Wā Ora Experiences
Parent Stories
“When thinking of an education for our two girls we dismissed Montessori as we thought that what was good enough for us would be good enough for them. That changed later when it was apparent that standard schooling was not working as we had hoped. In moving to Wā Ora we discovered that Montessori is unique in the way it educates the whole person. There is equal attention to the social, emotional, mental and physical needs of the child. We believe that Montessori is perhaps decades ahead of its contemporaries in this respect and have watched with joy as our children have flourished.”
Kirsty J.
“Our children are flourishing at Wā Ora. They love their teachers, their classrooms, and their classmates. They have a thirst for learning and a pride in their achievements that’s a delight to see. They’re given every opportunity to succeed. We value the school’s emphasis on social and communication skills, and self-directed learning and problem-solving. These are skills we learnt the hard way as adults, and we’re glad our children will leave school better equipped for adult life than we were.”
Sarah K.
“Since we began our journey at Wā Ora, all of our three children have moved from the playgroup through to Preschool and then to the Primary school. What I love about Wā Ora is how natural and seamless these transitions have been for them. They are already familiar with the environment, materials and expectation and therefore couldn’t be better prepared or more ready or excited about moving up through the different classes of the school. As a result, they have a clear vision of the educational journey that lies ahead of them and, most importantly, they are excited and confident about taking each new step.”
Kersti T.
“Wā Ora is the most beautiful school. My children have started in the Playgroup
and moved seamlessly through to Preschool and Primary School. They have
flourished socially, emotionally and academically. The school community is so
supportive. The teachers are so dedicated. Choosing Wā Ora for our children’s
education will forever be one of our best parenting decisions. I can’t recommend
it more highly.”
Megan R.
“Our son, Xervier, came to Wā Ora Montessori at the age of 8, as a transfer from
Montessori East in Bondi, Sydney, Australia. Xervier was the first student with
Down syndrome that either school had ever had, but the approach of the
Principal and staff was the same in both cases. It was felt that the school and its
students would benefit as much by having Xervier as a classmate as he would by
learning in the environment. After 13 years in Montessori education, we would
agree. Xervier's classmates are thoughtful and considerate and they naturally
include him in a wide range of activities without apparent effort.
We chose Montessori because we felt it could adapt to Xervier's different pace
and style of learning. We chose a small school because it is harder to be
overlooked or bullied in such an environment. And we chose Wā Ora Montessori
because it allowed Xervier to carry the carefree relationships he developed in
primary years through to the end of high school. This avoided the unsettling
demands of making new friends in a new environment at a critical developmental
stage, as teenagers begin to cling to small groups and exclude newcomers.
Xervier has thrived at WāOra Montessori and looks forward to every day at
school."
Paul D and Sabine C.
“I am so grateful that my children have the opportunity to follow their interests at
Wā Ora, with kaiako who balance and support them in navigating their own
learning journey. This style of teaching inspires curiosity, and has nurtured a love
of learning in all three of my very different children- allowing each to thrive
independently.”
Char B.
Student Stories - 6-12 years
“Wā Ora Montessori School is a good choice for parents with children of any age.
My Preschool experience was totally amazing! It has been full of surprises,
offers, and excursions ranging from learning about New Zealand town, age three
to playing outside on a cold autumn day, age 5 to finding the answer to
43,918,706+12,224,593, age 8. You can do what you want all morning at any
time you want with no limits.”
Spencer J.
“Wā Ora is an awesome school. It’s my school. I have loved every second I have
had here. I like that you have freedom to choose your work and who your friends
are. I also like the teachers and staff. They are really nice and help me learn. I
would love to stay here forever.”
Aria B.
“I have enjoyed my time at Wā Ora. In Preschool I did fun activities as well as
learning new things. In the 6-9 I enjoyed the science experiments. In the 9-12 I
improved my math and language skills. I find the teachers really nice. They help
and support my learning. I really enjoy my time at Wā Ora.”
Toscane F.
“I've been in Wā Ora Montessori school ever since I started in preschool when I
was 4. In Preschool we mostly worked on the basics of Wā Ora Montessori like
writing in cursive, we also did painting and small pieces of work. Then when I
was 6 I moved up to the 6-9. I was in Rata class where we had lots of fun doing
harder work and progressing in the Montessori curriculum. Now I'm in Tawhai
class which is one of the two 9-12 classes. By now we know all the basics and
how to do the easier pieces of work, and are starting to work up to what the
students in the High School work on. Overall I think Wā Ora is one of the best
schools you can go to.”
India T.
Student Stories - 12-18 years
“Montessori education is good because rather than making a child do 30 classes,
it mostly lets the child do things at their own pace. Some evidence shows that
72% of Montessori students succeed in life, whereas public school only 58% of
students succeed. The reason for this is because children should be taught a
way that they can understand, at their own pace.”
“Wā Ora has many great teachers. Many of the teachers here at Wā Ora want the
students to succeed at what they do, and are very willing to talk to both students
and parents to find the best way for the student to learn. This is great for students
who learn differently than others, or who think in different ways. That is why I find
Wā Ora helpful.”
“Montessori education is good because in the Primary the opportunities to have
freedom to learn what you desire is always there. My favourite part of Primary
was the ability to come to school and do the work I want to do. Because of this I
was super engaged with my work every day and I also really enjoyed the stuff I
was doing. I think I am a better human because I have years of experience
managing my own time better."
“Montessori education is good because it has lots of freedom and opportunities.
The evidence of this is lots of classes where you get to choose what to do and
not the teacher. Even though the teacher isn’t ‘running’ the class, they are still
there if you need help. This is why Wā Ora Montessori is good.”
“At Wā Ora, I’ve enjoyed the activities where you work with others. An example of
this is any outdoor work projects. Most of these projects involve teamwork and
coordination. Working with other people is a great way to bond friendships, and
at the same time, you’re practicing teamwork and learning to work with various
groups of people.”
“In my Primary class I enjoyed the wide array of interactive materials we had
access to. These included many instruments of learning, such as the
checkerboard. Which was a hands-on way of learning long multiplication. This
method of teaching and learning not only allowed students to physically interact
with the learning content, but also encouraged students to collaborate and
support each other. Overall I believe this helped me develop a deeper
understanding of the various subjects we studied, as well as providing me with
fun filled learning experiences.”
“At Wā Ora I like the fact that we learn using materials.
Using materials can help a lot for visual learners by showing them how the
process works in person instead of on a piece of paper.
That for one thing helped me a lot in my work because I can see how it works
and then implement it into real life. I can see that a lot of other people find it
easier too.
So that's why I like using materials for easier and more effective learning.
That for one thing helped me a lot in my work because I can see how it works
and then implement it into real life. I can see that a lot of other people find it
easier too.
So that's why I like using materials for easier and more effective learning.”
“I have been at Wā Ora Montessori school since I was three years old. I am now
15 and in year 11 and looking back I feel that my time in Preschool was a
valuable building block in me learning to direct my education and have choices in
my learning the way I do now.
I distinctly remember from a very early age being encouraged to decide what I
wanted to do or which piece of material I wanted to have a lesson on, and once I
had done so, to see it through and finish the work. Of course at that time I had no
idea that I was being taught like this for a reason but now, doing my work in
Tāwari (one of the high school classes) I notice that I am eager to learn and will
always plan out and finish my work carefully. Overall I am very grateful to have
grown up in a Montessori environment because I can see that it has taught me
how to be conscientious and active in my own education."