Te Kura o Te Kao

Ngā Kitenga Arotake Report

1 He Kupu Arataki

Kua mahi ngātahi Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, ngā whānau, ngā kaiārahi, ngā kaimahi me ngā hapori ki te whakawhanake i ngā tirohanga aromātai e whai wāhi nui ai ki te hāpai i te kawenga takohanga me te whakapaitanga, ki te tautuhi i te ahu whakamua, ā, ki te whakapakari ake hoki i te āheinga ki te aromātai. E hāngai ana tēnei pūrongo ki ā rātou pūnaha, ki ā rātou whakaritenga, me ā rātou mahi whakahaere. Ka whakarato ngā pūrongo a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i ngā mōhiohio mātuatua mā ngā whānau, mā ngā hapū, me ngā iwi. 

2 Te Horopaki 

Ko Te Kao te kāinga

Ko Te Aupōuri te iwi

Kia Mārama

E tū ana Te Kura o Te Kao ki te hapori iti o Te Kao, e 30 kiromita ki te tonga o Te Rerenga Wairua. He kura ā-iwi tēnei, ā, he tino hononga ā-iwi ki Te Aupōuri. Nō te tau 2020 te wharekura i whakatūngia ai e ngā kaiārahi o te kura, ā, e whakarato ana i te mātauranga rumaki reo Māori ki ngā ākonga 70, mai i ngā tau 1 ki te 13. 

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai 

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā uri i tō rātou āheinga ki te tatū whakataunga me te whai wāhi nui ki te pāpori?

Ka āta whakaritea ngā uri kia ngākau titikaha, kia whai pūkenga hoki rātou hei kaitiaki, hei kaiārahi anō hoki mō te kāinga, mō te iwi, ā, ki tua atu hoki. 

3 Ngā Whakaaturanga 

Kua rumakina ngā uri ki Te Aupōuritanga. Ki te titiro a ngā kaumātua me ngā kuikuia, ka whai pānga nui te kura ki te whakapūmau i te reo Māori, i ngā tikanga Māori, me te mātauranga Māori hei painga mō te iwi ki anamata. Ka poipoi te whānau o te kura i ngā uri, kia kawe atu ai rātou i ngā tūranga ōkawa i te hapori, tae atu ki ngā tūranga ārahi i ngā pōwhiri, me te karanga, te whaikōrero i runga i te taumata, i ngā waiata me ngā mōteatea, tae atu hoki ki ngā karakia. Ka whakarite ngā kaimahi i ngā uri kia ngākau titikaha, kia mātau hoki rātou i roto i ngā kaupapa a te hapū me te iwi, i te marae, ā, i te hapori whānui hoki. Kua pou herea te whanaungatanga ki ngā uara i whakatō ai ki te mātāpono me te whakatauākī o te kura e meatia ana ‘kia mārama’. He ngākau titikaha ō ngā uri ki tō rātou tuakiri, ā, he tino aronga nui hoki ki tō rātou tūrangawaewae. 

E rumakina ana, e whakapūmautia ana ngā uri e ngā hononga me ngā akoranga e whakamana ana, e whakatairanga torowhānui ana hoki i a rātou. Kua āta whakaritea ngā tūmanako e pā ana ki ngā whakaakoranga me ngā akoranga, kia mārama, kia riterite. Ka whakamahere ngātahi, ā, kua whakamōhiotia ngā mahere ki ngā mahi aromatawai pakari e riterite ana puta noa i te kura. Ka whakamōhio ngā aromatawai i te whakatinanatanga o ngā wheako ako whai hua e whakahihiri ana, ā, e whakaongaonga ana i te whai wāhi nui me te ahu whakamua a ngā uri. Ka whanake ngā uri kia kōkiri ai rātou i ō rātou whakaaro, ā, kei te piki haere tā rātou whakamārama haere i tēnā e ākona ana. E ākina ana tā rātou kōkiri i a rātou anō, ā, ka tatū whakataunga rātou mō ā rātou ake akoranga. Aromātai ai, whakaaro huritao ai hoki ngā kaiako i ia te wā, mō te angitu o ngā hōtaka ki te whakatere i ngā akoranga me te aro nui ki ngā matea o tēnā me tēnā. Kei te tino mōhio ngā kaimahi ki ngā uri, ā, he tino hononga ā-whakapapa ō rātou e paihere ana i te whakawhirinakitanga, te manaaki, me te whakaute. Kei te mauritau ngā uri, ā, e whai wāhi nui ana ki ā rātou akoranga. Ka whakatinana rātou i te ngākau titikaha me te tū takitahi, mā roto mai i tētahi taiao e whakatairanga nui ana i te ako. 

Ka ārahi, ka tautoko hoki ngā mahi whakaako me ngā mahi ako i te angitu o ngā uri. E ai ki ngā hōtuku i pūrongohia ai e te kura i te mutunga o te 2023, e 70% o ngā uri o te Kura Teina (o ngā tau 1 ki te 8) e mahi ana ki ngā taumata e tūmanakohia ana e te kura – ki tua atu rānei – i roto i te kōrero, e 68% i te tuhituhi, ā, e 86% o ngā uri i eke ki ngā taumata i tūmanakohia ai – ki tua atu rānei – i roto i te pānui. E 72% o ngā ākonga i te mahi ki ngā taumata i tūmanakohia ai e te kura – ki tua atu rānei – i roto i te pāngarau. Ka whakatakoto ngā kaiārahi o te kura i ngā taumata paetae, ā, he aronga ki te reo Māori. E tohu ana ngā putanga o te tau 2023 i te 75-100% o ngā uri i whiwhi i Te Taumata Mātauranga ā-Motu kua Taea i te Taumata 1 me te Taumata 2 i roto i Te Reo Māori me Te Reo Rangatira. Ko te uri tuatahi ki te whakatutuki i tana mātauranga ā-kura katoa i te kura, ka puta i te kura hei te mutunga o tēnei tau. He pai te ahu whakamua a ngā uri ki te whakatutuki i ngā putanga ako i hiahiatia ai, me te whakatutuki i ō rātou wawata. 

Ka tū ngā kaiārahi hei tino tauira o ngā mātāpono o te kura. Ka ārahi mā te mahi hei painga mō te katoa, ā, he huarahi ārahi e pou here ana i noho mārama o ngā whakaritenga me te mahi tahi. Ka mahi ngātahi ngā kaiārahi ki te whai i te tirohanga o te kura me ngā whāinga rautaki. Ka waihanga, ka whakapūmau hoki rātou i tētahi taiao e whakatairanga ana i te eke angitu o ngā uri. E whanake ana te marau ā-kura, ā, e whakatō ana i ngā uara e hiahiatia ana, e whakapūmau ana hoki i te tino tuakiri hei uri o Te Aupōuri. Ko ngā whai wāhitanga whakawhanaketanga o Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa, me te huringa taiāwhio tupu ngaio ngā aronga matua ki te whakawhanake i ngā pūkenga o ngā kaiako. He pai te hanganga me te riterite o ngā pūnaha me ngā tukanga o te kura, tae atu ki tētahi aronga matawhānui ki te whakahaeretanga o ngā pūmanawa tangata. He whakawhirinakitanga tō ngā hononga ngaio, ā, kua pou herea ki te whakapapa, ki te māramatanga ngātahi, me te ū ki te kaupapa. E whanake ana ngā uri i ngā pūmanawa me ngā waiaro o te ārahitanga, mai i ngā tūāhuatanga e āta whakatauirahia ana e aua tino kaiārahi. 

Ka whai wāhi nui ngā whānau ki te kura, ā, ka tino whakanuia tō rātou reo me tā rātou hāpai hoki i te aronga rautaki o te kura. E tino tohu ana te wharekura i te whakatinanatanga o tētahi wawata pae tawhiti o te whānau. E tino mōhio ana Te Poumarumaru ki ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga mahi. Kei te mōhio rātou ki ngā tūāhuatanga e whai hua ana, nā te whai mōhiohio o ā rātou whakataunga e whakakore atu ai i ngā tauārai. Ka ārahi o-roto i te ako a ngā mema hou, ā, ka whakapā atu hoki ngā kaitiaki poari ki ngā whakangungu a Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa me Te Whakarōpūtanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa ki te whakawhanake i tō rātou mōhiotanga me tō rātou mātau ki te taha kāwana. Arotakengia ai ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga i ia te wā. Kei te pakari te pūnaha e pā ana ki te whakahaere āhua mahi, ā, ka hāpai i te mātau me ngā pūkenga o ngā kaiako me te tumuaki. He māramatanga ngātahi, ka ū ngātahi hoki ngā poumarumaru ki te kaupapa o te kura. E ako ana ngā uri ki tētahi taiao hauora, tētahi taiao haumaru hoki e aro nui ana ki tō rātou waiora torowhānui. 

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake

Kua tīmatahia te whakawhanaketanga o te wharekura, ā, koia nei tētahi wāhanga matua hei whakatupu. Kei te whakarato tonu ngā kaiārahi o tētahi kura tuakana i te ārahitanga me te tautoko ki te whakawhanake i ngā pūnaha, ngā tukanga, ā, i ngā whakahaeretanga hoki. E whai ana ngā kaiārahi i te whakamanatanga a Te Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa, kia kawe atu ai rātou i te whakatinanatanga o tā rātou hōtaka e pā ana ki Te Taumata Mātauranga ā-Motu kua Taea. Me whakawhanake tonu rātou i ngā mahi e pā ana ki te whakamahere, te aromatawai, me te aromātai e whakatakoto ai i ngā huarahi ako me ngā tūmanako e mārama ana, e whai hua ana hoki hei painga mō ngā uri o te wharekura. Me whakawhanake i te mātau o ngā kaiako ki ngā tikanga ako e whai hua ai ki te wharekura hei whakapai tonu i te whakaako me te ako, ā, hei whakapūmau i te angitu o te wharekura i roto i te roanga o te wā. He whai wāhitanga mō ngā uri ki te whakatinana i ō rātou wawata mā roto mai i te whakamanatanga o te huarahi ako i whakahāngaitia ai mō ngā uri o Te Aupōuri. 

5 Te Whakatau a Te Poumarumaru ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I mua i te aromātai, i whakatutukihia e te poari kaitiaki me te tumuaki he Tauāki Kupu Tūturu a Te Poumarumaru me tētahi Rārangi Arowhai Tātari Whaiaro. I roto i aua tuhinga i oati rātou i whāia e rātou ngā huarahi whai take hei whakatutuki i ā rātou herenga ā-ture e pā ana ki:

• ngā whakahaere a te poari
• te marautanga
• ngā whakahaere mō te hauora, te haumaru, me te oranga tinana
• ngā whakahaere o ngā kaimahi
• ngā whakahaere o te pūtea
• ngā whakahaere o ngā rawa.

I te wā o te aromātai, i whakamātauhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā āhuatanga i raro iho nei, i te mea he nui te pānga o ēnei ki te haumaru me te waiora o ngā ākonga: 

• te haumaru aronganui o ngā ākonga (tāpiri atu ki te ārai i ngā mahi whakawetiweti me ngā mahi whakaaito)
• te haumaru ā-tinana o ngā ākonga
• ngā rēhita a ngā kaiako
• te tukanga whakatū kaimahi
• te whakaunu, te aukati, te pana me te whakarerenga
• te tae ā-tinana atu a ngā ākonga ki te kura
• te whakatutukitanga o ngā kaupapa here o te kura i ngā tikanga o te Children's Act 2014.

6 Te Taunakitanga

E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me te tumuaki kia whakatinanahia ngā whakaritenga matua i whakatakotohia ai ki tēnei pūrongo kia whāia, ā, me whakawhanake i tētahi mahere ki te taha o tō rātou kura tuakana me Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa.

Tiwana Hibbs
Toka ā Nuku 
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services

07 Poutūterangi, 2025

7 Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te Kura 

1 Introduction

The Education Review Office (ERO) in collaboration with whānau, leaders, kaimahi and their communities develop evaluation insights that foster accountability and improvement, identify progress and build evaluation capability. This report reflects their systems, operations and management practices. The ERO reports provide important information for whānau, hapū and iwi. 

2 Context

Ko Te Kao te kāinga

Ko Te Aupōuri te iwi

Kia Mārama – Let there be light

Te Kura o Te Kao is located in Te Kao, a small community 30kms south of Te Rerenga Wairua. It is a Kura-ā-Iwi with strong tribal connections to Te Aupōuri. The kura leaders established their wharekura in 2020 and now provide Māori medium education for 70 students from Years 1 to 13.

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do uri demonstrate they are decision makers who contribute to society?

Uri are well prepared to be confident and capable kaitiaki and leaders for the kainga, the iwi and beyond.

4 Findings

Uri are immersed in Te Aupōuritanga. Kaumātua and kuikuia see the kura as important to sustaining te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori for the future of the iwi. The kura whānau nurture uri to take on formal roles in the hāpori including leadership roles in pōhiri, kāranga, whaikōrero o te taumata, waiata, mōteatea and karakia. Kaimahi prepare uri to be confident and competent in hapū and iwi events, at the marae and in wider community spaces. Relationships are underpinned by values embedded in the kura mātāpono and whakatauāki – kia mārama. Uri are confident in who they are and have a strong sense of where they are from. 

Uri are immersed in and sustained by relationships and learning that values and enhances them holistically. Clear and consistent teaching and learning expectations are well established. Collaborative curriculum planning is informed by sound assessment practice that is consistent across the kura. Assessment informs the implementation of engaging and effective learning experiences that stimulate uri participation and progress. Uri develop as autonomous thinkers and increasingly articulate what they are learning. They are encouraged to exercise agency and make decisions about their own learning. Kaiako regularly evaluate and reflect on the success of programmes to accelerate learning and to respond to the needs of individuals. Kaimahi know uri well and enjoy close whakapapa relationships that are trusting, caring and respectful. Uri are settled and engaged in their learning. They express confidence and independence in an environment conducive to learning.

Teaching and learning practices guide and support uri success. Kura reported data at the end of 2023 showed 70% of uri in the Kura Teina, Years 1 to 8, were working at or above the kura expectations in kōrero, 68% in tuhituhi and 86% of uri achieved at or above expectations in pānui. 72% of students were working at or above kura expectations in pāngarau. Kura leaders set achievement targets with a focus on te reo Māori. The 2023 outcomes show 75-100% of uri gained National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 1 and 2 in Te Reo Māori and Te Reo Rangatira. The first uri to complete their entire pre-tertiary education at the kura graduates at the end of this year. Uri are progressing well towards achieving desired learning outcomes and fulfilling their aspirations. 

Leaders are positive role models of ngā mātāpono o te kura. A servant leadership model underpins transparent and distributive practices. Leaders work collaboratively to pursue the kura vision and strategic goals. They create and sustain an environment that is conducive to uri success. The developing marau ā-kura installs desirable values and reinforces a strong sense of Te Aupōuri identity. Ngā Kura-ā-Iwi professional development opportunities and the professional growth cycle are key approaches to developing the capabilities of kaiako. Kura systems and processes are well structured and consistent, including a coherent approach to Human Resource management. Professional relationships are trusting and underpinned by whakapapa, collective understanding and a commitment to the kaupapa. Uri develop leadership attributes and attitudes from these positive role models.

Whānau have a strong presence in the kura and their voice and contribution to the strategic direction of the kura is highly valued. The wharekura exemplifies the realisation of a long standing whānau aspiration. The poumarumaru know their roles and responsibilities well. They know what makes a difference because of their informed decision making to remove barriers. New members are mentored internally, and trustees also access Ngā Kura-ā-Iwi and Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZSTA) training to develop their governance knowledge and proficiency. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed. A vigorous performance management system supports kaiako and tumuaki expertise and capabilities. The poumarumaru is unified in their understanding of and commitment to the kura kaupapa. Uri learn in a healthy and safe environment that prioritises their holistic wellbeing.

Key Next Steps

The wharekura is in its early stages of development and is a key area for growth. Leaders from a tuākana kura continue to provide strong guidance and support for developing systems, processes and for operations. Leaders are pursuing New Zealand Qualifications Authority accreditation to assume autonomy over the implementation of their National Certificates of Educational Achievement programme. They need to further develop planning, assessment and evaluation practices that provide clear and effective learning pathways and expectations for uri of the wharekura. Developing kaiako expertise in effective wharekura pedagogy is required to continually improve teaching and learning and to sustain the long-term success of the wharekura. Uri have opportunities to realise their aspirations in an empowering uninterrupted learning journey customised for uri of Te Aupōuri.

5 Te Poumarumaru Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the evaluation, the board of trustees and tumuaki completed the ERO Te Poumarumaru Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:

• board administration
• curriculum
• management of health, safety and welfare
• personnel management
• financial management
• asset management.

During the evaluation, ERO checked at the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:

• emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
• physical safety of students
• teacher registration
• processes for appointing staff
• stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
• attendance
• school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.

6 Recommendation

ERO and the tumuaki recommend actioning the key next step in this report be prioritised, and a plan be developed alongside mentoring kura and Ngā Kura-ā-Iwi to be addressed.

Tiwana Hibbs 
Toka ā Nuku - Director
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services

7 March 2025

6 Information about the Kura