Trial 2 weeks for $100 per child
Hybrid Montessori Primary School : Enrolments Open for 2026 years 1-8
At Porirua Montessori Online, tamariki learn at their own pace in a calm, supportive environment.
We combine strong academics with independence, creativity, and care — so every child is known, valued, and supported to thrive.
Looking for a flexible, personalised approach to your child’s education?
Porirua Montessori now offers a hybrid schooling option for tamariki across Aotearoa New Zealand 🌿
✨ How it works:
2 days onsite at our school (for families in the wider Wellington region)
3 days learning from home with guidance and planning from a qualified teacher
We also offer a fully online option for families anywhere in the country.
Your child enrols with us full time, instead of attending a local primary/intermediate school or traditional homeschooling.*
💡 Is this right for you?
Want a more personalised learning experience at home?
Prefer not to take on full homeschooling yourself?
Able to support your child’s learning at home while we provide the curriculum and structure?
This could be the perfect fit ✨
🌱 Our programme is:
Based on the internationally recognised Montessori curriculum
Designed as a low-screen learning option
Guided by a NZ-registered, Montessori-trained teacher
🏡 Currently homeschooling?
Your child can join us for a 10-week trial without losing their homeschool exemption.
📩 Interested or have questions? Leave a comment or send us a message—we’re happy to help.
*We can also support after-school or homeschool pathways if full-time enrolment isn’t quite right.
Find Out More
Families come to us when traditional schooling doesn’t quite fit — or when they want something more personal, calm, and meaningful for their child.
At Porirua Montessori, your child will:
Learn at a pace that suits them — without being rushed or held back
Build strong foundations in reading, writing, and maths through hands-on, meaningful learning
Develop focus, independence, and confidence, not reliance on constant instruction
Learn as an individual at their own speed, where they are truly known and supported
Be part of a caring community where kindness, empathy, and respect are explicitly taught
This approach is backed by international research showing Montessori students often achieve strong academic outcomes alongside greater self-regulation, motivation, and wellbeing.
What is Montessori?
Montessori education is a child-centred approach where tamariki learn at their own pace, guided by curiosity and hands-on exploration rather than a one-size-fits-all timetable. We delve deeply into topics and allow the child to show us what they are passionate about while ensuring they still get a comprehensive education.
In our classrooms, children choose from specially designed materials that make abstract ideas concrete—like using beads to understand maths or storytelling to explore history.
Commitment and When can I enrol?
Students can enrol at any time during the school year, even in the middle of a school term.
This is a full time option. Think Te Kura or Correspondence School but for Montessori - online, we become your school.
If you want support with homeschooling or afterschool Montessori leave a message below and we will get back to you.
Once a student has commenced classes, any withdrawal will incur a charge equivalent to one full term’s fees, in accordance with the School Fee requirements and withdrawal process.
Cost
Trial 2 weeks for $100 - just fill in the ‘get in touch’ section below.
$300 Application
Fees as shown, will be charged four times per year and will be due and payable at the end of the first week of every term or at the time of enrolment if a child is starting in the middle of a term:
Hybrid: $1200 per child per term (you will be enrolled at Porirua Montessori) - home based / student attends up to 2 days face to face at Porirua Montessori. Hybrid is especially valuable for younger students.
One or two subjects (only for homeschoolers/after school ) - please contact us
Once a student has commenced classes, any withdrawal will incur a charge equivalent to one full term’s fees, in accordance with the School requirements and withdrawal process.
Your child will also need:
- A shelf or similar to store materials on and small containers or baskets to store materials in. We will help you prepare your shelf or shelves.
-Stationary
-Access to a computer (not chrome book) with reliable video and audio access.
What we offer and How it Works:
We provide the planning and learning materials and help you set up your learning space
Your child is enrolled at Porirua Montessori Primary School - there is no need for a homeschool exemption.
We work out your child’s academic level and needs socially, emotionally, and physically.
We provide you with
-Help in setting up a ‘Montessori’ environment with shelves and learning materials
-Videos to watch on demand that cover key concepts,
- Montessori hands on tools and materials e.g maths equipment (all equipment must be returned and is the property of the school)
- PDF or digital files you can print at home
-Planning.
-Online video personalised sessions with your child once weekly.
2. You help your child with the material adapting it to their unique needs and personality
Using our written planning and videos and your unique knowledge about your child you work through the learning materials at a pace and times that work for you.
You may need to prepare some resources for the week. We will send you these resources.
You follow your child’s needs and organise the work day around your child. .
This is a whānau or parent or caregiver led program. Your child attends 2 days at our venue and does three days at home.
Your child will enrol with us full time. We will be your child’s school instead of a local primary or intermediate school.
The first part of your child’s day has lessons in a range of curriculum set by the teacher such as science or literacy.
Every afternoon there is free choice where your child chooses from a large range of options to help them meet their own goals. These include PE, STEM, and art.
You do not need to be Montessori trained, just open minded and able to provide supervision to your tamariki or child/ren during the school day.
3. We support you - the caregiver
Flexible daily schedules tailored to your family’s needs
Written plans and videos to support your teaching and learning.
Ongoing support for both students and parents from qualified teachers
Opportunities to join parent networking events
Virtual checkpoint meetings to discuss progress and next steps with the teacher three times each term
Full enrolment at Porirua Montessori, so there’s no need to apply for a homeschool exemption
4. As a registered Private School, we take full responsibility for supervising, moderating, and assessing the delivery of the curriculum to ensure we meet Ministry requirements.
Most weeks there are brief video lessons. Take a look at one below
How do I know what to teach?
Is there a weekly schedule?
What does the school give me to help deliver the lessons?
Have a look over at our portal to see an example. We keep things really easy and allow you to follow your child’s lead while growing their knowledge and problem solving skills.
Porirua Montessori gives you control over your day, we provide an example schedule but we know each child is unique so our schedule is an example only.
You can see a possible schedule of how one family schedules their day over here
We provide the planning and printables.
Where appropriate we also lend out books and traditional Montessori learning materials. These learning materials are included in your termly fee but remain the property of the school and must be returned when you are finished with them.
Just like most schools in NZ you will need to provide exercise books, pencils and so on.
Principal and Founder
Lisa Dei Gratia.
Lisa is a qualified Montessori and NZ registered teacher and founder of Porirua Montessori Primary School.
She has had experience tutoring and mentoring trainee Montessori Teachers.
Lisa is known for her innovative teaching practices and passion for making Montessori affordable and accessible to many.
She loves learning, reading, and chocolate!
A different kind of primary school — designed around your child, not a system
FAQs
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No there are not. We will send you materials and give you access to videos that present any new materials.
Students may have an online component to do each day but this will not be for the full day.
The exception may be assessment tasks which are up to twice a term.
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No not at all! Your child may access the computer for
some online support programmes (around 30 minutes a day),
Short 5-10 minute videos that discuss particular concepts
Check ins with the teacher
Your child will access the rest of the curriculum by accessing resources/materials from a prepared space in your home. We will help you organise this space!
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No, there are not set times for everything. We give you flexibility about how you arrange your day. Montessori education believes we should follow the child and allow them to experience deep learning and not be rushed or held back!
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Yes, you may need to prepare materials. The majority of our resources are print, cut, and go and come with instructions. We may also courier you traditional Montessori resources such as maths beads
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If you want your child to remain at their normal school but want Montessori afterschool please contact us and we will share an alternative option with you.
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Please contact us to talk about what you need. For example you might be interested in the Montessori Cosmic Curriculum or Maths or Literacy
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We use a variety of assessments including traditional assessments used in schools, online programmes and work and conversations from your child.
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Yes there is, Students enrolled in ‘hybrid’ can attend up to two days face to face a week if they are located near enough to our campus in Porirua. Face to Face days are Monday and Tuesday. Note there is an additional cost for hybrid.
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No, not at the stage but this could change in the future, if you are interested in high school level for now or in the future please let us know.
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No, Montessori has been used with people across all religions and cultures. We teach universal values like respect, tolerance for all, justice, kindness and critical thinking.
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No we do not. However please contact us as we can direct you to some alternative options.
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Full time or Hybrid enrolment is open to all NZ citizens or any student on a domestic visa.
We take enrolments for children in years 1-8, ages 5-13
We cannot take students on visitor visas. If unsure please contact us.