Kadimah School

Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report

Background

This Profile Report was written within 18 months of the Education Review Office and Kadimah School working in Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website www.ero.govt.nz

Context 

Kadimah School is a Jewish state-integrated school catering for children from years 1 to 8. The school is located in Remuera, Auckland and maintains a very close association with the Jewish community and synagogue.

The vision and valued outcomes defined by the school for all children are that they are personally fulfilled, with a secure sense of identity and purpose to their lives. Based on the Jewish values of achievement, tolerance, family and community, the school’s culture of learning, is grounded in the values of the T’fillah (prayer, belief, and spirituality), respect for individuality and diversity, Middot (Torah values) and partnerships between families, community, and the school.

Kadimah School’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:

• student leaders continue to have multiple and varied opportunities to grow their skills as leaders
• students develop skills for lifelong learning and well-being
• an emphasis on strong learning skills in reading, writing and mathematics
• Tikanga and Te Reo continue to be embedded into English-medium learning.

You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Kadimah School’s website. 

ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how the school can enhance the knowledge and practice of te ao Māori, tikanga and te reo Māori and embed culturally responsive teaching and learning practice within Kadimah School.

The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to: 

• adhere to the obligations of Te Tiriti O Waitangi 
• deepen the school's relationship with the tangata whenua
• develop a mutual understanding, respect, and commonalities between the Jewish and Māori culture through the tikanga/tradition
• embed culturally responsive teaching practices to benefit all students.

The school expects to see:

• natural integration of te ao Māori, tikanga and te reo Māori into learning contexts
• culturally responsive teaching and learning environment to include and engage all students
• greater authentic interaction with the local hapu and iwi.

Strengths 

The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to evaluate how the school can enhance te ao Māori and embed culturally responsive teaching and learning.

• consistent te reo Māori delivered school wide, through te reo Tuatahi (teacher/student learning)
• a school culture of continuous improvement with committed and collaborative staff
• an adaptive and responsive curriculum
• regular connections with hapū, iwi and the marae.

Where to next?

Moving forward, the school will prioritise: 

• utilising the aspirations of hapū and iwi into decision making, planning and teacher practice to engage with and deepen connections with tangata whenua
• teachers use of effective culturally responsive teaching practice to enhance students’ learning.

ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years. 

Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools

22 January 2024 

About the School

The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement.  educationcounts.govt.nz/home