Whanganui Montessori Preschool combines a Montessori philosophy with New Zealand’s National Early Childhood Education Curriculum – Te Whāriki. Our programme is designed to nurture your child’s innate curiosity.

The only Montessori preschool in Whanganui

The school opened in 1992. We have two well-resourced 3-6 year classrooms – Milan and Venice – with seven qualified and experienced teachers, and around 25 children in each class. Children attend preschool Monday to Friday between the hours of 8.30am to 3.30pm, depending on your childcare needs.

A caring community school

Our preschool is very special. It’s a not-for-profit, parent co-operative run by a Manager and two Lead Teachers and an elected Committee of parents. It’s a place where everyone’s voice and contribution is valued and respected, and people care for each other and the environment.

Whanganui Montessori Preschool is a member of Montessori Aotearoa New Zealand (MANZ).

Our daily programme

Our preschool programme aims to nurture a lifelong love of learning, and offers a solid foundation for life. Our children work at their own pace, in a safe and caring environment where respect and kindness are fundamental principles of our days.

Children explore meaningful activities in key learning areas – practical life, sensorial, language, music, mathematics, science and cultural topics. Children love using the beautiful and hands on Montessori materials to explore interesting and important concepts. Our classrooms are inviting, peaceful places we have carefully prepared to inspire our children and support their natural development.

We follow the primary school term structure, with four terms each year and an extended break in summer. We do run holiday programmes for part of the holiday break.