Tai Wananga

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 whakahaerehia ana a Tai Wānanga ki ngā papa akoranga e rua. Kei Kirikiriroa a Tai Wānanga Ruakura, ā, kei te tapa o Te Papaioea a Tai Wānanga Tū Toa. Ko Tai Wānanga tō rāua ingoa karanga tahi. Mō te tamatāne me te tamawahine ngā papa akoranga e rua, ā, ka poipoi i ngā taiohi o ngā tau 9 ki te 13. Kua tautapaina a Tai Wānanga hei kura āhuatanga motuhake, ā, kotahi te poari kaitiaki e kāwana ana i ngā papa akoranga e rua. Kotahi hoki te tumuaki o ngā papa e rua. Kei ia papa akoranga tōna ake kaiārahi, me tōna ake rōpū ārahi. 

Nō te Whiringa-ā-rangi o te tau 2021 te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga i whakatūngia ai tētahi Kaiwhakahaere Manatū ā-wā. I toro atu Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ki te kura i te tau 2023 ki te aromātai i te ahu whakamua, ā, i taua wā i te pakari te whakamua haere, i kitea hoki te whakapaitanga ake o ngā whakaritenga ki ngā wāhanga katoa i tautuhia ai kia tirohia. I te Hui-tanguru o te tau 2024 te wawaotanga atu a te Kaiwhakahaere Manatū ā-wā i whakakorengia ai. 

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai 

He pēhea rawa te rongo o ngā taiohi i te angitu me te waiora?

He pai te whakariterite i ngā taiohi ki te whakawhanake i tō rātou waiora me tō rātou huarahi ki te angitu. 

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga 

Kei te tākare te whai wāhi atu a ngā taiohi ki te marau e aro nui ana ki a rātou, ā, e whakatairanga ana i te angitu, e poipoi ana hoki i tō rātou waiora. Kua whakawhanakehia ngā pūnaha auaha hei ārahi i te riterite o ngā mahere, te aromatawai, me te tātari, puta noa i te kura. Ka āta whakatakotohia ngā mahere, ā, ka kitea te hononga pū ki ngā pou o te kura, arā, Kia Tū, Kia Ora, Kia Māori. E whakawhāriki ana i ngā horopaki o te hōtaka, i ngā whāinga o te ao, i ngā wheako huarewa, me ngā whai wāhitanga ki te whakawhanake i te reo matatini me ngā paetae e ākona ana. Ka whakaemi i ngā hōtuku i ia te wā kia mārama pū ai ki te ahu whakamua o ia taiohi i roto i ngā akoranga e pā ana ki te reo matatini me te pāngarau, a, he tūāhuatanga tēnei e hāpai ana i te takunetanga o ngā whakataunga. E tino tautokona ana ngā matea ā-rongoā, ā-tangata, ā-mātauranga hoki o ngā taiohi hei āta hāpai ake. Nā ngā hōtaka akoranga takitahi i whakahāngaitia ai, nā te tautoko hoki o ngā kaitiaki kua angitu, kua whai oranga hoki aua ākonga. Tātarihia ai te hōtaka whakaako i ia te wā, ā, ka aromātai ngā kaitiaki i ā rātou whakaritenga me ngā putanga ki ngā taiohi hei hāpai ake i te whakatinanatanga ā meāke nei. He ngākau titikaha ō ngā taiohi ki te whai wāhi atu ki te tangongitanga o ngā horopaki, i a rātou e whakawhanake ana i ō rātou mōhiotanga me ō rātou pūkenga. 

He pai te whai wāhi atu a ngā taiohi o Tai Wānanga ki ngā akoranga me ngā taunekeneke. E whakarato ana te marau i ngā whai wāhitanga mō ngā taiohi ki te whakatau i ō rātou huarahi e hāngai ake ana ki ō rātou whāinga ake me ō rātou wawata ake. Ka aro nui ngā kaitiaki ki te whakapakari i te pai o ngā hononga ki ngā taiohi. He mea tauutuutu ngā uara o te manaakitanga, te kaitiakitanga, me te aroha, i ngā taiohi e whai wāhi atu ana ki ngā wheako ako. Ka whakatairangatia te waiora o ngā taiohi mā te whakapakari tinana, mā ngā hui te marama (he whakaū pono whaiaro), me ngā karakia, ā, he tūāhuatanga matua katoa ēnei i te hōtaka o ia rā. He whai wāhitanga i roto i ō rātou wheako ako ki te uru atu ki ngā akoranga e whakaratohia ana e ngā kaiwhakarato mātauranga mātātoru, hei whakawhanake ake i ngā pūkenga o ngā taiohi mō meāke nei. Kei te taiohi tōna ake tino rangatiratanga mō te huarahi kei mua tonu i a ia. 

E hāpaitia ana ngā taiohi o Tai Wānanga ki te eke panuku i roto i Te Taumata Mātauranga ā-Motu kua Taea, ki te taumata 2 me te taumata 3. E tohu ana ngā hōtuku paetae o te kura mō te tau 2024, i te aronga pūmau ki te whai atu a ngā taiohi i aua taumata o Te Taumata Mātauranga ā-Motu kua Taea, me te 86% o ia taumata e eke panuku ana, me te 52% o rātou e whiwhi ana i te Tiwhikete Whare Wānanga. Ko te reo Māori tētahi kaupapa whakapū mō ngā taiohi ki te Tau 9 me te Tau 10, ā, e ako ana ngā taiohi o ngā tau 9 ki te 11 i tētahi marau e aro nui ana ki te reo matatini me te pāngarau, hei whakareri i a rātou mō te Taumata 2 me Taumata 3 o Te Taumata Mātauranga ā-Motu kua Taea. E hāpaitia ana te eke panuku o ngā taiohi i roto i te mātauranga. 

Ka whakawhanake ngātahi, ka whai ngātahi hoki te ārahitanga i te tirohanga, ngā whāinga, me ngā taumata o te hiranga i te kura. Ka arotahi rātou ki te āta whakatau i te whakawhanake me te tupu ngaio o ngā kaitiaki hei hāpai i te angitu o ngā taiohi. Ka kitea te ahurea kia kounga ngā whakaakoranga, kia whai pūtaketanga ngā mahere mō te whakapaitanga tonu, ā, he aronga ā-kura tonu ki te whakapakari me te whakawhanake i te mōhiotanga o ngā kaimahi, mā te aronga o tēnei wā ki te reo matatini. E whakautea ana ngā pūkenga o te ārahitanga, ā, ka kitea te ngākau nuitanga o ngā kaitiaki ki te tirohanga me ngā tikanga whakaaro o te kura. E hāpaitia ana tā rātou whai wāhi atu ki te whakawhanaketanga ngaio e hāngai ana ki ō rātou ngākau nuitanga, ō rātou pūkenga, me ngā matea o ngā taiohi. Ka whakamanahia ngā kaitiaki kia whakamaheretia mō ngā wawata me ngā matea ako o ngā taiohi. Ka āta whakatau rātou kia tautoko, kia hāpai hoki te taiao i te ako a ngā taiohi me tō rātou waiora. Ko te whanaungatanga kei te pūtake o ngā taunekeneke me ngā hononga katoa i waenga i ngā kaitiaki me ngā whānau i te kura. Ka mahi ngā kaitiaki ki te taha o ngā taiohi me ngā whānau ki te whakawhiti kōrero mō ngā whakataunga ako e hāpai ai ngā wawata o ngā taiohi ki te kura, ā, ki tua atu hoki. E rumakina ana ngā taiohi ki tētahi taiao e whakaaro nui ana ki ō rātou ngākau nuitanga me ō rātou huarahi ki anamata. 

Ko ngā putanga e whai hua ana ki ngā taiohi kei te pūtake o ngā whakataunga kāwana. Kei te tino māramahia e te poari ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga mahi, ā, ka mahi ngātahi, ka mahi nahanaha hoki rātou ki te hāpai i te whakatairanga tonutanga o te angitu o ngā taiohi. Kua whakatakotohia e rātou ngā tūmanako teitei, ā, ka hāpai i te whakatinanatanga o ngā mahere e ahu mai ana i ngā whakaaturanga. Tāpiri atu ki tēnā, kua ahu whakamua te poari ki te tūhonohono ake i ngā papa akoranga e rua, ā, ka hui tahi ngā kaiārahi o ngā papa akoranga, ka whakapuaki hoki i ō rātou mōhiotanga ngaio. Ko te auau o ngā pūrongo i ngā wāhi e rua, e hāpai ana i te poari ki te aru me te aroturuki i te ahu whakamua me te angitu a ngā taiohi i roto i te mātauranga, te hākinakina me ngā ahurea tuakiri. Kei te aru matawhānui i te taetae atu a ngā taiohi ki te kura, ā, kua whakaritea ngā whāinga me ngā rautaki ki te āta toro atu ki a rātou. Kua āta whakatakotohia e te poari ngā kaupapa rautaki matua e arotahi ana ki te tirohanga me te tauākī taketake o te kura. Ka āta mātai rātou i te whai huatanga o te kura ki te whakatutuki i ngā putanga e whai painga ana ki ngā taiohi, ā, e hāngai ana hoki ki ō rātou pou e meatia ana, Kia Tū, Kia Ora, Kia Māori. Ka toro atu ki ngā ratonga tautoko o waho ki te whakawhanake i te mōhiotanga o te poari, ā, ki te whakapakari tonu anō hoki i ō rātou māramatanga ki ngā whakaritenga kāwana. He ngākau titikaha ō ngā taiohi ki te whai wāhi atu ki te tangongitanga o ngā horopaki. 

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake

Tērā te maha o ngā wāhanga hei whakapakari ake. Ka hāngai aua wāhanga ki:

• te whakamātau me te whakarite mō ngā wā ohotata. Me whakatinana i tētahi rārangi mahi mō te whakamātau i ia te wā i ngā akoako ohotata. Ko te whakamātau i ngā wā ohotata, me te aromātai, te whakamahine hoki i aua whakaritenga ka āta whakatau i te pakari o ngā kaitiaki me ngā taiohi ki te aro tika ki ngā wā ohotata. 

5 Te Whakatau a te Poari ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I mua i te aromātai, i whakatutukihia e te poari kaitiaki me te tumuaki he Tauāki Kupu Tūturu a te Poari 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 kia whakaū ngā tikanga o te kura, e hirahira ake ai ngā hua mā ngā taiohi.

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

12 Hereturikōkā 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. ERO’s reports provide important information for whānau, hapū and iwi. 

2 Context 

Tai Wānanga operates over two sites. Tai Wānanga Ruakura is situated in Hamilton and Tai Wānanga Tū Toa is on the outskirts of Palmerston North. Collectively, they are both known as Tai Wānanga. Both sites are co-educational and cater to taiohi from Years 9 to 13. Tai Wānanga is a designated character school with one Board of Trustees providing governance over the two sites. One Tumuaki leads both sites. Each site has its own site leader and leadership team. 

The ministry assigned a Limited Statutory Manager to the kura in November 2021. ERO visited the kura during 2023 to evaluate the progress made, and at that point they had made steady progress and improved practice was evident in all areas that required attention. The Limited Statutory Manager was revoked in February 2024.

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do taiohi experience success and wellbeing?

Taiohi are well prepared to develop their wellbeing and pathway to success.

4 Findings

Taiohi enthusiastically participate in a responsive curriculum that promotes success and nurtures their wellbeing. Creative and innovative systems have been developed to guide consistent planning, assessment and analysis across the kura. Planning is well-prepared and shows a clear correlation with the kura pou: Kia Tū, Kia Ora, Kia Māori. It sets out the contexts of the programme, global goals, transformative experiences, opportunities for developing literacy, and the standards being learned. Collecting data regularly to have a clear understanding of the progress each individual taiohi has made in learning for literacy and mathematics allows for intentional decision making. Taiohi requiring additional support for medical, social or academic needs are well-supported. Individually tailored learning programmes (ITLPs) and kaitiaki support have resulted in these learners’ success and wellbeing. Analysis of the teaching programme is regular with kaitiaki evaluating their practice and taiohi outcomes to improve future implementation. Taiohi confidently participate and make contributions in a range of contexts whilst developing their knowledge and skills.

Taiohi at Tai Wānanga are positively engaged in learning and interactions. The curriculum provides opportunities for taiohi to determine pathways that aligns to individual goals and aspirations. Kaitiaki prioritise building positive relationships with taiohi. The values of manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and aroha are reciprocated as taiohi participate in learning experiences. Taiohi wellbeing is promoted through physical fitness conditioning, hui te marama (positive self-affirmation) and karakia, which are integral aspects of the daily programme. Their learning experiences include opportunities to participate in courses offered by tertiary providers to further develop taiohi skills in preparation for their future. Taiohi have self-determination for their future and beyond. 

Tai Wānanga taiohi are supported to achieve in their attainment of National Certificate of Education Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 2 and 3. The school achievement data for 2024 shows that a concerted focus is given to taiohi sitting these NCEA Levels with 86% respectively achieving in both levels and 52% attaining University Entrance. Taiohi in Years 9 to 10 have te reo Māori as a compulsory subject and taiohi in Years 9 to 11 learn in a curriculum that prioritises literacy and numeracy in preparation for NCEA Level 2 and Level 3. Taiohi are supported to achieve educational success.

Leadership collaboratively develops and pursues the school’s vision, goals and targets for excellence. They are collectively focussed on ensuring the development and professional growth of kaitiaki to support taiohi success. A culture of quality teaching and evidence-based planning for improvement is evident, supported by a whole-kura approach to building and developing kaimahi knowledge, with a current focus on literacy. Leadership is respected for their skills with kaitiaki showing dedication to the philosophy and pedagogy of the kura. They are supported to participate in professional development that aligns with their interests, strengths and taiohi needs. Kaitiaki are empowered to plan for aspirations and the learning needs of taiohi. They ensure that the environment is supportive and is conducive to taiohi learning and wellbeing. Whanaungatanga is central to all interactions and relationships within the kura, particularly between kaitiaki and whānau. Kaitiaki work alongside taiohi and whānau to discuss learning decisions that support taiohi aspirations at kura and beyond. Taiohi are emersed in an environment that considers their passions and pathways for the future.

Positive taiohi outcomes are at the forefront of governance decision making. The board have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and work collectively and strategically to support the improvement of taiohi success. They have established high expectations and support the implementation of evidence-based planning. In addition, the board has made shifts to connect the two sites with site leaders participating in hui and sharing professional knowledge. Regular reporting from both sites allows the board to track and monitor taiohi progress and success, both academically, in sports and cultural activities. Taiohi attendance is comprehensively tracked with re-engagement goals and strategies. The board have intentionally shaped the strategic priorities that focuses on the kura vision and mission. They scrutinise the effectiveness of the school in achieving valued taiohi outcomes that align with their pou: Kia Tū, Kia Ora, Kia Māori. External supports are utilised to develop the knowledge of the board to continue strengthening their understanding of governance practices. Taiohi participate confidently in a range of contexts. 

Key Next Steps

There are a number of areas that requires strengthening. This includes:

• practicing and preparing for emergencies. Implementing a schedule for practicing emergency drills regularly is needed. Practising emergencies and evaluating and refining these practices ensures kaitiaki and taiohi can confidently respond in an emergency.

5 Board Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the evaluation, the board of trustees and principal completed the Board 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 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 and certification
• processes for appointing staff
• stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
• attendance
• compliance with the Children’s Act 2014. 

6 Recommendation

ERO recommend that school leaders continue to sustain practices that further enhances positive outcomes for taiohi.

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

12 August 2025

7 Information about the Kura