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Monday 7th September | Vol 36 Issue 28 | Term 3 Week 8
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Weaving Montessori and the New Zealand Curriculum at Wā Ora
Zena Kavas - Biology Teacher; Careers Adviser - High School
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Can Montessori and NCEA really work together?
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It is a question we regularly ask ourselves at Wā Ora. At first glance, Montessori education and the New Zealand Curriculum—and particularly NCEA—can seem to pull in different directions. Montessori is centred on the individual child, their interests, developmental readiness and growing independence, while NCEA brings standards, assessments, deadlines and credits.
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So, how do we make the two work together?
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At Wā Ora, we believe the answer lies in creativity—and in weaving rather than choosing between the two.
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There are aspects of the education system we cannot change. NCEA provides qualifications that are important for many of our young people and their future pathways. We could decide that NCEA does not fit with Montessori and simply work around it. Instead, we ask a more useful question: How can we work within these requirements while remaining true to our Montessori principles?
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For us, the New Zealand Curriculum provides a framework for what our ākonga need to learn, while Montessori continues to shape how that learning happens.
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This becomes particularly important in our senior programmes. NCEA gives us the structure of standards and credits, but we work hard to ensure that the learning behind those credits remains student-centred, purposeful and self-directed. Where there is choice, ākonga are encouraged to follow their interests. Research topics can reflect individual passions, practical investigations can grow from genuine questions, and students can increasingly take responsibility for how they demonstrate their learning.
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This is what following the child can look like at Wā Ora.
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Following the child does not mean allowing every child to do whatever they want, whenever they want. It means knowing each ākonga well enough to understand what they need next. One student may be ready to independently tackle a challenging NCEA assessment, while another may need more structure, encouragement or support before they are ready to take that step.
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Maria Montessori wrote, “The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” We see NCEA as one opportunity to develop both.
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Our aim is not simply to collect credits. We want our young people to learn how to manage their time, meet deadlines, ask for help, persevere when learning is challenging and take increasing ownership of their education. These are skills that will remain with them long after their NCEA results are forgotten.
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And, importantly, success looks different for every ākonga. It might be achieving excellence, completing an assessment independently for the first time, discovering a new passion, or developing the confidence to take the next step towards a chosen pathway.
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As Montessori educators, we have a responsibility to see the person behind the qualification.
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He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
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What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.
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For us, this captures the heart of Wā Ora: weaving Montessori with the New Zealand Curriculum; independence with guidance; freedom with responsibility; and individual interests with shared expectations.
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It is not always easy. But we believe the creativity required to make it work is worthwhile. Most importantly, it enables our ākonga to gain the qualifications they need while experiencing an education that remains recognisably—and authentically—Montessori.
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E WHAI AKE (Coming up) . . .
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Tuesday 8th September [CANCELLED] Drama Club (9-12 and High School ākonga), 3:15pm - 4:15pm, T2
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Wednesday 9th September Maths Club, 3:30 - 4:30pm, Tāwari
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Friday 11th September Whānau Hui, 5pm - 7pm, Tōtara
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Monday 14th - Friday 18th September Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)
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Monday 14th September Primary Parent Education Evening, 7pm - 8:30pm, Tōtara
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Tuesday 15th September Drama Club (9-12 and High School ākonga), 3:15pm - 4:15pm, T2
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Wednesday 16th September Maths Club, 3:30 - 4:30pm, Tāwari
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Wednesday 16th September BOT/Council Hui, 7pm - 10pm, Tāwari
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Friday 18th September Te Wiki o te Reo Māori - Whānau Evening, 5pm - 6pm
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Drama Club Cancelled This Week
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Due to Lottie attending a course, Drama Club is cancelled this week. It will resume again as normal next Tuesday (week 9).
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Primary Parent Education Evening - Monday 14th September
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Te Wiki o te Reo Māori - Whānau Evening
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We are excited to be holding a Te Wiki o te Reo Māori Education Evening for all Wā Ora whānau and ākonga on Friday 18th September, 5pm to 7pm.
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We’ll begin with shared kai from 5pm to 5.30pm, so please bring a plate to share (and own plates, cutlery etc). From there, we’ll enjoy waiata, a short look at the history of te reo Māori, pronunciation and reading tips, a fun quiz, and some simple opportunities to practise reo together. There will also be activities for ngā tamariki.
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Whether you already use some te reo Māori or are just beginning, everyone is welcome.
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Upper Hutt Library Poetry Competition
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A big congratulations to our talented Wā Ora writers who were recognised in the Upper Hutt Libraries Poetry Competition 2026!
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Spencer Tysoe received second place in the Children (ages 8–11) category for his poem The Hidden Wilderness.
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Maeve Weir and Stella Meadows-Miller were also shortlisted in the same category for their poems If Trees Could Talk and Nature is All Around Me.
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And it wasn’t just our ākonga showcasing their writing talents! A special congratulations also goes to our wonderful librarian Hannah Tysoe, whose poem My Time in the Wilderness was shortlisted in the Adults category.
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With 111 entries received across the four age categories, being placed or shortlisted is a wonderful achievement. Ka rawe Spencer, Maeve, Stella and Hannah!
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You can read their poems, along with all the winning and shortlisted entries, here (ages 8-11) and here (ages teen-adult).
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Chinese Song Contest - Please support and Vote for Wā Ora Students
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Some of our ākonga have entered a New Zealand Chinese singing competition, and this week voting is open to the public on YouTube! If you have a YouTube account and a spare moment, please support our Wā Ora ākonga by giving their videos a “like”.
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You can vote by clicking on the YouTube links below or by scanning the QR code on the attached poster.
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We would also really appreciate it if you could share the links with friends and whānau and ask them to support our ākonga too.
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Voting closes at 9am on 14th September.
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You can support as many performances and singers as you like, but each YouTube account can only give one like to each performance.
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The easiest way to support our Wā Ora ākonga is to give all four videos a like!
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P.T.A (PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION)
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Coming Up
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Upcoming Meetings:
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Tuesday 13th October, 7:30pm (location TBC)
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Free Nurse Clinic for Students Under 14 at Owles Pharmacy
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Owles Pharmacy in Naenae runs a Nurse Clinic every Wednesday and Thursday, offering a convenient first point of contact for a range of health concerns.
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The clinic is FREE for children under 14, with services also available for patients of all ages. The nurse can provide advice and support, including helping families determine whether further medical care may be needed.
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Both walk-ins and online bookings are welcome.
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When: Wednesdays and Thursdays
Where: Owles Pharmacy, Naenae
Cost: FREE for children under 14
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The Learning Connexion Kids Art Holiday Programme
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Kids Domain Holiday Programme
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Weetbix Kids TRYathlon 2027
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We will be entering a school team into next year’s TRYathlon.
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Distances are approximate and are as follows;
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- 6 year olds 50m swim / 1.5km run
- 7 year olds 50m swim / 4km cycle / 1.5km run
- 8 – 9 year olds 100m swim / 4km cycle / 1.5km run
- 10 – 15 year olds 150m swim / 8km cycle / 1.5 km run
- Splash & Dash - 6 year olds only. Swim and run.
- Individual TRYathlete - 7-15 year olds. Swim, cycle and run.
- Teams of Two - 7-9 year olds (Juniors) and 10-15 year olds (Seniors). One team member does the swim, the other does the cycle, and both do the run.
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After School Hockey Club
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Wellington Hockey’s After School Hockey Club (ASHC) is back next term for tamariki in Years 1–6.
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Suitable for both beginners and existing players, the six-week programme offers a fun and supportive way to learn new skills, build confidence and enjoy hockey with experienced coaches.
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Cost: $65 for six weeks
Years 1–3: 3.30pm–4.15pm
Years 4–6: 4.15pm–5.00pm
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- National Hockey Stadium: Mondays, 12 October–23 November
- Fraser Park & Kelburn Normal School: Thursdays, 15 October–19 November
- Elsdon & Maidstone: Wednesdays, 14 October–18 November
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NZ Secondary Schools Bouldering Cup
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Congratulations to Michaela King from Tāwari, who travelled to New Plymouth last week to compete in the NZ Secondary Schools Bouldering Cup.
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Competing in the Senior Girls’ grade for the first time, Michaela qualified 9th out of a field of 45 competitors and went on to finish an impressive 12th overall after the finals.
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Ka rawe, Michaela - what a fantastic achievement!
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