Te Wharekura o Nga Purapura o Te Aroha

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

‘Mā ngā pou tikanga o tōku whare, e tū ai tōku whare wānanga e ū ai te arero tupuna, e tau ai te mauri o tōku ao Māori’

E tū ana Te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o Te Aroha ki Te Awamutu, ki te taha o te papa akoranga a Apakura, o Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. E whakarato ana te kura i te mātauranga kaupapa Māori ki ngā tauira o ngā tau 1 ki te 13. Nō Raukawa, nō Ngāti Apakura, nō Ngāti Maniapoto te nuinga o ngā tauira me ngā whānau.

• Ko Ngā Pou Tikanga te tūāpapa o ngā mahi i te kura me ngā whakahaeretanga. Ko ngā pou e whā o tō rātou whare, ko te:
  Poutuarongo – ko te reo Māori kei te pūtahi o ngā whakaakoranga me ngā akoranga
• Poutāhuhu - e whakanui ana i te whai wāhi matua o te whānau me ngā tāngata ki te kura
• Poumua - e hāpai ana i ngā tauira kia rongo ai rātou i te angitu i ō rātou huarahi ako me tō rātou ao
• Poutokomanawa - e whakatō ana i ngā uara matua puta noa i te kura.

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā tauira i tō rātou māramatanga ki te mauri ora?

Ka kitea ki ngā tauira tō rātou māramatanga ki te mauri ora, mā ā rātou mahi, mā ō rātou hononga ki ō rātou hoa me ō rātou kaiako, mā tā rātou manaaki anō hoki i te taiao.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

E ako ana ngā tauira ki tētahi taiao e aro nui ana ki te reo Māori. Ka hāngai ngā wawata o te whānau ki Te Poutuarongo, ā, ka whakanui, ka whakamana anō hoki i te tū o te tauira me te whānau ki te whakauka me te whakamāoriori hoki te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. E whakaatuhia ana aua wawata ki ngā āhuatanga katoa o te kura, puta noa i ngā mahinga me ngā whakaritenga ā-kura, i ngā tuhinga ārahi, me ngā hōtaka whakaako, hōtaka akomanga hoki a ngā kaiako me ngā kaimahi.

E whai pūtake ana te marau, ā, e whakatakoto ana i ngā whai wāhitanga papai mō ngā tauira ki te toro atu ki ngā akoranga whai pūtake, me te whakawhanake anō hoki i te ngākau titikaha. Ka whakamahi ngā kaiako i te taiao ako māoriori hei tūāpapa mō ngā whai wāhitanga ako tūturu e āta whakatau ana i te tangongitanga o ngā wheako ako whakaongaonga, whai pūtake hoki mā ngā tauira, ā, e tūhono ana i a rātou ki tō rātou whenua. Ka poipoi te kura i ngā hononga i te rohe, i te motu whānui hoki, kia toro atu ai ngā tauira ki ngā whai wāhitanga me ngā wheako e hāpai ana i tō rātou whakawhanaketanga ā-tangata, ā-mātauranga, ā-tinana hoki.

Ka kitea ki ngā tauira tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga, ō rātou hononga anō hoki ki te kura, ki te whānau, ki ō rātou hoa, ā, ki te hapori whānui. Kua āta whakatōngia te whanaungatanga, ā, ka tūhono, ka whakapūmau anō hoki ngā tauira i ngā hononga papai ki ō rātou hoa, tae atu hoki ki ngā kaiako me ngā kaimahi o te kura. Ka noho rāhiri ngā tauira, ka tūmāia, ā, he mauritau hoki. Ko te tokoiti i ia akomanga e hāpai ana i te pakari o ngā hononga. Ka tino whakatinana ngā tauira i ngā mātāpono o te kura. Ka whakahāngaitia ngā mahere mauri takitahi ki ngā ngākau nuitanga me ngā kaupapa hirahira o ngā kaiako me ngā tauira, ā, ka whai pānga anō hoki ki ngā whakataunga. Kua whakatakotohia ngā pūnaha hei āta whakatau i te kounga o ngā mahi whakahaere a ngā kaiako, i runga anō i te āhua o Ngā Pou Tikanga me ngā whakaritenga whakamahere papai. Kei te mauritau, kei te mārie hoki ngā akomanga. Ko te ako a ngā tauira, ko tō rātou waiora hoki tētahi aronga matua.

E whiwhi ana ngā tauira o te wharekura i ngā kōwhiringa whai tikanga e hāpai ai i tā rātou whai atu i ō rātou ngākau nuitanga me ō rātou hiahia. Ka uru atu rātou ki ngā whai wāhitanga ako ā-horopaki, ki ngā hōtaka umanga, me ngā huarahi mātauranga i āta whakatakotohia ai hei tūhono i a rātou ki te whānuitanga ake o te mātauranga me ngā ara umanga. He aronga tā te hōtaka o ngā tau 9 me te 10 ki te whai atu i ngā mōhiotanga me ngā pūkenga e whakarite ai i ā rātou whiringa kaupapa hei te tau 11 mō Te Taumata Mātauranga ā-Motu kua Taea. Ka aro ngā tauira ki anamata, ka whai wāhi rātou ki ngā huarahi mātauranga me ngā huarahi umanga e whai pūtake ana.

E ū ana ngā kaiārahi ki te whakapakari i ngā pūmanawa me ngā pūkenga ārahi, puta noa i te kura. Nō nā noa nei te rōpū ārahi i whakatūngia ai, ā, e whakatinana ana rātou i te tirohanga o te kura e meatia ana, ‘He taonga te tamaiti’, e āta whakatauira mātātoa hoki i Ngā Pou Tikanga. Ka whakaemihia ngā tirohanga me ngā wawata o ngā tauira, ngā whānau, me ngā kaiako, ā, ka whai wāhi ērā ki ngā whakataunga nunui. Ka tautuhi, ka whakawhanake hoki ngā kaiārahi i te mātanga o roto, ā, ka toro atu rātou ki te tautoko o waho e tika ana ki te aro nui ki ngā matea ako o ngā tauira me ngā kaimahi. Ka whakatairanga, ka whakapakari hoki ngā kaiārahi i te ngātahitanga me te papai o te ahurea i te kura.

Ka kitea ki te poari kaitiaki te kaha ū ki te kawe atu i ō rātou tūranga kāwana me ā rātou kawenga mahi. E noho ngākau nui ana rātou ki Ngā Pou Tikanga, ki ngā huarahi anō hoki ka whakatinana i taua aronga ki tō rātou tūranga kāwana. Ko tētahi aronga matua, ko te whakatairanga i te pūmautanga o ngā kaimahi, i te kimi kaimahi anō hoki, mā te tuku rawa e hāpai ai i te mauri me te waiora o ngā kaimahi. E ū ana ngā kaitiaki poari ki te taetae atu ki ngā wānanga, hei whakapakari ake i ngā āheinga, me te whakatutuki i ngā herenga ā-ture. Ko tētahi aronga, ko te āta whakatau i ngā tuhinga kāwana, tae atu ki ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga e hāngai ana ki Ngā Pou Tikanga.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake

Me whakatere i te ahu whakamua me ngā paetae a ngā tauira. I tohua ki ngā hōtuku paetae mō te mutunga o te tau 2023, kāhore te nuinga o ngā tauira i eke ki ngā taumata o te kura i roto i te reo matatini me te pāngarau. Me titiro wawe hoki ki te whakatika i te hakahaka o ngā taumata paetae i roto i Te Taumata Mātauranga ā-Motu kua Taea, mai i te taumata 1 ki te 3. Hei urupare atu i aua āwangawanga, kua tautuhia e ngā kaiārahi te tautoko, ā, kua whakawhanakehia ngā rautaki hei whakatere i te ahu whakamua o aua tauira e tika ana kia āta hāpai ake.

Me whakatau te poari i tā rātou ū ki tā rātou rārangi mahi mō te arotake kaupapa here, hei āta whakatau i tā rātou hāngaitanga ki ngā herenga ā-ture o te wā. E mahi ana te kura ki te whakahāngai i ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga ki Ngā Pou Tikanga. Me matua mahi rātou ki te rārangi mahi, i a rātou e whakahāngai ana i aua kaupapa here ki te kura. Ka whakatairangatia te haumaru o ngā tauira i te wā e hāngai ana ngā kaupapa here ki ngā herenga ā-ture o te wā.

Me whakatakoto i ngā wā ka whakamātauhia ngā hōneatanga ohotata, hei āta whakatau i te haumaru o ngā tauira me ngā kaimahi. Kāhore i te riterite te whakamahere i ngā akoako hōneatanga. Ko tā te whānau whāinga, kia kotahi te akoako hōneatanga o ia wāhanga, engari, kāhore e whakamaheretia ana, ā, he maha ngā wā ka whakataha nā ngā kaupapa kē atu o te wā ka pupū noa atu. Ka whakapūmautia te māia o ngā tauira i ngā wā ohotata, mā te whakamahere i ngā akoako hōneatanga.

Ko te arowhai i te haumaru o ngā kaimahi hou tētahi kaupapa matua. Ka whakamanahia te kaimahi ki ngā whakaritenga o tēnei wā mō te arowhai haumaru, engari, kāhore aua whakaritenga e whakatutuki ana i ngā herenga ā-ture. Kāhore e taea e te whānau te āta whakatau, kua arowhai tōtikatia ngā whakatūnga hou. Me noho matua rā te haumaru o ngā tauira.

5 Te Whakatau a te Poari ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I mua i te aromātai, i whakatutukihia e te poari 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 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 me ngā tiwhikete 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 i te Vulnerable Children Act 2014

Hei whakatutuki i ngā herenga ā-ture, me tahuri rātou ki te:

• whakawhanake me te whakatinana i ngā mahere ohotata, tae atu ki te whakamahere mō ngā urutā, ngā tukanga ohotata me ngā tukanga hōneatanga, ngā tukanga nohonga rāhui, me ngā tukanga whakamōhio e pā ana ki te haepapa manaaki ākonga
  [National Civil Defence Emergency Plan Order 2015; Good practice]
• whakatinana me te tuhi haere i ngā whakaritenga e tika ana mō te whakahaeretanga o ngā pūmanawa tāngata, tae atu ki arowhai haumaru
  [Te Ture Mātauranga me te Whakangungu 2020 s127(b); Board of Trustees Code of Conduct]

6 Te Taunakitanga

E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga kia whakatutukihia ngā whakaritenga matua me ngā herenga ā-ture i tautuhia ai ki tēnei pūrongo kia whāia.

Darcy Te Hau 
Toka ā Nuku 
Te Uepū-a-Motu – Māori Services

13 Pipiri 2024

7 Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kura

Te tūwāhi Kei Te AwamutuTe tau a te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga 641Te tūmomo kuraHe kura whakahiato Te tokomaha o ngā ākonga o te kura97Ngā hononga ā-iwiMāori Ngā āhuatanga motuhakeKua tautapaina hei kura motuhake Sec 156   Te wā i te kura te rōpū arotakePoutū-te-rangi 2024Te wā o tēnei pūrongo 13 Pipiri 2024Ngā pūrongo o mua a 
Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga Arotake Mātauranga, Here-turi-kōkā 2018; Arotake Mātauranga, Whiringa-ā-rangi 2015;

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

‘Mā ngā poutikanga o tōku whare, e tū ai tōku whare wānanga e ū ai te arero tupuna, e tau ai te mauri o tōku ao Māori’

Te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o Te Aroha is in Te Awamutu beside the Apakura campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. The kura provides kaupapa Māori education for tauira in Years 1 to 13. Most students and whānau are affiliated to Raukawa, Ngāti Apakura and Ngāti Maniapoto.

The cultural pillars of Ngā Pou Tikanga provide the foundations for kura operations and management. The four pou of their whare are:

• Poutuarongo – placing te reo Māori at the heart of teaching and learning
• Poutāhuhu – recognising the central role of whānau and people within the kura
• Poumua – supporting students to experience success in their learning and the world
• Poutokomanawa – embedding core values throughout the kura.

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do students demonstrate their understanding of mauri ora?

Tauira demonstrate an understanding of mauri ora through their actions, in relationships with their peers and kaiako, and the care they show for the environment.

4 Findings

Tauira learn in an environment that prioritises te reo Māori. Whānau aspirations align with Te Poutuarongo and emphasises and acknowledges the role tauira and whānau have in preserving and normalising te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. These aspirations are reflected in all aspects of the kura through kura routines and practices, guiding documentation and kaiako and kaimahi teaching and classroom programmes.

The curriculum is purposeful and provides good opportunities for students to engage in meaningful learning and to develop confidence. Kaiako utilise the natural learning environment as a basis for authentic learning opportunities to ensure tauira have a range of stimulating and meaningful learning experiences that connect them to their whenua. The kura fosters relationships in the region and across the motu that provide tauira with opportunities and experiences that support their social, academic, and physical development.

Tauira show a sense of belonging and connection to kura, whānau, friends and the community. Whanaungatanga is embedded and tauira establish and maintain positive relationships with their peers, kaiako, and kaimahi of the kura. Tauira are welcoming, confident, and settled. Small classroom sizes in akomanga supports close relationships. Tauira exemplify the mātāpono of the kura. Individual mauri plans are tailored to kaiako and tauira passions and interests and inform decision making. Systems are in place to ensure quality teacher planning in relation to Ngā Pou Tikanga and planning best practices. Classrooms are settled and calm. Tauira learning and wellbeing is a priority.

Tauira in the Wharekura receive meaningful opportunities to follow their passions and interests. They engage in contextualised learning opportunities, career programmes, and coherent education pathways that connect to further education and employment. The Years 9 and 10 programme has an emphasis on acquiring knowledge and skills in preparation for their selection of National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) subjects in Year 11. Tauira are future focused and engage in meaningful academic and vocational pathways.

Leadership is committed to building capability and leadership capacity across the kura. The newly formed leadership team enact the kura vision of ‘He taonga te tamaiti’ and actively model Ngā Pou Tikanga. Perspectives and aspirations of tauira, whānau and kaiako are gathered and included in important decisions. Leaders identify and develop internal expertise and they access relevant external support to respond to the specific needs of tauira and staff. Leaders promote and build a collaborative and positive kura culture.

The board of trustees demonstrate a strong commitment to undertaking their governance roles and responsibilities. They are dedicated to ngā Pou Tikanga and how to give effect to this kaupapa in their governance role. A key focus has been to promote the retention and recruitment of staff through resourcing to support staff mauri and wellbeing. Trustees are committed to attending wānanga to build capability and meet legislative requirements. A focus is to ensure governance documentation including policies and procedures that align to Ngā Pou Tikanga.

Key Next Steps

Tauira progress and achievement requires acceleration. End of year achievement data for 2023, showed that the majority of tauira did not meet kura expectations in literacy and numeracy. There is also an immediate need to address the low achievement levels in NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) L1-3. In response to these concerns, leaders have identified support and developed strategies to accelerate the progress of those tauira who need it.

The board need to ensure they keep to their schedule of policy review to be assured they comply with current legislation. The kura are working toward aligning policies and procedures with Ngā Pou Tikanga. It is vital they work to the schedule as they personalise these policies to the kura. Tauira safety is enhanced when policies align with current legislation.

Emergency evacuations need to be scheduled to ensure tauira and staff safety. Planning of evacuation drills is inconsistent. Whānau aim for an evacuation drill a term, however, this is not planned and is often and can be overridden by immediate, unplanned events. Tauira confidence in emergency situations is assured when evacuation drills are planned for.

Safety checking of new staff is a priority. The current practice of safety checking, while it enhances the mana of staff, it does not meet legislative requirements. Whānau cannot be assured that new appointments have been checked adequately. Tauira safety is paramount.

5 Board Assurance on Legal Requirement

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 Vulnerable Children Act 2014.

Actions for Compliance

To meet compliance requirements, they must:

• develop and implement emergency plans, including pandemic planning emergency/evacuation procedures, lockdown procedures and notification procedures for the duty of care for students
  [National Civil Defence Emergency Plan Order 2015; Good practice]
• ensure suitable human resource management practices including for safety checking are implemented and documented
  [Education and Training Act, Section 127(b); Board of Trustees Code of conduct].

6 Recommendation

ERO recommends addressing the key next steps and non-compliances identified in this report.

Darcy Te Hau 
Toka-ā-Nuku – Director 
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services

13 June 2024

7 Information about the kura

LocationTe AwamutuMinistry of Education profile number641Kura typeCompositeKura roll97Ethnic compositionMāori Special featuresDesignated Special Character Sec 156Review team on siteMarch 2024Date of this report13 June 2024Most recent ERO report(s)
 Education Review, August 2018; Education Review, November 2015;