A personalised, low-screen distance class for Years 1–8 anywhere in NZ
Your child enrols with Porirua Montessori Primary School and learns from home through an individual programme planned and overseen by a registered Montessori and state trained teacher.
Registered NZ private school · No homeschool exemption required · From $800 per term
Porirua Montessori Distance/Online is a personalised, low-screen online primary school for Years 1–8, offering families throughout New Zealand an alternative to mainstream classroom schooling.
Like Te Kura, your child is enrolled in a registered school while completing their learning from home. Unlike conventional online programmes, children do not spend the entire day in front of a screen. They follow a flexible, hands-on Montessori programme designed around their academic level, interests and individual needs.
Your child completes approximately three to four hours of parent-supported learning each day. As your child becomes more independent this will lessen considerably. A parent, caregiver or other responsible adult must be available to supervise, help establish routines, support access to learning resources and communicate regularly with the school. Younger children generally require more direct help, while older students may work with increasing independence.
We provide the curriculum, weekly planning, teaching resources, assessment and qualified teacher oversight. You provide the daily supervision, encouragement and practical support.
This is not simply a collection of worksheets or prerecorded online lessons. It is an academically purposeful Montessori education that combines strong literacy and mathematics teaching with science, history, geography, creativity, practical life and interest-led learning.
Many schools teach children a succession of curriculum topics. Our curriculum teaches tamariki a way of seeing the world: life is interconnected, humans share fundamental needs, environments shape possibilities, and knowledge from science, geography, history and culture belongs together.
Find Out More
Schooling from home without having to design the curriculum yourself.
Some children thrive in a conventional classroom. Others need more time, more flexibility, fewer distractions or a learning programme that responds more closely to who they are.
Porirua Montessori Online may suit your whānau when:
your child needs to learn at a different pace
a busy classroom environment is affecting their learning or wellbeing
you want a low-screen alternative to conventional online school
your child needs greater challenge in some areas and more support in others
you value creativity, independence and meaningful learning
you want to educate your child at home but do not want sole responsibility for planning the curriculum
your family needs learning that can work around health, travel, sport or other commitments
you want a registered school to oversee your child’s learning and progress
Children enrolled in our full-time programme do not need a home education exemption. Porirua Montessori becomes their school.
What makes our online school different?
Low-screen and hands-on
Strong foundations and a broad curriculum
Flexibility with genuine teacher oversight
What does it cost?
Personalised rather than one-size-fits-all
We begin by getting to know your child.
We consider their current academic understanding, interests, strengths, challenges, confidence, working habits and developmental needs. We then create a programme that gives them an appropriate balance of foundational teaching, practice, investigation and choice.
Your child does not have to complete work simply because it has been assigned to everyone else of the same age.
They can receive support where it is needed, move ahead when they are ready and spend time exploring ideas that genuinely interest them.
Online school should not mean sitting in front of a computer for six hours.
The computer is used to connect your child with their teacher, introduce lessons, access planning and share completed learning. Much of the actual work happens away from the screen.
Depending on their age and programme, your child may:
read books and respond to literature
write stories, reports, explanations and personal reflections
use hands-on Montessori mathematics materials
carry out science experiments
complete research and inquiry projects
create timelines, maps, models and diagrams
cook, build, measure, draw, design and make
spend time outdoors
develop a personal interest or practical skill
contribute to their family and community
We teach the foundational skills children need in reading, spelling, writing and mathematics.
These are placed within a rich Montessori curriculum that also includes science, history, geography, culture, the arts, practical life and personal projects.
We want children to become capable readers, writers and mathematicians. We also want them to understand the world, ask thoughtful questions and see connections between different areas of knowledge.
Your family can organise the school day in a way that works for your child.
We provide the structure, priorities and learning expectations, but we do not expect every family to follow an identical timetable.
Some children work best early in the morning. Others need movement breaks, shorter work periods or time to think before beginning. Older students may become increasingly independent, while younger children will need more direct adult guidance.
Flexible does not mean unsupported or unmonitored. Your child’s programme is planned, reviewed and assessed by a qualified teacher.
Fully online: $800 per term plus a one off $300 enrolment fee
Includes school enrolment, individual planning, teacher oversight, assessment and learning resources.
See what learning looks like
This term at a glance
Each term includes a combination of individual foundational learning and shared areas of investigation.
Children may be working at different levels in reading, writing and mathematics, while participating in broader studies that connect science, history, geography, culture and the arts.
An example of the learning areas and investigations included in our current online programme is below. Individual literacy and mathematics goals are adapted for each child. We also tailor arts/STEM and practical life to your child.
How it works practically each day
What might a day look like?There is no single compulsory timetable, but a day might include:
Beginning of the day
A short check of the weekly plan, followed by focused literacy and mathematics work.
Later in the morning
Science, history, geography, research, an experiment or a longer writing task.
After a break
Reading, practical mathematics, project work or a teacher meeting.
Afternoon
Art, physical activity, cooking, outdoor learning, music, STEM, personal interests or practical life.
Some families complete the core work in one longer morning period. Others divide learning into shorter blocks throughout the day.
The aim is to establish a sustainable rhythm that supports concentration, responsibility and family life.
Do I need lots of Montessori stuff?Montessori education is sometimes associated with a room full of specialised wooden equipment. The materials are valuable, but Montessori is much more than the equipment.
It is an approach based on:
respecting the child’s stage of development
careful observation
purposeful choice
freedom within clear boundaries
hands-on understanding
increasing independence
uninterrupted time to concentrate
connecting learning across subjects
helping children take ownership of their work
At home, this may look like an organised shelf, a manageable selection of resources, a clear weekly plan and enough time for the child to become absorbed in meaningful work.
Who is this programme for?Our online programme may work particularly well for:
children who have become anxious or disengaged at school
neurodivergent learners
children who need a calmer working environment
students who are advanced in some subjects
children with uneven learning profiles
families wanting more flexibility
children who need time for sport, creative work or other commitments
families seeking a Montessori education without a local Montessori school
parents considering homeschooling but wanting professional planning and oversight
families who want meaningful learning with less unnecessary screen time
No online programme is right for every child.
A parent-supported model requires time, communication and a suitable adult at home. We will talk honestly with you about whether the programme is likely to meet your child’s needs.
Mathematics
Children build strong mathematical understanding rather than simply memorising procedures.
Learning may include:
number knowledge and place value
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
fractions, decimals and percentages
measurement
geometry
patterns and algebraic thinking
problem-solving
statistics
financial and practical mathematics
Where appropriate, we lend Montessori mathematics equipment so that children can physically explore concepts before moving towards abstraction.
Reading, spelling and writing
Children receive explicit teaching and appropriately levelled practice in areas such as:
phonological awareness and phonics
spelling patterns
reading fluency
vocabulary and comprehension
sentence construction
grammar
handwriting or keyboard skills
creative, persuasive, personal and informational writing
Older or advanced readers continue to study literature, research, argument, language and increasingly complex forms of writing.
Science, history and geography
Montessori Cosmic Education gives children a broad view of the universe, Earth, life and human civilisation.
Investigations may include:
astronomy and the solar system
the formation and structure of Earth
chemistry and physics
plants, animals and ecosystems
human evolution and early societies
ancient and modern civilisations
migration, culture and human needs
maps, landforms, oceans and climate
significant people, discoveries and ideas
environmental and social questions
These areas are often connected through stories, experiments, timelines, projects and student questions.
Practical life, creativity and personal interests
Children also need opportunities to develop the skills required for life beyond schoolwork. This is tailored to your child and planned with you and your child.
Their programme may include:
cooking and food preparation
household and personal organisation
budgeting and small-business projects
art, craft and design
physical activity
gardening and nature study
music
coding or technology
caring for animals
independent research
building and making
community involvement
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.
A different kind of primary school — designed around your child, not a system
FAQs
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This is a parent-supported programme.
A responsible adult must be available to supervise the child, help them establish routines, access resources and share information with the school.
The amount of direct help needed will vary.
A younger child may need an adult beside them for parts of the day. An older student may work much more independently but still needs someone to provide oversight, encouragement and accountability.
Parents are not expected to:
design the curriculum
decide what should be taught next
purchase an entire commercial programme
teach every concept without support
recreate a conventional classroom at home
keep their child online all day
We provide the educational direction. You help make it work within your home and family.
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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.