108 Racecourse Road, Sockburn, Christchurch 8042
Riccarton Park Montessori
Riccarton Park Montessori was opened 20 years ago and is a privately run centre. We are presently licensed for 27 children between the ages of 2 and 6. We are located near the Riccarton Racecourse and the building underwent some major renovations over the last four years, to provide larger open plan space.
Our programme comprises a blend of both the Montessori Method of Education and the Early Childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. The Montessori Teaching method is adopted and is modified to the needs of the young kiwi child. We have a low child-to-teacher ratio and our teachers are all registered. Our teachers are experienced and are 100% qualified in early childhood education. The centre manager is fully qualified in Montessori education and two of our teachers are in training.
We aim to promote an environment that is whanau focused and parents are encouraged to contribute to the programme. We have an open door policy and parents are welcome to drop in any time. There is ongoing consultation with parents about what is best for their child and we support children’s independence. We celebrate diversity and all cultures are valued and respected. We are here to help parents in nurturing, caring and educating their children.
We believe
We believe that children should be respected and valued as individuals. We respect their rights to protection and promotion of their health and well being, to equitable access to learning opportunities, irrespective of gender, ability, age, or ethnicity, to recognition of their language, culture and identity and, increasingly, to agency in their own lives.
We believe that children should be encouraged to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contributed to society.
We believe that the Early Childhood Curriculum – Te Whāriki and the Montessori Curriculum should be interwoven and form the basis of our curriculum and planning. The Curriculum for Early Childhood emphasizes reciprocal and responsive interaction with both kaiako and ākonga.
We believe that children develop themselves at their own pace, by their own efforts, actions and experiences, and learn from their own interpretations and decisions.
We believe that the environment must be secure and conducive to the child’s various potentials and that it must encourage self confidence, concentration and independence and it must assist the children in their quest for making sense of and finding out about their world.
We believe that the family and community should work together with us to ensure the child’s holistic development.
We believe that as educators, we should acknowledge and respect the Treaty of Waitangi and ensure that children have opportunities to understand the bi-cultural partnership, whilst respecting other cultures.
None to share just yet...
