Montana Early Learning Centre | Te Whare Kōhungahunga o Montana 

What’s special about us:

A Culture of Aroha and Respect: At Montana, our dedicated team of teachers cultivate a strong culture of aroha (love) and respect. We cherish warm, communicative relationships with each other, the children, and their parents and whānau, creating a home away from home for all. Respectful relationships are the foundation of everything we do at Montana.

Exceptional Teacher-Child Ratios: We pride ourselves on high teacher/child ratios that are well above government requirements, which allow us plenty of time to get to know each child and their whānau. This enables us to engage in meaningful interactions that support their interests, learning and development.

Celebrating Diversity: We honour the unique bicultural heritage of Aotearoa and embrace the richness of our multicultural community. Our families come from nearly 20 different countries and cultures. Our teachers respect, acknowledge, and celebrate this diversity, modelling love, kindness, and respect in their interactions.

University Partnerships: As part of the University, we enjoy access to the beautiful grounds and gardens surrounding us. We often take the tamariki on walks around campus, visiting libraries, exhibitions, and nearby parks. Parents who work on campus appreciate our visits, sharing their knowledge and facilities with our tamariki.

Joyful Learning Environment: Our days at Montana are filled with laughter, adventures, and plenty of fun!

Modern and spacious facilities 

Nursery

The nursery is designed for infants aged up to two years old, with a maximum of 8 pēpi/babies at any one time with two teachers. The teachers' practice is inspired and based on secure attachment, responsive caregiving and freedom of movement and play in an inviting and engaging environment. The home like environment provides a welcoming, friendly space for our youngest tamariki. 

Toddler area

Our toddler area caters for busy toddlers aged from around 18 months till around 3 years. Our qualified teachers continue with the same approach as the nursery, with teachers supporting the holistic learning and development of each individual child. Tamariki are free to choose from a wide variety of play activities which support their physical, social, and cognitive development. We have a maximum of 15 children in this room with 3 teachers.  

Pre-school area

Our pre-school area aims to provide a learning environment that is interactive, engaging and relevant to the children’s interests. This helps promote cognitive, social and emotional growth through both teacher-directed and child-lead play. As this is a specialised area, one of the key focuses is to support our children as best we can for their transition to school. There is a strong focus on developing the fundamental social and co-operative skills that will create a solid foundation for their future learning and relationship building. We support and encourage children to problem solve through their play and for children to take charge of their own learning. Our preschool room has a maximum of 16 children with 2 teachers.

"Children under two years of age are well supported to settle into the centre. They benefit from nurturing relationships, flexible, responsive routines, and an appropriately resourced environment." – ERO Report 

Education Review Office (ERO) Report

In our latest report, ERO found that Montana is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children. You can read the full report here. 

Bookings

Montana’s hours are based on the needs of our student parents, so we can be a bit flexible. We offer morning or afternoon sessions as well as full day options. Our session times are 9am-12pm (morning) and 12pm-3pm (afternoon) and 9am-3pm short day. These can be extended earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon, by 15 minute increments if required. 

The centre is open right through the year, closing down for public holidays and a three week break over the Christmas and New Year period. 

Confirmed fee structure (from 3rd March 2025)

Contact us

Centre Manager or Administrator

Email: montanaelc@ucsa.org.nz

Landline:03 369 0585

Mobile: 027 205 1563

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Location

31 Montana Avenue (corner of Ilam Rd)
Postal Address: PO Box 31-311, Ilam, Christchurch 8041

Enrolment Form

Please see below link for the current enrollment form