Baking, Whanake, and Timata are all part of our fantastic curriculum.
Baking allows children to learn a variety of mathematical concepts, social interactions, turn-taking, and delicious treats to take home at the end of the day.
Whanake, a Te Reo word that means to grow, rise, and move upwards, is our 45-minute daily session for our four-year-olds. It enables our older tamariki to learn about new topics and expand their responsibilities as they prepare to enter school. We study a different letter of the alphabet each week through art, topics, and cooking/baking.
Timata is a daily 20-40 minute session for children under three. They learn new things like music, instruments, tempo, beat, sound, and the color wheel. Tamariki also learn practical life skills, like putting on shoes and cleaning up. Timata is held in the afternoons with Whanake and is an excellent introduction to our preschool for children under three.
You can find out more about our qualified and caring teachers for Belmont here.
When you decide a Montessori Preschool is the best fit for your child, we will develop a transition plan that works for everyone. We understand that each child has their own pace and coping strategies for change. With this in mind, we can develop a transition plan tailored to each child's specific needs. Some children are ready for preschool after only two visits, while others may need several visits with an individualised approach. Our goal is to ensure their transition is gentle and stress-free, and we will do everything possible to achieve this.
We have two options of enrolment; 8am - 4pm or 8:30am - 3:30pm, with a two day minimum enrolment.
A preschool bag with their lunchbox, drink bottle, hat, change of clothes, and nappies if needed.
Face-to-face end of the day chats, phone calls, text messages, emails, weekly newsletters, and Storypark.
No. We will support you during this journey when it is the right time for your child.
We ask our families to come in first so they can get a sense of our centres and learn more about the work we do. If you believe that our preschool is a good fit for your child, we recommend that you take our enrolment packet home and fill it out. By enrolling your child ahead of time, we can almost certainly ensure that you get the start date you require as well as your preferred enrolment days.
20 Hour ECE for children aged three years of age and over, and WINZ Subsidies may be available for some families. This can be discussed during your visit to our centre.
Our experienced teachers will guide you through this! We have many strategies that we use to help children and their families to cope with separation anxiety.
Yes we do! This can also be discussed during your visit and transition visits.
During your child’s transitioning period our teaching team uses a range of strategies to support the development of their social and emotional competence. This is achieved by ensuring that drop off routines are personalised, pleasant, and unhurried. Our teachers will work closely with you and your child to prepare them and provide reminders ahead of routine, daily transitions, and offer choices that support their agency during the transition.
To begin with, your child will be supported by a familiar teacher (usually the teacher doing their transition visits), once they are comfortable within our preschool environment our other teachers will then spend more time with them working alongside their key teacher. That way your child is not too dependent on only one teacher.
This time can vary for each child, sometimes days, sometimes weeks. The teachers will work together to come up with a personalised plan to support each individual child’s needs.
We know that starting in a new environment is a big change for all, we will be in regular contact with you about how your child's day is going, if we feel they would benefit from a shorter day we will let you know, we ask our families to be available for a potential 3 weeks after starting with us to ensure your child has the best possible start on their preschool journey.
