Our History

The Karori Montessori Society was formed in 1976 to organise a learning group for preschool children based on Montessori principles.

It was a parent cooperative and money was contributed by parents to buy equipment. The learning group met in parents’ homes and went on to organise outings. When the Preschool was incorporated, the Society’s assets were transferred. The Preschool operated at St Michael’s Church Hall, Kelburn, from March 1978 until March 1985. The Preschool then transferred to St Anne’s Church Hall, Woburn Road, Northland. The Preschool rapidly expanded from one class of 20 children to two classes of 25 and in 1990 an afternoon class was also opened to go some way towards meeting demand for places. In May 1995 the Preschool moved to classrooms within the Otari School.

In 2009, the Preschool established the Montessori-at-Otari Playgroup for babies and toddlers up to the age of three years old. This is run by a parents committee and the twice weekly sessions on Tuesday and Thursday are led by a Montessori-trained supervisor.

Montessori at Otari Preschool is located on the grounds of Otari School, set amongst the beautiful natural environment of Otari Bush. Montessori at Otari Preschool was the first Montessori preschool in the Wellington Region, and has a long history of providing quality early childhood education. As we are a community-based Preschool, parents play an active role in the overall running of the Preschool. One of our key strengths is the ongoing partnership that develops between the parent council and staff.

The Preschool has remained a parent cooperative with an annually elected parent Council to manage it. The Preschool is a licensed and chartered early childhood centre and is reviewed by the Ministry of Education’s Review Office (ERO). A copy of their latest review is available in the Preschool foyer and Office or may be obtained from the Education Review Office website or by writing to the Review Office.