Montessori homeschooling with a real teacher behind your child's learning.
A structured, low-screen Montessori programme for Australian homeschool families — with personalised mathematics and literacy, teacher feedback on submitted work and optional weekly one-to-one support.
For children approximately 5–13 years old.
Available to homeschooling families throughout Australia.
You want the freedom of homeschooling — not the pressure of inventing an education from scratch.
Homeschooling gives children time, flexibility and room to learn properly. But it can also leave parents carrying every educational decision alone.
Montessori Kiwi gives you a carefully planned programme, professional teacher support and individual attention where it matters most.
More than curriculum access.
Your child isn't simply handed a collection of lessons. There is an experienced Montessori teacher actively involved in their learning.
Personalised core learning
Mathematics and literacy are adjusted to your child's current level, needs and progress.
A teacher actually sees their work
Students submit work through Google Classroom and receive individual teacher comments and feedback.
One-to-one access when you need it
An optional 15–30 minute individual teacher call is available up to once each week.
Built from real Montessori practice
Montessori Kiwi grows from Montessori teaching, school leadership and firsthand homeschooling experience.
Montessori isn't an add-on. It's the foundation.
Montessori Kiwi is designed and supported by a Montessori-trained teacher, rather than simply borrowing a few Montessori activities or ideas.
The programme draws on real Montessori practice: independence, developmental readiness, concrete-to-abstract learning, purposeful activity, the Cosmic Curriculum and respect for the individual child's pace.
Parents don't have to become Montessori teachers themselves. The professional Montessori knowledge sits behind the programme.
Montessori at home — not school on a screen.
Online learning shouldn't mean putting a child in front of a computer for six hours a day.
Technology is used where it is genuinely useful: accessing plans and resources, submitting work, viewing short presentations and communicating with the teacher.
The learning itself happens through books, writing, discussion, practical activity, research, experiments, Montessori materials and the real world.
Your child might spend their day...
- Reading real books
- Writing stories, reports and explanations
- Working with hands-on mathematics materials
- Conducting science experiments
- Creating maps and timelines
- Cooking, measuring, building and designing
- Researching something that fascinates them
- Working outdoors and developing practical skills
A planned curriculum, personalised where it matters most.
Families get the security of a carefully structured programme without forcing every child through exactly the same learning path.
Tailored mathematics
Your child's maths programme responds to their actual level. They can consolidate gaps, spend longer developing understanding or move ahead when they are ready.
Tailored literacy
Reading, spelling and written language can be adjusted to suit the individual child rather than being determined only by age.
Flexible wider curriculum
Science, history, geography, culture and Montessori Cosmic Studies are pre-planned, with meaningful choices so families can follow pathways that suit their child's interests.
Strong academics. A much bigger view of education.
Children need strong foundations in literacy and mathematics — and the opportunity to understand the extraordinary world around them.
Literacy
Reading, comprehension, spelling, grammar, handwriting, creative writing, factual writing, research and oral language, with individual adjustment where needed.
Mathematics
Number, operations, fractions, decimals, geometry, measurement, patterns and problem-solving, with learning tailored to your child's mathematical development.
Science, history & geography
Montessori's Cosmic Curriculum connects subjects through stories, experiments, timelines, research and big questions about the Earth, life and humanity.
Practical life & individual interests
Cooking, budgeting, gardening, art, design, technology, physical activity, caring for animals, projects and real-world skills can all become meaningful learning.
How Montessori Kiwi works
We get to know your child
We begin by learning about your child, their current level, interests, strengths and areas where they may need more support or challenge.
Maths and literacy are tailored
Core learning is adjusted to your child's level and progress rather than being determined solely by age.
The wider curriculum is ready for you
Science, history, geography, culture and other Montessori learning are carefully pre-planned, with choices and flexible pathways built in.
Your child submits work through Google Classroom
Work can be submitted directly to the teacher, who reviews it and provides individual comments and feedback.
Optional weekly teacher check-in
Families can use an optional 15–30 minute individual call with the teacher, up to once each week, for additional support or guidance.
Real teacher support is built in.
Montessori Kiwi is not simply a library of resources. Enrolled families have a teacher who can see the child's work, respond to their learning and help determine sensible next steps.
- Individual feedback on submitted work
- Tailored mathematics and literacy
- Optional 15–30 minute call, up to once per week
- Support when families need clarification or guidance
For children who don't fit neatly into a box.
Montessori Kiwi may suit families whose children learn at a different pace, need greater flexibility, want to pursue subjects deeply or simply thrive outside a conventional classroom.
- Advanced in particular subjects
- Uneven learning profiles
- Children needing a quieter environment
- Children who need movement and flexibility
- Neurodivergent learners
- Children who have become disengaged from school
- Families balancing learning with sport, travel or creative pursuits
- Children who love learning but dislike conventional schoolwork
You don't need to become a curriculum designer.
Parents remain an important part of home education, particularly with younger children. But that doesn't mean you should have to plan an entire education yourself.
You shouldn't need to spend every evening wondering what maths should come next, whether the writing is at the right level, which science topic to choose or whether something important has been missed.
Montessori Kiwi provides the framework, curriculum and professional support so you can focus more of your energy on your child.
I've been the teacher — and I've been the homeschooling parent.
Lisa Dei Gratia is a Montessori-trained teacher, New Zealand registered teacher, Montessori school founder and parent with firsthand homeschooling experience.
Lisa founded Porirua Montessori Primary School in Wellington, New Zealand, and has also supported and mentored trainee Montessori teachers.
But Montessori Kiwi has not been created only from the perspective of a teacher or school leader.
Lisa has also personally homeschooled.
That means understanding both what good education looks like professionally and what it feels like when the responsibility for a child's education sits at the kitchen table with you.
Built from both sides of home education.
Montessori Kiwi combines professional Montessori knowledge with an understanding of what is realistic for families educating children at home.
Structure without rigidity.
Individualisation without starting from scratch.
Teacher support without turning home into school.
Genuine Montessori without needing to recreate an entire classroom.
Your homeschool. Professional Montessori support behind it.
Montessori Kiwi is an educational programme and support service, rather than an Australian registered school.
What this means for your family
Home education requirements vary between Australian states and territories.
Families remain responsible for registration and for meeting the requirements of the relevant education authority in their state or territory.
Montessori Kiwi provides curriculum, personalised core learning, teacher feedback and professional guidance that families can use within their home education programme.
A supported Montessori programme for your child.
The programme fee includes much more than access to resources. Your child receives personalised core learning, teacher feedback and ongoing access to professional support.
Your first year
Standard programme fee: AU$2,400 per child per year.
- Pre-planned Montessori curriculum
- Flexible learning pathways and activity choices
- Mathematics tailored to your child's level
- Literacy tailored to your child's level
- Google Classroom for submitting work
- Individual teacher comments and feedback
- Optional 15–30 minute individual teacher call, up to once per week
- Normal teacher response time within 48 hours
- Ongoing guidance as your child progresses
Founding-family pricing is available to our first Australian families. If you would like to enrol more than one child, email us to discuss your family.
Frequently asked questions
Is Montessori Kiwi an Australian school?
No. Montessori Kiwi provides Montessori home education curriculum, planning and educational support. Parents remain responsible for meeting the home education requirements that apply in their Australian state or territory.
Is this genuinely a Montessori programme?
Yes. Montessori Kiwi is developed and supported by a Montessori-trained teacher. Montessori is the educational foundation of the programme rather than simply one influence among several different educational philosophies.
Is the whole curriculum individually written for my child?
No. The wider Montessori curriculum is carefully pre-planned so families don't need to build a programme from scratch. It includes flexibility and choices so families can follow pathways relevant to their child. Mathematics and literacy are individually adjusted to your child's level and progress.
How does teacher feedback work?
Students can submit their work through Google Classroom. The teacher reviews submitted work and provides individual comments and feedback. For enrolled families, our normal response time for messages and submitted work is within 48 hours.
Do we have a weekly teacher call?
A 15–30 minute individual teacher call is available up to once each week as part of the programme. It is optional rather than compulsory, so families can use it when they need additional guidance, clarification or support.
Is the programme completely online?
No. We deliberately keep screen-based learning limited. Technology is used for accessing resources, Google Classroom, short presentations and communication. Much of your child's learning takes place through books, writing, Montessori materials, experiments, projects and practical activities.
Do I need a complete Montessori classroom at home?
No. Montessori Kiwi is designed for real homes. We can help families identify which materials are genuinely useful, and many learning experiences do not require a full classroom collection of specialist materials.
Can my child work above or below their age level?
Yes. Mathematics and literacy are particularly responsive to your child's current level and readiness rather than assuming every child of the same age should be doing identical work.
How much does the parent need to do?
This varies with age and independence. Younger children generally require considerably more parent involvement. Older children can increasingly manage their own programme. Montessori Kiwi provides curriculum and teacher support, but home education remains a partnership with the family.
Have you actually homeschooled yourself?
Yes. Montessori Kiwi founder Lisa Dei Gratia has experience not only as a Montessori-trained teacher, registered teacher and school founder, but also as a homeschooling parent. The programme has been designed with an understanding of both the educational side and the day-to-day reality for families learning at home.
How much does Montessori Kiwi cost?
The standard programme fee is AU$2,400 per child per year. Founding Australian families can currently join for AU$1,950 per child for their first 12 months. Families enrolling more than one child are welcome to email us to discuss their situation.
How do I find out whether Montessori Kiwi would suit my child?
Email montessorikiwi@gmail.com and tell us a little about your child, their age, their current learning situation and what you are looking for. We can then discuss whether Montessori Kiwi is likely to suit your family.
Homeschool with freedom — but with an experienced Montessori teacher behind you.
Get a structured Montessori curriculum, personalised core learning and genuine teacher support without having to recreate school at home or work everything out yourself.
Tell us a little about your child, their age and what you're looking for.
Email: montessorikiwi@gmail.com