Te Kōhanga Reo o Otawhiwhi

1 Te Horopaki

Ko Ngāi Te Rangi te iwi
Ko Tauwhao te hapū
Ko Ōtāwhiwhi te marae

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Ōtāwhiwhi ki te taha o te marae o Ōtāwhiwhi, e pā tata atu ana i Waihī. Koia nei anake te kōhanga reo i te hapori o Ōtāwhiwhi. E whai painga ana ngā tamariki me ō rātou whānau i ngā tino hononga e whakapūmautia ana e rātou ki te marae.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa ngā tamariki e whakaatu i tō rātou mōhiotanga ki a rātou anō me tō rātou tūrangawaewae?

E mōhio ana ngā tamariki ki a rātou anō me tō rātou tūrangawaewae.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Ka tūmāia, ka ngākau nui hoki ngā tamariki ki te whai wāhi atu ki ngā kaupapa. Ka āta whakatinana te whānau i te tino whakaaro nui ki ngā tāngata me ngā taonga. Ka whakamihi ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki, ā, ka whakamahi hoki rātou i ngā rautaki papai e whakapakari haere ana i te ngākau titikaha me te whakawhirinaki anō hoki o ngā tamariki. Ka noho ngā kaumātua me ngā kuia ki te taha o ngā tamariki i ia te wā. E whai wāhi atu ana ngā tamariki ki te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo taumahi e poipoi ana i te tino aronga toi whenuatanga me te whai pūtaketanga.

Ka kitea ki ngā tamariki tō rātou mōhio ki tō rātou taiao ake. Ka ngākau nui rātou ki te whāngai i ngā tuna, ki ngā tūmomo kaupapa o waho i runga i te marae, ā, ki ngā huihuinga hoki i te hapori. I ngā hikoi o ia rā i te papakāinga, ka mihi, ka whakawhanaunga hoki ngā tamariki ki ngā kaumātua me ngā kuia. He tino pakari tā rātou taunekeneke haere i roto i aua wāhi katoa. Ka kitea hoki te whakaute me te manaaki o ngā tamariki i tō rātou marae. E whanake ana te tino hononga o ngā tamariki ki tō rātou marae me tō rātou whānau.

Ka kitea te mōhiotanga o ngā tamariki ki tō rātou tuakiri. Ka rumakina rātou ki ngā kaupapa e whai pānga nui ana ki tō rātou tuakiri hei uri o Te Whānau ā Tauwhao, o Ngāi Te Rangi, o Tauranga Moana hoki. Ka whakapuaki ngā tamariki i ō rātou pepeha me ō rātou whakapapa i ia rā. He mātau te whānau ki ō rātou whenua, ā, e whakarato ana rātou i ngā wheako akoranga e whakawhānui ana i te māramatanga o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou hononga ā-marae, ā-hapū, ā-iwi hoki. E ako ana ngā tamariki i tō rātou tū hei tangata whenua.

E whakawhanake ana ngā tamariki i ō rātou pūkenga reo. Ka rongo hoki rātou i te reo Māori e whakamahia ana i ngā horopaki ōpaki me ngā horopaki ōkawa. Ka whakatauira ngā kaiako me ngā kuia i te whakamahinga tika o te reo Māori, ā, ka akiaki i ngā tamariki ki te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero mā te reo Māori. He pārekareka ki ngā tamariki te whakarongo ki ētahi atu e pānui ana i roto i te reo Māori, ā, e mōhio ana rātou ki ngā waiata, ngā mōteatea, me ngā haka e whakamana ana i tō rātou tuakiri me ō rātou hononga. Ka kitea ki ngā tamariki te pakari haere o ō rātou ngākau titikaha ki te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero mā te reo Māori.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

E whakaratohia ana ki ngā tamariki, ko ngā hōtaka akoranga e whakakoia ana i tō rātou tuakiri me tō rātou tūrangawaewae. He tino aronga ki te tūhura i te taiao māoriori, tūturu hoki. Ko te haere tonutanga o ngā kaupapa whakangungu a ngā kaimahi, me te tukanga hoki ki te whakamahere ngātahi e hāpai ana i te āhua o ngā whakawhanaketanga i roto i ngā mahere mā ngā tamariki. Ka whakamahi ngātahi ngā kaimahi i ō rātou pūkenga, hei painga mō ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. E tino tautokona ana te whakahonohono tūturu tonu o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou whenua me tō rātou moana.

He pai te tuhi haere i te ako a ngā tamariki ki ngā pūkete. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā rautaki māmā e whai hua ana ki te pūrongo i te ako a ngā tamariki, mā ngā tūāhuatanga o Te Whāriki. Kua tae atu rātou ki ngā whakawhanaketanga ngaio e pā ana ki Te Whāriki, hei whakatairanga i tā rātou whakamahere i te hōtaka me ā rātou mahi aromatawai. He māmā noa te whakapā atu a ngā mātua ki ngā mōhiohio e pā ana ki te ako a ā rātou ake tamariki. E aroturukitia ana te ako a ngā tamariki.

He pai te whakahaere i te kōhanga reo. He māramatanga ngātahi tō te whānau ki ngā taumata o te whakahaeretanga me te atawhai e tūmanakohia ana, ā, kua whakaraupapa anō hoki aua tūāhuatanga ki tā rātou tūtohinga. Kua whakatakotohia ngā mahere rautaki me te pūrongo auau. Ka ū te whānau ki ngā taumata tika e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru i roto i ā rātou mahi ki te atawhai i ngā tamariki. He pai te whakamōhio i te whānau mō ngā whakaritenga me ngā whakahaeretanga o tō rātou kōhanga reo. E noho matua ana ngā painga mō ngā tamariki ki ngā whakataunga e pā ana ki te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Ahakoa e hui ana ngā kaimahi i ia te wā ki te whakawhiti kōrero mō te hōtaka akoranga, e mōhio ana hoki rātou he mea nui anō te tuhi haere i aua whakawhitinga kōrero, hei āhuatanga tonu o te arotake hōtaka. Mā tēnei, ka whakatakotohia he mauhanga, he whakaaturanga anō hoki hei tūāpapa mō ngā whakapai tonutanga ki te ako a ngā tamariki i te kōhanga reo.

Me whakarite te whānau i tētahi mahere ā-tau, hei ārahi i tā rātou whakahaere me tā rātou whakarite i te kōhanga reo. Ka hāpai taua mahere i ngā mahi ki te tāutu i ngā mahi matua, i ngā tāngata hoki ka kawe i aua mahi, me ngā wā whakaoti mahi e tika ana.

3 Te Whakatau a te Whānau ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te aromātai, i whakamātauhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha o te kōhanga reo ki te whakahaere i ngā āhuatanga i raro iho nei e whai pānga nui ana ki te waiora o ngā tamariki:

• te haumaru whatumanawa (tāpiri atu ko te ārahi mauritau, ko te ārai tamariki)
• te haumaru ā-tinana (tāpiri atu ko te mātakitaki tamariki; ko ngā whakaritenga whakamoe; ko ngā aituā; ko te whāngai rongoā; ko ngā whakaritenga akuaku; ko ngā kaupapa here me ngā tikanga haerenga whakawaho)
• te tū tika o ngā kaimahi (tae atu ki ngā taumata tohu mātauranga; te arowhai a ngā pirihimana; ngā rēhitatanga kaiako; me te tatauranga ki waenga i te kaiako me te tamaiti)
• ngā whakaritenga, tikanga hōneatanga e pā ana ki te ahi me te rū whenua.

Ko te tikanga, ka whakatairanga ngā kōhanga reo katoa i te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki, me te arotake anō hoki i ia te wā i tā rātou whakatutukitanga i ngā herenga ā-ture.

4 Ngā Taunakitanga

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

• whakapakarihia ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te aromātai hōtaka
• whakatinanahia tētahi mahere ā-tau hei ārahi i ngā whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo.

Hei ā hea Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga aromātai anō ai i te kōhanga reo?

Ka aromātai anō Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i Te Kōhanga Reo o Ōtawhiwhi i roto i te toru o ngā tau.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

27 Pipiri, 2018

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Ko Ngai te Rangi te iwi
Ko Tauwhao te hapū
Ko Ōtawhiwhi te marae

Te Kōhanga Reo o Ōtawhiwhi is located next to the local marae in Bowentown, near Waihi. It is the only kōhanga reo in Bowentown. Children and their whānau benefit from the close connections they maintain with the marae.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children show they know who they are and where they are from?

Children know who they are and where they are from.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children are confident and willing participants. The whānau model genuine consideration for people and things. Kaimahi use praise and positive strategies to build children’s confidence and trust. Kaumātua and kuia regularly interact with children. Children enjoy a variety of activities that foster a strong sense of belonging and purpose.

Children show they are familiar with their local environment. They look forward to feeding the tuna, activities outside on the marae, and community events. During daily walks on the papakāinga, children greet and interact with to kaumātua and kuia. They interact in these surrounds with great confidence. Children show respect and care for their marae surrounds. Children are developing a strong affinity to their marae environment and whānau.

Children demonstrate knowledge of their identity. They are immersed in kaupapa that are important to their identity to Te Whānau ā Tauwhao, Ngāi Te Rangi, and Tauranga moana. Children practise their pepeha and whakapapa every day. Whānau are knowledgeable about their whenua and provide learning experiences that extend children’s understanding about their connection to their marae, hapū and iwi. Children learn about their role as tangata whenua.

Children are developing their language skills. They hear te reo Māori used in formal and informal settings. Kaiako and kuia model the correct use of te reo Māori and encourage children to converse in Māori. Children enjoy listening to others reading in te reo Māori, and know waiata, mōteatea and haka that affirms their identity and connections. Children show increased confidence to communicate in te reo Māori.

Planning and Evaluation

Children are provided with programmes of learning that affirm who they are and where they come from. There is strong emphasis on the exploration of the natural and physical environments. Ongoing training for kaimahi and a shared planning process supports planning developments for children. Kaimahi use their collective skills to benefit children’s learning. Children are well supported to make personal connection to their whenua and moana.

Children’s learning is well documented in portfolios. Kaimahi use simple and effective methods to report on children’s learning across Te Whāriki. They have attended professional development about Te Whāriki to enhance their programme planning and assessment practices. Parents have easy access to information about their child’s learning. Children’s learning is monitored.

The kōhanga reo is managed well. There is a shared understanding amongst whānau about expected standards of management and care as outlined in their charter. Strategic planning and regular reporting is in place. The whānau maintain all health and safety standards in their practice for the care of children. The whānau is well informed about the operations and management of their kōhanga reo. Children are central to decisions made about the management of the kōhanga reo.

Key Next Steps

While kaimahi regularly discuss the learning programme, they recognise the importance of documenting these discussions as part of programme evaluation. This will provide a record and evidence base to continue making improvements to learning for children in the kōhanga reo.

The whānau must ensure they have an annual plan to guide the whānau in the operation and management of the kōhanga reo. This plan will assist to identify key tasks, who will be responsible, and the timeframes for completion.

3 Whānau Management Assurance on Compliance Areas

During the evaluation, ERO looked at the kōhanga reo systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All kōhanga reo are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

4 Recommendations

ERO and the Kōhanga Reo whānau developed the following recommendation:

• strengthen programme evaluation practices
• implement an annual plan to guide the kōhanga reo operations.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Ōtawhiwhi will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

27 June 2018

Information about the Kōhanga Reo

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Otawhiwhi ki te taha o te marae o te rohe ki Bowentown, kei Waihi. E whai hua ana tēnei ki ngā tamariki me ō rātou whānau i te māro o te here ki tō rātou marae.

He motuhake, he whakahirahira hoki tā te whānau whakatinana i te whanaungatanga e whai pānga ana ki a rātou hei whānau, hei hāpori hoki. He pai ki ngā tamariki me te whānau ngā mahi huhua e tautoko ana i tā rātou tū hei kaitiaki i ngā kōrero tuku iho o te rohe. E tino tautokongia ana rātou e ngā kaumātua o te rohe e whakaatu ana i tō rātou tino kōingo kia puta ngā ihu o ngā tamariki i te kōhanga reo.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Arotake

He pēwhea rawa tā ngā tamariki whai wheako me te whakatinana i te whanaungatanga?

E wheakotia ana te whanaungatanga i roto i ngā mahi huahua, pai mai, whakatāiki mai.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

He pai ki ngā tamariki te whānuitanga o ngā mahi-ā-rōpū, takitahi nei hoki i roto i ngā kaupapa te reo Māori. Tāpiri atu ki tēnei ko ngā waiata, ngā pepehā, te mihimihi, te kanikani, te kaute, te pānuitanga me te whakarongo ki ngā pūrākau. E taea ana e ētehi tamariki te tū motuhake ki te whakakōrero i ō rātou pepehā. Ko te reo Māori te reo matua o ngā kaimahi. Ka whakamahi rātou i ngā rautaki pai hei whakakaha i te mōhiotanga me te māiatanga o te tamaiti ki te whakamahi i te reo Māori. He mea whai take te whakarākeitanga me te whakahaeretanga o ngā kaupapa hei akiaki i ngā tamariki ki te tāutuutu i roto i te reo Māori.

E ako ana ngā tamariki mō te taiao o tō rātou rohe me ngā tūtohu whenua matua mā roto mai i ngā waiata me ngā pepehā. E whakatinana ana ngā tamariki i te māiatanga me te whakahīhī pai mō tō rātou mōhio ki te whakahirahiratanga o tō rātou hononga ki te whenua me te whānau o te kōhanga reo. E aro ana ngā tamariki ki te whakamātau i a Papatuanuku rāua ko Tangaroa i te whakaratonga o ngā kaupapa ako. E whakatāikitia ana ō rātou hononga ki ngā Atua Māori me ō rātou tuakiritanga i roto i ngā mahi ako. E tau ana ngā tamariki ki waenganui i ngā manuwhiri me tā rātou whakatinana i te manaakitanga me te aroha i roto i ngā whakawhitinga. E kuhu ana ngā kaumātua ki roto i ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki mō te reo Māori, waihoki ngā kōrero-ā-iwi o te rohe. E tino kuhu ana ngā tamariki ki roto i ngā akoranga mō tō rātou iwi me ngā kōrero tuku iho.

E ngaruru ana ngā tamariki i roto i tētehi taiao ako, manaaki, tiaki hoki. Ka whai wāhi atu rātou ki ngā hononga me ngā whakawhitinga i roto i te wairua poipoi, pono, tiaki hoki. E whakamanahia ana ngā tamariki hei takitahi, ā, e tautokongia ana rātou ki te whakatōmene i ō rātou hiahia. E mārama ana ki ngā tamariki ngā kawenga mō te ako, te whakaī, ngā hātepe me ngā whakawhitinga.

He tino te whanaungatanga nō te whānau, ā, e whai hua ana ngā tamariki i te rite tonu me te pono o ngā whakawhitinga ki a Papatuanuku, ki ngā tūtohu whenua me ngā wāhi whakahirahira o te rohe, tatū atu ki tō rātou awa me tō rātou moana. E whakatāikitia ana e ngā akoranga ki ngā tamariki ngā kōrero mō te taiao o te rohe me te marae. E poipoitia ana te tuakiritanga me te ūkaipōtanga o ngā tamariki mā roto mai i ō rātou hononga ki te taiao aotūroa. He aroha, he manaaki ngā whakawhitinga i waenganui i ngā kaimahi, te whānau me ngā tamariki.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

E whakahaeretia ana e te whānau te kōhanga reo i runga i ngā hiahia ō a rātou tamariki. E noho matua ana ngā hiahia mā ngā tamariki i roto i ngā mahere a te whānau me ngā whakataunga hoki. E noho tūturu ana ngā punaha haumaru, he rite tonu te whakatinanatanga me te mātakitaki a te whānau.

He tika te māheretanga me te ngā tikanga whaiwhakaaro ki ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki me ō rātou hiahia. E tino whai pānga ana ngā mahere mō ngā hōtaka ako ki te whakatupu i te mōhiotanga me te māiatanga ō ngā tamariki ki tō rātou takenga mai. E tapatahi ana te ngākau o ngā kaimahi me te whānau mō te ara whakatinana ki te tino tautoko i ngā āhuatanga mā ngā tamariki me ō rātou hiahia.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kāore i te hopukina ngā akoranga katoa ki ngā tamariki. Kei te kapu o te ringa tonu ngā aromatawai hei whakaatu i te whānuitanga o ngā akoranga e haere ana mā ia tamaiti, tatū atu ki ngā uara whakahirahira e pūrongotia ana e te whānau pēnei i te whanaungatanga, ngā wheako ako mā roto mai i Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira me Te Whāriki. Kāore anō i tika te hopukina me te pūrongotia o ngā akoranga me ngā angitūtanga o ngā tamariki. E whakaae ana te whānau ki te whakaaro, ki te tautoko i ngā kaimahi ki te whakawhanake tonu i ngā aromatawai mā ngā tamariki.

He hononga o ngā hiahia o ngā tamariki ki te aromihi. E aro pū ana ngā rarangi mahi ki ngā tino āhuatanga mahi e toitū ai ngā putanga mā ngā tamariki i te kōhanga reo. Kāore i te hāngai ngā punaha whakatinana aromihi ki ngā rarangi mahi, ki nga āhuatanga mahi rānei. E whakamana ana te whānau i te whakaaro kia haere tonu ngā arotakenga, ā, me whakawhanake tēnei āhuatanga ki te whakapakari i te arotahi o ngā aromihi ki ngā putanga mā ngā tamariki, me te tautoko hoki i ngā kaimahi whakawhanake i a rātou whakahaere me ngā akoranga.

3 Te Whakataunga a te Kōhanga Reo ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te arotake, i whakamātauhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha o te kōhanga reo ki te whakahaere i ngā āhuatanga i raro iho nei e whai pānga nui ana ki te waiora o ngā tamariki:

• te haumaru whatumanawa (tāpiri atu ko te ārahi mauritau, ko te ārai tamariki)
• te haumaru ā-tinana (tāpiri atu ko te mātakitaki tamariki; ko ngā whakaritenga whakamoe; ko ngā aituā; ko te whāngai rongoā; ko ngā whakaritenga akuaku; ko ngā kaupapa here me ngā tikanga haerenga whakawaho);
• te tū tika o ngā kaimahi (tae atu ki ngā taumata tohu mātauranga; te arowhai a ngā pirihimana; ngā rēhitatanga kaiako; me te tatauranga ki waenga i te kaiako me te tamaiti)
• ngā whakaritenga, tikanga hōneatanga e pā ana ki te ahi me te rū whenua.

Ko te tikanga, ka whakatairanga ngā kōhanga reo katoa i te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki, me te arotake anō hoki i ia te wā i tā rātou whakatutukitanga i ngā herenga ā-ture.

4 Te Taunakitanga

I waihangatia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me te whānau ngā taunakitanga e whai ake nei:

• kia noho matua te whakapakaritanga o te mōhio o te whānau ki te reo Māori hei whakapakari i te reo o ngā tamariki katoa
• kia whakamahi i te arotake whaiaro ki te tohu i ngā āhuatanga hōrapa i te kōhanga reo me arotake, me whakawhanake hoki.

Te Whakarāpopototanga

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Otawhiwhi ki te takutai o Bowentown, e pātata atu ana ki te nohoanga taiwhenua o Waihi. E tika ana te pakari haere o ngā tamariki hei ākonga māia, mōhio hoki, ā, kia tū hei tangata whenua. E whakaatuhia ana e rātou te wairua o te kaitiakitanga, te manaakitanga o te taiao, mō tangata kē atu, mō rātou tonu hoki. E momoho ana te whakatairangatanga o te whanaungatanga e te whānau ki ngā tamariki. He hononga o ngā tamariki ki te whenua, ki te moana, ki ngā wāhi whakahirahira-ā-wairua nei, ā-iwi nei hoki.

Hei ā hea Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga arotake anō ai i te kōhanga reo?

Ka arotake anō Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kōhanga Reo o Otawhiwhi i roto i te toru o ngā tau.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

08 Pipiri, 2015

1 Context

Te kōhanga reo o Otawhiwhi is located next to the local marae in Bowentown, Waihi Beach. Children and their whānau benefit from the close relationship with their marae.

The whānau have a unique and special way of expressing whanaungatanga which is relevant to them as a whānau and local community. Children and their whānau enjoy a range of activities supporting their role as kaitiaki of their local cultural heritage. They are well supported by local kaumātua involvement, and show a strong interest in children’s successful development at kōhanga reo.

2 The Review Findings

How well do children experience and demonstrate whanaungatanga?

Children experience whanaungatanga in many positive and affirming ways.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children enjoy a range of shared and independent te reo Māori learning activities. These include waiata, pepehā and basic mihimihi, dancing, counting, being read to and listening to stories. Some children are able to recite their pepeha without assistance. Kaimahi speak te reo Māori consistently. They use effective language learning strategies to strengthen children’s ability and confidence to use te reo Māori. Activities are purposely designed and managed by kaimahi to encourage children to respond to each other in te reo Māori.

Children learn about their local environment and places of local significance through waiata and pepehā. Children show confidence and pride in what they know about their special connection to their local whenua, and kōhanga reo whānau. Learning activities provided stimulate children to explore Papatuanuku and Tangaroa. Their connection to ngā atua Māori and overall identity is reinforced in learning. Children are comfortable around manuwhiri and show manaakitanga and aroha in their interactions. Kuia and kaumātua are regularly involved in children’s learning with te reo Māori, including their local cultural heritage. Children are actively engaged in learning about their cultural and ancestral heritage.

Children thrive in a caring and highly responsive whānau learning environment. They experience relationships and interactions that are nurturing, genuine and responsive. Individual children are acknowledged and well supported to explore their interests. Children know the expectations for learning, self care, routines and interactions.

Whanaungatanga is a key strength of the whānau and children benefit from regular and meaningful interactions with Papatuanuku, cultural landmarks and local places of significance with their river and their moana. Learning activities children receive reinforce learning about their local environment and marae. Children’s sense of identity and belonging is nurtured through the connections they have with the natural environment. Interactions between kaimahi, whānau and tamariki are loving and caring.

Planning and Evaluation

The kōhanga reo is managed by the whānau in the interests of their children. Whanau planning and decision making processes centres on the needs of their children. All health and safety systems are in place, implemented consistently and monitored by the whānau.

Children’s learning and their interests are well planned and considered. Planned programmes of learning have a strong emphasis on developing children’s knowledge and confidence in their heritage. Kaimahi and whānau have a shared understanding about how these will be implemented to effectively support all children’s needs and interests.

Key Next Steps

Only some aspects of children’s learning are captured. There is potential for assessment to show the wide range of learning that is occurring for each child, including the important principles whānau report such as whānaungatanga and learning experiences through Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira, Te Whāriki. Children’s learning and success are yet to be sufficiently recorded and reported. The whānau recognise the need to support kaimahi to further develop assessment for children.

Children’s learning needs are linked to appraisals. Kaimahi job descriptions have strong emphasis on key performance expectations for successful outcomes for children at kōhanga reo. The appraisal system implemented by whānau does not align to job descriptions or performance expectations. The whānau acknowledge further review and development needs to occur in this area to enhance appraisal focused on outcomes for children, and supports kaimahi in their professional practice and learning.

3 Whānau Management Assurance on Compliance Areas

During the review, ERO looked at the kōhanga reo systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All kōhanga reo are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

4 Recommendation

ERO and the whānau developed the following recommendations to:

• prioritise building te reo Māori capacity of all whānau to enhance language development of all children
• use whānau self review to identify areas across the kōhanga reo that require review and development.

Conclusion

Te Kōhanga Reo o Otawhiwhi is based on the shore of Bowentown near the small rural settlement of Waihi beach. Children are developing successfully as confident and knowledgeable learners and participants as tangata whenua. They display a strong sense of kaitiakitanga, caring for their environment, others and self. Whānaungatanga is successfully promoted by the whānau to children. Children have an affinity to their whenua, moana and local places of spiritual and cultural significance.

When is ERO likely to review the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO review of Te Kōhanga Reo o Otawhiwhi will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

8 June 2015

Information about the Kōhanga Reo