FAQs
Q. Do you offer 20 ECE Hours?
Yes, Smart Start Montessori is a government approved ECE programme. Children aged 3-6 may be eligible for up to 6 hours care a day with a total of 20 Hours ECE per week.
Q. What age can my child start?
Our childcare centre in Mt Eden is licensed for children from 2-6 years of age.
Q. What is Montessori Philosophy?
Our teachers are individual members of Montessori Aotearoa New Zealand (MANZ), who have some wonderful resources available. We encourage you to discover the world of Montessori education by clicking on the links below.
Q. What are your opening hours?
Our opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5.00pm, including School Holidays, but excluding Public Holidays.
Q. What do I need to bring?
We ask that parents provide a packed lunchbox with nutritious lunch, healthy snacks and a drink bottle for the duration of your child’s day, including morning and afternoon tea. Please also provide named clothing, suitable for the season, included one change.
When do you teach them letters and numbers?
The simple answer is “When they are ready, and not before”. For example, teaching a child how to write if they don’t yet know how to hold a pencil is doomed to failure. Most of what goes on in a child’s development at this age is to do with motor skills, concentration, confidence, socializing and becoming aware that learning is great fun. Only when those are firmly in place, and providing the child is beginning to show an interest in numbers and letters, do we introduce them to the relevant equipment. At that stage progress is likely to be rapid. Putting pressure on children before they are ready (whether at home or at school) usually leads to the loss of any enthusiasm for the subject. Virtually all five-year-olds leaving Smart Start Montessori are numerate and any that are not yet literate have learnt the skills necessary to become so. They are all properly prepared for a confident and competent transition to primary school.
