Montana Early Learning Centre | Te Whare Kōhungahunga o Montana

At Montana, we are a small, nurturing centre with a maximum of 38 children each day. This allows us to truly know every child and whānau, creating a close-knit, supportive community where everyone feels they belong.

What’s special about us:

A Culture of Aroha and Respect: At Montana, our dedicated team of teachers foster a strong culture of aroha (love) and respect. We value warm, open relationships with tamariki, parents, and whānau, creating a true home away from home. Respectful, trusting relationships are at the heart of everything we do.

Exceptional Teacher-Child Ratios: We maintain teacher-child ratios well above government requirements. This means we have the time and space to build meaningful connections, follow children’s interests, and support their learning and development in a responsive and individualised way.

Celebrating Diversity: We honour the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa and celebrate the richness of our multicultural community. Our families come from nearly 20 different countries and cultures. We embrace this diversity and model kindness, inclusion, and respect in all that we do.

University Partnerships: Located right next to the University of Canterbury, we enjoy access to beautiful grounds and facilities. We regularly explore the campus with our tamariki, visiting libraries, exhibitions, nearby schools and parks. These experiences enrich children’s learning and strengthen connections with our wider community.

Joyful Learning Environment: Our days are filled with laughter, adventures and plenty of fun. We believe that children learn best when they feel happy, secure, and engaged.

Modern and spacious facilities 

Our Learning Spaces

Our centre offers three thoughtfully designed learning spaces that support children’s development at every stage. Across all rooms, we maintain small group sizes and excellent teacher-child ratios to ensure meaningful relationships and high-quality education and care.

Nursery Room (Birth to around 2 years old)

Our nursery is a calm, nurturing space for our youngest pēpi. With a maximum of 8 babies and 2 teachers, we prioritise quality one-on-one time with each child.

Our teachers focus on building strong, secure relationships so that every pēpi develops a deep sense of belonging, trust, and security. Through responsive caregiving, gentle routines, and freedom to move and explore, we support each child to thrive at their own pace in a warm, home-like environment.

Toddler Room (Around 2 to 3.5 years old)

Our toddler space is designed for curious, active learners. In this room, children engage in a wide variety of hands-on activities that support their growing curiosity, creativity and confidence. We have a maximum of 15 children in this room with 3 teachers.

Teachers intentionally support the development of early prosocial skills, such as sharing, communicating, and building friendships, as children learn to play alongside and with others. With caring guidance from our teachers, toddlers are supported to explore, express themselves, and make sense of the world around them.

Preschool Room (Around 3.5 to 6 years old)

Our preschool programme provides a rich, engaging environment where children’s interests guide their learning. We place a strong focus on supporting tamariki to develop social and emotional competence, alongside early literacy and mathematical skills through fun and meaningful experiences.

Through both child-led and teacher-supported learning, children are encouraged to think, problem-solve, and take increasing ownership of their learning. We also support children in building the confidence and skills they need for a positive transition to school. Our preschool room has a maximum of 16 children with 2 teachers.

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 14th Jan 2026)

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