Mana Tamariki

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 

E tū ana a Mana Tamariki ki Te Papaioea. E noho tahi ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Mana Tamariki me te kura ki te whare kotahi, ā, e kāwanatia ana e te whānau o Mana Tamariki, i raro i te maru o te manatōpū o Mana Tamariki. Kua tūhonotia te kura ki Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa. Ko Te Aho Matua me Te Whāriki ngā tikanga whakaaro kei te tūāpapa o ngā whakaakoranga me ngā akoranga o te kōhanga reo me te kura. Ko tā te Mana Tamariki, he whakarato i te mātauranga ki ngā kōhungahunga i roto i te kōhanga reo, tae noa atu ki te rima tau te pakeke, ā, ki ngā ākonga hoki i ngā tau 1 ki te 13 i te kura. Whai muri i te arotake o mua a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, kua whakatutukihia e te whānau te maha o ngā take nunui i ahu mai ai i ngā panonitanga i taua wā. Kāhore aua take i pā tōraro ki te taumata teitei tonu o ngā putanga ki ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga. Kua hangaia te whare hei wāhi akoranga e āta tohu ana i tā rātou kotahitanga me tā rātou tirohanga kia hūrokuroku te huarahi o te mātauranga rumaki reo Māori mō ngā mokopuna. 

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai 

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā mokopuna i ngā hua o Te Aho Whanake?

E tino whai wāhi nui ana ngā mokopuna, he ākonga pākiki hoki rātou e ako ana mā roto mai i Te Aho Whanake. 

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga 

Te Whāriki: Mana Atua, Mana Tangata – Te Aho Matua: Te Ira Tangata

E whakarato ana te whānau i tētahi taiao e whai hua ana ki te poipoi i te tuakiri me te ngākau titikaha o ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga. Ka tū māia ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki te āta taki i ō rātou pepeha me ō rātou whakapapa. He aronga nahanaha ki te whakatairanga i te tuakiri me te mōhiotanga o ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki ō rātou tini iwi me ō rātou tini hapū. Ko te hononga o te tuakana me te teina te aronga o ngā mahere marau. Kua tino whakawhanakehia tō rātou ngākau titikaha ā-tangata me ō rātou pūkenga whakahoahoa, ā, ka kitea ki te āhua tonu o ō rātou hononga ki ngā tuākana me ngā pakeke. Kua āta whakatōngia ngā whakaritenga e tino ārahi ai, e tino whakatauira ai hoki, hei akiaki i ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki te manaaki me te awhi i ētahi atu. Kei te tino tūmāia ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga i a rātou e taunekeneke ana ki ngā manuhiri, ki ō rātou hoa, ki ō rātou tuākana, ā, ki tō rātou whānau whānui hoki. 

Te Whāriki: Mana Reo – Te Aho Matua: Te Reo

Ko tā te paearu whakauru e meatia ana mō Mana Tamariki, kia ū ngā mātua i ngā wā katoa ki te kōrero Māori anake ki ā rātou tamariki ake, ki ngā tamariki katoa anō hoki kua uru atu ki Mana Tamariki. Hāunga te tokoiti, ka whakatutuki te nuinga o ngā whānau i taua paearu i te whakaurutanga mai. Nā te paearu whakauru, ka whakatūturuhia te noho māoriori, te noho māhorahora hoki o te reo Māori i roto i te whānau. Ka whai pānga te kura ki te kāinga, ā, ka whai pānga anō hoki te kāinga ki te kura. E tino ngākau nui ana ngā whānau ki te āta whakatau kia rongo, kia kōrero hoki ā rātou mokopuna, ngā ākonga hoki i te reo Māori mā te ōkawa me te ōpaki o ngā horopaki tuku iho me ngā horopaki o te ao hurihuri. I roto i ngā tau tata kua pahure ake nei, nā te tukanga hoki o Te Aho Whanake, kua whai wāhi ake te ārahitanga o Rangitāne, ā, nā tēnā, kua kaha ake te aronga ki ngā tikanga, me ngā kaupapa o Rangitāne. He ngākau titikaha ō ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki te whakatutuki i ngā kawenga tikanga mā te tangongitanga o ngā horopaki, tae atu hoki ki ngā kaupapa i te marae me ngā kaupapa a te iwi. E noho ngākau nui ana te whānau ki te whakapakari ake i tō rātou mātau ki te reo Māori kia māoriori, kia māhorahora hoki tā rātou whakaputa i te reo Māori i roto i ngā tini āhuatanga katoa o tō rātou ao o ia rā. He pakari, he mātau hoki ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero mā te reo Māori i roto i ngā horopaki katoa. 

Te Whāriki: Mana Whenua – Te Aho Matua: Ngā Iwi

E whakatairangatia ana te waiora me te aronga toi whenuatanga o ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga mā ngā whai wāhitanga whakaako tūturu me ngā whai wāhitanga ako tūturu. E hāpai ana te whānau i ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki te ārahi me te whakariterite i ngā kaupapa me ngā taumahi, ā, he tūāhuatanga e whakakoia ana i tō rātou tū, i tō rātou whakahirahiratanga hoki i roto i te whānau whānui. Ka tautoko ngā tuākana i ngā tēina ki te ārahi me te whai wāhi atu ki ngā mahinga o ia rā. Ka whai wāhi atu ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki ngā hononga tauutuutu e tino whakaute ana. Ka pou here te whanaungatanga i ngā taunekeneke katoa. Ko ngā wheako e whakaratohia ana, e whakatairanga ana i ngā hononga o ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki waenga i a rātou anō, ki ō rātou tātai whakapapa, ki ngā wāhi whenua whakahirahira, me tō rātou tū, ā rātou kawenga hoki e hāpai ai i ngā wawata o te iwi. 

Te Whāriki: Mana Aotūroa – Te Aho Matua: Te Ao

Ka whakawhānui te whānau i ngā tirohanga a ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki te ao, mā te whakapuaki me te whakarato i ngā tūmomo wheako e whakatairanga ana i ngā akoranga me ngā māramatanga o ngā ākonga. Ka whai pānga ki tēnā, ko ngā haerenga ki tāwāhi, me te toro atu ki ngā iwi taketake o ētahi atu whenua. E tino tautokona ana ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga kia tupu tō rātou mōhiotanga me tō rātou māramatanga ki te ao Māori me te ao whānui. E whanake ana rātou i te mōhiotanga whānui tonu ki te ao, mā roto mai i te tangongitanga o ngā kaupapa, tae atu hoki ki ngā take nui o te hapori, ā, he ngākau titikaha ō rātou ki te whakapuaki i ā rātou akoranga ki te taha o ētahi atu. He māramatanga hōhonu ō ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki ngā hītori me ngā tūāhuatanga hou o te ao Māori me te ao whānui. 

Āhuatanga Ako

Ka tino aro nui te hōtaka me te taiao ki ngā matea ako, ngā pūmanawa, me ngā ngākau nuitanga o ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga. Ka whakawhanakehia, ka whakatinanahia ngā hōtaka hei poipoi i te pupū ake o ngā whai wāhitanga ako tūturu me ngā kaupapa ka kōkirihia e ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga. Mā roto mai i taua aronga, ko te whai wāhitanga mō ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki te whai i ō rātou ngākau nuitanga me te whakahaere rangahau. Ka whai kiko, ka whai mōhiohio ngā aromatawai me te ahu whakamua a ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga. I te kōhanga reo, ka aromatawai mā te paki ako, ā, he aronga e toro atu ana ki ngā tauira akoranga a ngā mokopuna, hei whakamōhio atu i ngā mahere me ngā aromatawai i whakahāngaitia ai ki Te Whāriki me Te Aho Matua. Ko te pūrongo i ngā hua o te ako, e āta whakatakoto ana i ngā tino mōhiohio e pā ana ki te ahu whakamua me te ako a te ākonga i te kura, tae atu hoki ki ngā putanga o Te Aho Matua. Kei te tino whai wāhi atu ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga, kei te tino tākare hoki rātou ki te ako. 

Te Wharekura

E tino tautokona ana ngā ākonga ki te tūhura i ngā huarahi ako maha, me te whakawhanake i ngā mōhiotanga me ngā pūkenga e whakatuwhera ana i ngā whai wāhitanga umanga e whai pūtake ana. Ka whai pānga matua ngā whānau ki te hāpai i te whakatutukitanga o ngā ākonga i ō rātou wawata. Nā tēnā, e eke ana ngā ākonga ki ngā taumata teitei i roto i Te Taumata Mātauranga ā-Motu kua Taea, tae atu hoki ki ngā whakamanatanga. E whai hua ana ngā ākonga ki te whiwhi i ngā pūkenga me ngā rautaki ki te whakatutuki i ō rātou ake wawata, me ngā wawata hoki o te whānau. 

Te Whānau Whakahaere

E tino arotahi ana ngā whānau whakahaere o ia wāhanga ki te angitu me te papai o ngā putanga ki ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga. Ko te whakamahere mō te tauatanga tētahi aronga nahanaha, aronga rautaki hoki. Kua whai wāhi atu te whānau – tae atu ki ngā kaiārahi o Rangitāne kei Mana Tamariki - ki te whakapūmau me te whakatinana i Te Aho Whanake, ā, he aronga tēnei i waihangatia ai mō te pūtaketanga ki te whakapuaki i ngā whakarerekētanga whai hua. Hei tūāhuatanga o taua tukanga, i waihanga ngātahitia te tūnga o ‘Te Raukura’ e rātou ko ngā kaiārahi o Rangitāne. Ko Rangitāne ngā kaitiaki matua o te mauri o Mana Tamariki, ā, ko tā rātou he ārahi i ngā take katoa e pā ana ki ngā kawa me ngā tikanga, me te āta ārahi i ngā tūāhuatanga o te taha wairua o te kaupapa. Mā Te Raukura, ka āta whakatau ngā kaiārahi o Rangitāne i te ū pūmau o ā rātou tikanga me ā rātou kōrero tuku iho ki ngā wāhanga katoa o Mana Tamariki. 

He pai te whakahaeretanga o te kura me te kōhanga reo. Ka tautokona te ārahitanga hei whakawhanake i ngā pūkenga o ngā kaimahi. Kei te mārama ngā aratohu e pā ana ki ngā tūranga me ngā kawenga mahi. E tino puāwai ana te tū takitahi, te tū takirōpū anō hoki o ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga mā tā rātou whai wāhi nui ki te hāpai i te kaupapa o Mana Tamariki. E poipoia ana ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga ki te whakatau ngātahi a te whānau i ngā whakaritenga e aro nui ai ki ō rātou waiora me tā rātou ako.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake

Kei te hāngai pū te titiro a te whānau ki te whakatū i tētahi tumuaki tūturu ki te kura. Kua tautuhia e rātou ngā pūmanawa me ngā mōhiotanga e hiahiatia ana kia kawe mai te tangata, hei hāpai i ngā wawata o te whānau mō ngā mokopuna me ngā ākonga. He kairīwhi kē e mahi ana i tēnei wā.

5 Te Whakatau a te Whānau ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I mua i te arotake, i whakatutukihia e te poari me te tumuaki he Tauāki Kupu Tūturu a te Whānau 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 arotake, i whakamātauhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā āhuatanga i raro iho nei, i te mea he nui te pānga o ēnei ki ngā paetae 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 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. 

6 Ngā Taunakitanga

I whakawhanakehia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me te whānau ngā taunakitanga e whai ake nei, arā, kia:

• whakatutukihia te tukanga e whakatū ai i te tumuaki ki te kura
• ahu whakamua tonu i Te Aho Whanake hei tukanga e kōkiri ai i te toitūtanga o te kaupapa o Mana Tamariki. 

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

27 Pipiri, 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. The ERO reports provide important information for whānau, hapū and iwi.

2 Context 

Mana Tamariki is in Palmerston North. Te Kōhanga Reo o Mana Tamariki occupy the same building as the kura and are governed by the Mana Tamariki whānau under the umbrella of Mana Tamariki Inc. The kura is affiliated to Te Rūnanga Nui o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa. Both the kōhanga and kura base their teaching and learning on the philosophy of Te Aho Matua and Te Whāriki. Mana Tamariki provides education for infants to five years of age in the kōhanga and students from Years 1-13 in the kura. Since the previous ERO review, the whānau have naturally dealt with a number of significant issues resulting from changes in that time. These have not impacted on high level outcomes for mokopuna and students. The purpose-built whare reflects their unity and vision of a seamless Māori language immersion educational pathway for mokopuna. 

3 Evaluation Focus

How effectively do mokopuna show the benefits of Te Aho Whanake? 

Mokopuna are highly engaged and inquisitive learners learning within Te Aho Whanake.

4 Findings 

Te Whāriki: Mana Atua, Mana Tangata – Te Aho Matua: Te Ira Tangata 

The whānau provide an environment that effectively nurtures mokopuna and student identity and confidence. Mokopuna and students confidently recite details of their pepeha and whakapapa. There is a deliberate approach to enhancing mokopuna and student identity and knowledge of the multiple iwi and hapū they belong to. Tuākana and tēina relationships are a focus in curriculum planning. Their social confidence and competence is highly developed and shows through their connections with tuākana and pakeke. Practices are embedded providing effective guidance and role modelling promoting mokopuna and students to manaaki and awhi others. Mokopuna and students are highly confident when interacting with manuhiri, their peers, their tuākana and their wider whānau. 

Te Whāriki: Mana Reo – Te Aho Matua: Te Reo 

The criteria for entry to Mana Tamariki is that both parents speak only Māori to their child and all other children enrolled in Mana Tamariki at all times. With few exceptions the majority of families met these criteria at enrolment. The entry criteria creates an environment where te reo Māori is normalised and natural within the whānau. The kura is a reflection of the home and vice versa. Whānau are highly committed to ensuring their mokopuna and students hear and use te reo Māori in formal, informal, traditional and contemporary settings. There has been a repositioning of Rangitāne leadership in recent years through the process of Te Aho Whanake resulting in an increased emphasis on Rangitāne tikanga and kaupapa. Mokopuna and students confidently undertake tikanga responsibilities in a range of contexts including marae and iwi events. Whānau are committed to building their competency to naturally and comfortably use te reo Māori in all aspects of their daily living. Mokopuna and students communicate confidently and competently in te reo Māori in all contexts. 

Te Whāriki: Mana Whenua – Te Aho Matua: Ngā Iwi 

Mokopuna and student wellbeing and belonging is enhanced through authentic teaching and learning opportunities. The whānau support mokopuna and students to lead and organise events and activities and this confirms their place and significance within the wider whānau. Tuākana support tēina to lead and participate in daily routines. Mokopuna and students engage in highly respectful reciprocal relationships. 

Whanaungatanga underpins all interactions. Experiences provided enhance mokopuna and students’ connections to each other, their ancestral roots and significant wāhi whenua and their roles and responsibilities to support local iwi aspirations. 

Te Whāriki: Mana Aotūroa – Te Aho Matua: Te Ao

Whānau broaden mokopuna and student views of the world by sharing and providing different experiences that enhance student learning and understanding. This includes overseas trips and engagement with indigenous people from other nations. Mokopuna and students are well supported to grow their knowledge and understanding of the Māori world and the wider world. They are developing broad global knowledge on a range of topics as well as local issues of importance and can confidently articulate their learnings with others. Mokopuna and students have an in depth understanding of the historical and contemporary Māori world and the wider world.

Āhuatanga Ako 

The programme and environment are highly responsive to mokopuna and student learning needs and strengths and interests. Programmes are developed and implemented to accommodate spontaneous authentic learning opportunities and mokopuna/student driven kaupapa. This includes opportunities for mokopuna and students to follow their interests and undertake research. Assessment and progress of mokopuna and students is detailed and informative. In the kōhanga, a narrative assessment (paki ako) approach uses exemplars of mokopuna learning to inform planning and assessment aligned to Te Whāriki and Te Aho Matua. Ngā hua o te ako reporting provides clear information on student progress and learning in the kura including outcomes of Te Aho Matua. Mokopuna and students are highly engaged and enthusiastic learners. 

Wharekura

Students are well supported to explore multiple learning pathways and to develop knowledge and skills that lead to meaningful career opportunities. Whānau are an integral part of supporting students to achieve their aspirations. As a result, students achieve high levels of success in National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) including with endorsement. Students are successfully acquiring the skills and tools to achieve personal and whānau aspirations.

Whānau Whakahaere 

The Whānau Whakahaere of each entity are strongly focused on success and positive outcomes for the mokopuna and students. Succession planning is a deliberate and strategic focus. Whānau, including Rangitāne leaders within Mana Tamariki, uphold and implement Te Aho Whanake, a purpose-designed approach for effective change. As part of this process, a new role, Te Raukura, was co-designed with Rangitāne leaders. In their role as principal kaitiaki of the mauri of Mana Tamariki, Rangitāne lead all matters related to kawa and tikanga and provide essential guidance on the spiritual dimensions of the kaupapa. Through Te Raukura, Rangitāne leaders ensure their tikanga and kōrero tuku iho are embedded across all aspects of Mana Tamariki. 

The kura and kōhanga reo are well managed. Support is provided to leadership to develop the capability of kaimahi. Clear guidelines are in place for roles and responsibilities. Mokopuna and students are thriving and flourishing as individuals and as a collective group of contributors to the kaupapa of Mana Tamariki. Mokopuna and students are nurtured by the collective whānau decision making in the interests of their well-being and learning. 

Key Next Steps

Whānau have prioritised appointing a permanent tumuaki for the kura. They have defined what qualities and knowledge the preferred person would need in order to support the aspirations of the whānau for mokopuna and students. Currently there is a reliever in place. 

5 Whānau Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the board of trustees and principal completed the ERO Whānau 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 review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement: 

• 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. 

6 Recommendations

ERO and the whānau developed the following recommendations:

• complete the appointment process of a tumuaki for the kura
• continue to progress Te Aho Whanake as a process to advance the sustainability of the kaupapa of Mana Tamariki.

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

27 June 2025

7 Information about the Kura