Review 15 October 2025
LatestNgā 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
“Mahia te mahi hei painga moo te iwi
ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa ki whea, mahia te mahi”
E whakarato ana Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Bernard Fergusson i te mātauranga kaupapa Māori ki ngā ākonga o ngā tau 0 ki te 8. I te reanga Tau 6, ka tīmatahia te ako ōkawa i te reo Pākehā. Kua hono atu te kura ki te tōpūtanga o Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa. Kua tuituia te marae o Tūrangawaewae me ngā whakaakoranga o Te Kīngitanga, puta noa i ngā whakaakoranga me ngā akoranga.
3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai
He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā ākonga i tō rātou mātau ā-tinana, ā-whatumanawa, ā-tangata hoki?
Ka kitea ki ngā ākonga tō rātou mātau ā-tinana, ā-whatumanawa, ā-tangata hoki, puta noa i ngā horopaki me ngā taunekeneke e āta tohu ana i ngā wawata o ō rātou whānau, ō rātou hapū, me tō rātou iwi.
4 Ngā Whakaaturanga
‘Manaakitanga’
Ka whai wāhi mātātoa ngā ākonga ki ngā kaupapa katoa a te iwi, a ngā hapū, a ngā marae hoki. Ka whai pānga whakaharahara te hītori o Te Kīngitanga me te Kāhui Ariki ki ngā tikanga, te kawa, ngā karakia, me ngā waiata o te kura. Ka ū māoriori nei te mita o Waikato. Ka āta kitea te tupu me te whakawhanaketanga o te reo o Tainui puta noa i te kura, ā, ka āta whakaakona ngā kupu hou, ngā rerenga kōrero, me ngā kīwaha. Ka ārahi ngā karakia o te Pai Mārire me ngā tikanga o Tainui i ngā whakaritenga o ia rā. E tino tautokona ana ngā ākonga kia whakatutukihia e rātou ā rātou takohanga, ō rātou tūranga, me ā rātou kawenga mahi i ngā marae, mā tā rātou whai wāhi atu ki ngā kaupapa katoa hei tangata whenua. Ka hāpai rātou i te paepae, ka mahi i roto i te kihini, ā, ka āta whakarite anō hoki i te whare moe mō ngā manuhiri. Ka hāpai hoki ngā ākonga i te tiaki o ngā papa me ngā whare i te marae. Ka kitea tō rātou ngākau titikaha, tō rātou tino aronga toi whenuatanga, tō rātou whaikaha, me tō rātou kahawhiri whaiaro.
‘Whaangaia’
Ko tā ngā pouārahi mahi i te taiao ako o ngā ākonga, ko te whakakotahi, ā, he mātanga rātou. Ka mahi ngātahi ngā pouārahi hei whakatau i ngā kaupapa matua, hei whakamahere hoki mō te ako ā-rōpū me ngā matea ako anō hoki o ia ākonga.
E whakatupu ana ngā pouārahi i te ārahitanga i te kura mā te toro atu ki ngā kaiako tiwhikete tōmua, kia whai wāhi ai rātou ki ngā whakawhitinga kōrero e pā ana ki te ārahitanga. Kua whakatakotohia tētahi huringa taiāwhio tupu ngaio. He tauira tēnei e hāngai pū ana ki te pakirehua, ā, ka whakapuaki ngā kaimahi i ā rātou whakaaturanga hei whakamōhio i ō rātou whāinga ngaio, whāinga whaiaro hoki mō te tau. Ka whai wāhi atu ngā kaimahi ki te tangongitanga o ngā whai wāhitanga whakawhanaketanga ngaio e whakatairanga ana i ngā whakaritenga, tae atu ki te Incredible Years, ki ngā whakangungu e pā ana ki te whakatina, me te whakawhanaketanga ngaio anō hoki e whakaratohia ana e Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa. Ka kitea ki ngā ākonga tō rātou mauritau, tō rātou ngākau titikaha, mā roto mai anō i tō rātou mōhio, e mahi ana ngā kaimahi hei tino painga mō rātou.
‘Mahia te mahi’
Ka whai wāhi atu ngā ākonga ki tētahi hōtaka kua āta whakatakotohia ngā mahere, ngā aromatawai, me ngā tukanga aromātai. Ka whakataungia ngā kaupapa whānui e ngā whāinga ako mō te kura whānui. Kua tīmatahia te whakawhanake ake i te tātari o ngā paetae ākonga. Ka aru ngā kaiako i ngā paetae o ngā ākonga mā te tātari i ia te wā i ngā raraunga i kohia ai. Ka whakamahi ngā kaiako i aua mōhiohio hei whakahāngai i te tautoko ki te ākonga takitahi me ngā ākonga takirōpū. E tohu ana te tātaritanga o ngā raraunga i ngā nekenekehanga i roto i ngā paetae ākonga. Ka whakamōhio aua tātari i ngā mahere mō te whakaako me te ako. Ka whakaritea ngā mahere ako takitahi ki te taha o ngā kaimahi me ngā whānau, hei tūhonohono i ngā whāinga ki waenga i te kura me te kāinga. He hōtaka motuhake, he tautoko motuhake hoki e aro pū ana ki ngā whāinga ako o ngā ākonga. Kua mahi ngā kaiako o te kura teina ki te whakatinana i te angamahi rangaranga ā-tā, hei whakapakari i te mōhiotanga o ngā ākonga ki te aroā weteoro, me te whakatupu i te reo. Whiwhi ai ngā whānau i ngā pūrongo ā-tuhi e rua i ia tau, ā, ka whakaraupapa ērā i te whai wāhi atu a te ākonga ki te marau, i tōna whakawhanaketanga ā-whatumanawa, i ngā whakaritenga anō hoki ka whai atu. Kei ngā aromātai hōtaka ngā whakaaro huritao o ngā kaimahi ki te marau i ia te wā, ā, he tūāhuatanga tēnei e hāpai ai i te whakatairanga tonutanga o te hōtaka. Ka whai wāhi nui ngā tamariki ki te ako.
‘Kia mau ki te aroha me te rangimārie’
Ka āta kitea te mātau ā-ahurea, ā-tinana, ā-tangata hoki o ngā ākonga ki te ū pūmau o Te Poumarumaru ki te poipoi i te ngākau titikaha ā-tuakiri nei. Ka whai pānga nui ngā poumarumaru ki te hapori o Ngāruawāhia. Ka whāia e rātou ngā tikanga me ngā kawa ā-iwi, ā, ka whai wāhi mātātoa hoki ki ō rātou marae. Ko ētahi o ngā pouārahi me ngā poumarumaru, he māngai nō ō rātou marae e hāpai ai i te kāwana o te kura. Hui ai ngā poumarumaru i ia te wā ki te whakawhiti kōrero mō te ako me te ahu whakamua a ngā ākonga. Kua whakatakotohia ngā mahere ā-rautaki, ā-tau hoki, ā, kua āta tautuhia ngā whāinga o te kura. Ko ngā aronga matua, ko te ‘whanaungatanga’, te ‘akoranga’, me te ‘āhuatanga’, ā, ka kōkiri ēnei i te whakatutukitanga o te kura i tā rātou tirohanga. Ka ū te kura ki ngā whakaritenga ā-pūtea mō te whakaratonga o te whakaako me te ako, ā, ka āta whakaarohia ngā rauemi e hāpai ai i ngā putanga ki ngā ākonga. Nō nā noa nei te tumuaki i uru atu ai ki te hōtaka tumuaki hou a Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa, hei hāpai i te tūhonohono me te tupu o te mōhiotanga ngaio. Mō te taetae mai o ngā ākonga ki te kura, kei runga ake ngā tatauranga i ērā o ngā tūmanako ā-motu, ā, kua tautuhia te tino tokoiti hei āta hāpai ake. Ka aro nui ki te ako a ngā ākonga me tō rātou waiora.
Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake
Me āta tautoko te kāwana me te whakahaere i te kura. He maha ngā wāhanga hei āta whakapakari ake. Me whakawhanake tonu ngā poumarumaru i tō rātou māramatanga ki ngā tūranga me ngā kawenga mahi, hei āta whakatau i te whakatutukitanga o ngā herenga ā-ture i roto i te whakahaeretanga me te whakaritenga o tō rātou kura.
Kāhore ngā tukanga whakahaere kaimahi e whai hua ana. Me titiro wawe ki ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te arowhai ā-pirihimana, ki ngā kirimana tuku mahi, me ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi o ngā kaimahi. Kāhore e kitea ana ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te arowhai haumaru. Me whai whakaaro ki te arotakenga whānui o ngā take kaimahi hei āta whakatau i te tika o te tautoko me te ārahitanga e hāpai ai i ngā kaimahi katoa o te kura.
Nō nā noa nei Te Poumarumaru i hono atu ai ki SchoolDocs, hei āta whakatau i te hāngaitanga o ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga ki ngā herenga ā-ture o te wā, me te whakamahinga o tētahi huringa taiāwhio mārama mō te arotake i ngā kaupapa here. E taunakitia ana kia mātātoa te whai māramatanga me te whakamahinga a Te Poumarumaru, a te ārahitanga, a ngā kaimahi, me ngā whānau i taua taputapu. Me whakapakari i ngā rēhita o te wā e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru. Kāhore i te riterite ētahi o ngā rēhita, ā, kāhore he tuhinga auau, he whakatakotoranga kōrero rānei o roto.
Me whakapakari i ngā pūkenga tātari raraunga o ngā kaiako. Ahakoa kua tīmata ngā kaimahi ki te whakamahi i ngā raraunga tīmatanga ki te whakamōhio i ngā tūmanako ako o ngā ākonga, he whānui tonu aua tūmanako hei whāinga. Me tātari tonu ki te tautuhi i ngā poutama me ngā rautaki i roto i ia marau, tae atu ki te tuhi haere me te aru i ngā wawaotanga mō rātou ngā ākonga hei āta hāpai ake.
Me whakawhanake ake i te marau ā-kura. Me whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro, me waihanga hoki i tētahi marau motuhake, hei whakamōhio i te aronga rautaki me ngā whakaritenga aromatawai e hāngai ana ki ngā uara o te kura me ngā wawata o ngā whānau.
Ahakoa kua tae atu ngā kaiako ki te whakawhanaketanga ngaio e pā ana ki te whakatina, me hoki anō ngā kaiārahi ki ngā tukanga me ngā aratohu e pā ana ki te whakatina ākonga, ki tā te kaupapa here e meatia ana. Me whakamōhio anō hoki i ngā whānau mō ngā aratohu e pā ana ki te whakatina, hei āta whakatau i te ū pūmau ki te haumaru o ngā ākonga.
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.
Hei whakatutuki i ā rātou herenga ā-ture, me tahuri rātou ki te:
- āta whakatau i te whakatinanatanga o ngā whakaritenga e tika ana mō te whakahaeretanga o ngā pūmanawa tāngata, tae atu ki te arowhai i te haumaru o ngā kaitono katoa ka whakatūngia, ki te arowhai ā-pirihimana nei i ngā kaimahi kei ngā tūranga kē atu i te mahi whakaako.
[s599/600, s93 (1) Te Ture Mātauranga me te Whakangungu 2020; wāhanga 25, 31, 32 Children's Act 2014]
6 Te Taunakitanga
E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga kia āta toro atu Te Poumarumaru me te tumuaki ki te tautōhito o Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa, ki te whakatutuki i ngā take i tautuhia ai ki tēnei pūrongo.
Tiwana Hibbs
Toka ā Nuku - Director
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services
15 Whiringa-ā-nuku, 2025
7 Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te Kura
Te tūwāhi Kei NgāruawahiaTe tau a te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga 1696Te tūmomo kuraNgā Kura ā Iwi Te tokomaha o ngā ākonga o te kura173Ngā hononga ā-iwiMāori 100%Ngā āhuatanga motuhakeHe kura hiatoTe wā i te kura te rōpū arotakeHaratua 2025Te wā o tēnei pūrongo 15 Whiringa-ā-nuku 2025Ngā pūrongo o mua a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga Arotake Mātauranga, Kohi-tātea 2020; Arotake Mātauranga, Pipiri 2017; Arotake Mātauranga, Pipiri 20111 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
“Mahia te mahi hei painga moo te iwi
ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa ki whea, mahia te mahi”
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Bernard Fergusson provides kaupapa Māori education for Years 0–8. Formal English instruction is added at Year 6. The kura is affiliated to Ngaa Kura aa Iwi o Aotearoa (NKAI) collective. Tuurangawaewae Marae, and the teachings of the Kiingitanga are interwoven throughout their teaching and learning.
3 Evaluation Focus
How well do students demonstrate that they are physically, emotionally and socially intelligent?
Students show they are physically, emotionally and socially intelligent across a range of contexts and interactions that highlight the aspirations of their whaanau, hapuu and iwi.
4 Findings
‘Manaakitanga’
Students are active contributors to all iwi, hapū and marae activities. The history of the Kiingitanga and the Kaahui Ariki are a significant in ngaa tikanga, kawa, karakia, and waiata of the kura. Te mita o Waikato is naturalised. The growth and development of te reo o Tainui is evident across the kura where kupu hou, rerenga koorero and kiiwaha are explicitly taught. Karakia Paimaarire and tikanga of Tainui guide their day-to-day formalities. Students are well supported to carry out their obligations, roles and responsibilities to their marae by participating in all events in their roles as tangata whenua. This includes supporting the paepae, working in the kitchen, and ensuring the whare moe are well prepared for manuhiri. Students also support in the maintenance of both the grounds and buildings of the marae. They demonstrate confidence with a strong sense of belonging, self-efficacy and personal agency.
‘Whaangaia’
Students learn in an environment where pouaarahi are inclusive and experienced practitioners. Pouaarahi work collaboratively to determine priorities, and plan for groups as well as individual learning needs.
Pouaarahi are growing leadership within the kura through inclusion of provisionally registered teachers in leadership discussions. A professional growth cycle is in place. It is an inquiry-based model in which kaimahi share their findings to inform their annual professional and personal goals. Kaimahi participate in a variety of professional development opportunities to enhance practice, including Incredible Years, restraint training, and PLD offered by Ngā Kura aa Iwi o Aotearoa. Students demonstrate they are secure and confident, knowing that the kaimahi act in their best interests.
‘Mahia te mahi’
Students participate in a programme where planning, assessment and evaluation processes are established. Kaupapa whaanui is determined by kura wide learning goals. Analysing student achievement data is in its early stages of development. Kaiako track student achievements by regularly analysing collected data. Kaiako utilise this information to provide targeted support for individuals and groups. Data analysis shows shifts in student achievement. This informs planning for teaching and learning. Individual learning plans are prepared alongside kaimahi and whānau to connect goals between kura and home. Specialised programmes and support are focused on students learning goals. Kaiako from the kura teina have worked to implement the rangaranga reo aa-taa framework to build student phonetical awareness and language growth. Whaanau receive two written reports each year, outlining student’s engagement with the curriculum, emotional development, and next steps. Programme evaluations include regular kaimahi reflections on the marau, which leads to programme improvement. Students are engaged learners.
‘Kia mau ki te aroha me te Rangimaarie’
Students’ cultural, physical, and social intelligence are clearly reflected in the commitment of the Poumarumaru to nurturing confidence in who they are. Poumarumaru are an inherent part of the Ngaaruawaahia community. They are well informed by ngaa tikanga and kawa-aa-iwi and are active contributors to their marae. Pouaarahi and Poumarumaru include marae representative in the governance of the kura. Poumarumaru meet regularly to discuss student learning and progress. Strategic and annual plans are in place, with kura goals clearly identified. The key focus areas of ‘whanaungatanga’, ‘akoranga’ and ‘aahuatanga’ lead the kura in achieving their vision. The kura maintains sound financial practices for the provision of teaching and learning, with consideration for resourcing to improve student outcomes. The tumuaki has recently enrolled in the Ngaa Kura aa Iwi o Aotearoa Beginning Tumuaki Programme to support connection and the growth of professional knowledge. Student attendance is tracking above national expectations, with a very small cohort identified as requiring additional support. Student learning and wellbeing is prioritised.
Key Next Steps
The governance and management of the kura requires considerable support. There are a number of areas that need to be strengthened. Poumarumaru need to further develop their understanding of roles and responsibilities to ensure legal obligations are met in the operations and management of their kura.
Personnel management processes are inefficient. Police vetting, employment contracts, and job descriptions of kaimahi are areas requiring immediate attention. Safety checking practices are not evident. An overall review of personnel matters should be considered to ensure appropriate support and guidance is provided to all kaimahi of the kura.
Poumarumaru recently adopted SchoolDocs to ensure policies and procedures reflect current legislative requirements and include a clear policy review cycle. It is recommended that Poumarumaru, leadership, kaimahi, and whānau take a proactive approach to understanding and utilising this tool. Current health and safety registers require strengthening. Some registers are inconsistent and lack regular records or entries.
Kaiako skills in data analysis require strengthening. While kaimahi have begun to utilise baseline data to inform learning expectations for students, these expectations remain broad, overall targets. Further analysis is required to identify milestones and strategies within each marau, including the recording and tracking of interventions for students who require support.
The marau -aa -kura requires development. Consultation and the creation of a unique curriculum are needed to inform strategic direction and assessment practices that align with kura values and whaanau aspirations.
While kaiako have attended professional development on restraint, leadership must revisit the processes and guidelines for physical restraint in accordance with the new policy. Informing whaanau about the guidelines for the use of physical restraint must be enacted to ensure student safety is maintained.
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.
Actions for Compliance
To meet compliance requirements, they must:
- ensure suitable human resource management practices are implemented, including all applicants appointed being safety checked and non-teaching staff, police vet checked.
[Section 599/600, section 93(1) Education and Training Act 2020] [section 25, 31, 32Childrens Act 2014]
6 Recommendation
ERO recommend that the Poumarumaru and tumuaki utilise the expertise of Ngaa Kura aa iwi o Aotearoa to address areas of concern identified in this report.
Tiwana Hibbs
Toka ā Nuku - Director
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services
15 October 2025