A Christchurch early education centre has abruptly shut down, leaving seven staff members unemployed and 35 families scrambling to find childcare, with one teacher speaking out about the sudden closure and ongoing issues behind the scenes.
The Ministry of Education informed parents last week that Whales Tales Montessori Preschool in Riccarton, would not reopen on Monday due to “operational issues.” Parents were given no prior warning, with many only finding out after the centre had already closed.
“We had no notice at all,” a parent whose two children attended the preschool, told Chris Lynch Media.
“We were in complete shock. We had no choice but to keep all the children at home while trying to figure out what to do.”
For teachers at Whales Tales, however, the closure had been a long time coming. Kelsi Shannon, a teacher who had worked there for six and a half years, said the warning signs had been there for years.
“We had a lack of communication with the owner over the last few years and haven’t heard from her since August 2024,” she told Chris Lynch Media.
“Staff wages have been late or unpaid since our Christmas break, and late wages have been an ongoing issue for around four to five years prior.
“All staff are now unemployed and seeking help from Work and Income or looking for new jobs.”
According to Kelsi, staff were told about the closure just hours before it happened on Friday evening but were unable to inform parents until after the Ministry of Education had sent an official letter at 5pm.
“Parents were left completely in the dark,” Kelsi said. “We were waiting for the letter from the Ministry, so we couldn’t say anything earlier.”
Teachers later learned that the closure was due to the owner’s failure to pay wages consistently.
“Some teachers hadn’t been paid for weeks,” the parent said. “They never knew when they would get their wages or if they would get paid at all. They stayed because they felt responsible for the kids and didn’t want to leave families without options.”
The parent said they never suspected anything was wrong, and it came as a massive shock to them.
“My son has been there for five years, my daughter for almost three. Then suddenly, we get this email saying it’s shut down, effective immediately.”
She said other parents had immediately contacted the Ministry of Education for answers but were only given a list of alternative daycare providers.
“We were all in shock, trying to keep our children at home and find new care placements as fast as possible.”
A group of parents is now writing joint reference letters to support the teachers in finding new jobs.
“These teachers have been incredibly professional,” the parent said. “They continued caring for our children under awful conditions, and they deserve so much better.”
In a statement to Chris Lynch Media, Ministry of Education leader for Te Tai Runga (South) Nancy Bell, confirmed they are currently investigating operational issues at Whales Tales Preschool.
“To support families, we have provided a list of alternative early childhood services in the area.”
