reach their full potential and empowered as competent and confident learners and communicators for life.
Our Montessori curriculum:
- Is child focused, encouraging respect and independence and developing children’s sense of identity and self-worth
- Provides a calm prepared environment enabling children to maintain focus and develop their concentration, self-initiate, problem solve and organise themselves through working with self-chosen activities. These skills generate engaged learners with a positive and confident approach to life-long learning
- Provides an expansive range of educational kinaesthetic activities that meet the learning and developmental needs of each child while extending and challenging their capabilities. Through reviews, reflection, and professional development, we always strive to enhance our practice.
- Acknowledges and celebrates each child’s prior learning, and extends and enhances each child’s strengths and interests, at their own pace.
- Intends to create independent learners, by building children’s confidence and self esteem and guiding each child with the necessary skills for all life experiences.
- Recognises the importance of working in partnership with each child’s whanau, seeking their aspirations and collaborating throughout each child’s learning journey to ensure she or he reaches their full potential. These warm, trusting, and loving partnerships form the back bone for children’s learning to support each child’s sense of mana whenua (belonging).
- Is inclusive and recognises beauty in diversity, by celebrating and furthering children’s knowledge of their own and other cultures in New Zealand.
- Enables a peaceful amalgamation of exploratory and active participation in a calm and beautifully planned environment, where kinaesthetic learning is greatly valued.
- Provides a unique individual reading phonics programme for each child
The goal of Early Childhood Education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.
- Maria Montessori
Contact us to arrange a visit. We’d love to hear from you!
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