TKKM o Otepou

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 hapū me ngā iwi.

2 Te Horopaki

“Te tamaiti he mātauranga te kai, he taniwha te tangata.”

Ko Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Otepou tētahi kura o Te Aho Matua e tū ana ki Welcome Bay, ki Tauranga. Nō Ngāti Pūkenga, nō ētahi atu iwi hoki o te rohe nei ngā whānau. He raukura ki ngā wāhanga katoa o te kura, hei kaiārahi, hei kaimahi, hei whānau hoki. Ka hāngai ngā wawata o te whānau ki te tauāki e meatia ana, ’Kia tū rangatira hei raukura mō te iwi.’  Ka tino whakamanahia te tuakiritanga e te whānau. Kua whakatūngia tētahi tumuaki hou whai muri i te arotake o mua. He tokomaha ngā whānau kua whai hononga ki te kura, mai i tētahi whakatupuranga ki tētahi atu, heoi anō rā, kua whitu kē ngā whakatupuranga whai hononga o ētahi whānau.  

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā ākonga i te noho tuwhera mai o ō rātou ngākau, i tō rātou ngākau nuitanga hoki ki te aroha, te harikoa, me te pukukata?

E noho tuwhera ana ngā ngākau, e ngākau nui ana hoki ngā ākonga ki te aroha, te harikoa, me te pukukata.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

Kei te tākare te whai wāhi atu a ngā ākonga ki ngā akoranga e ahu mai ana i ngā uara, ngā whakapono, me ngā ariā i tuku iho ai i a Ngāti Pūkenga. Ka puta ngā uara o te kura ki ngā ākonga i ia rā, arā, ko manaakitia, ko arohatia te reo, ko tū tika me te tū pono, ā, ko te ū ki te ako. Ka whai wāhi hoki ki aua tūāhuatanga, ko tā rātou ārahi i ngā tikanga i te takiwā. E noho ngākau nui ngā whānau ki ngā akoranga a ā rātou tamariki, mā roto mai i tētahi taiao e whakariterite ana i a rātou ki te tū hei pūkenga o ngā mōhiotanga me ngā tikanga e pā ana ki ō rātou whānau, ō rātou hapū, me ō rātou iwi. He pakari te tuakiri o ngā ākonga. Ka ako rātou i ngā tāngata whakahirahira me ngā wāhi whakahirahira o Ngāti Pūkenga.

E rumakina ana ngā ākonga ki te hōhonutanga o ngā wheako reo Māori e hāpai ana i te whakawhanaketanga o ngā pūkenga whakawhitiwhiti kōrero e whai hua ai. Ko ‘arohatia te reo’ e whakatinanahia ana ki ngā rautaki whai hua e whakatairanga ake ana i te whakamahinga o te reo. Ko te whāngai ā-whakatupuranga atu i te reo Māori ki ngā ākonga me ngā whānau e hāpaitia ana nā te whai wāhi nui mai o ngā kaumātua me ngā kuia ki te kura. Waihoki, ka whakarato ngā raukura me ngā kaiako tautōhito i te tangongitanga o ngā wheako ako reo e whakapūmau ana i ngā hononga o ngā ākonga ki ngā pūrākau me ngā pakiwaitara o te hapori. Ka whakapuaki ngā ākonga i tō rātou taha auaha mā te kapa haka me ngā pōwhiri. He manawa whakahī ō rātou ki te ārahi i ngā whakamoemiti, ngā waiata, ngā mōteatea, me te kapa haka. E whanake ana ngā ākonga i te ngākau titikaha me te mātau i roto i te reo Māori.

E mōhio ana ngā ākonga ki te whakahirahiratanga o ngā tūmomo tūranga me ngā tūmomo kawenga. E hāpai ana te whānau i te ako a ngā ākonga i te hītori me ngā pou whenua whakahirahira o Tauranga moana, me tōna rohe whānui. Ka hāngai pū te aronga o te kura ki a Ngāti Pūkenga. Kua ahu whakamua te tumuaki ki te whakahonohono anō ki ngā tarahiti ā-iwi o te takiwā, tae atu ki ngā rūnanga o ngā hapū, me ngā marae. Ka toro atu i ia te wā ki te marae, ka manaaki manuhiri hoki, ā, he huarahi ērā e hāpai ai i te tū o ngā ākonga hei tangata whenua. Ka kitea e rātou ngā kawa me ngā tikanga o tō rātou iwi. Ka manaaki, ka āwhina, ka tautoko hoki ngā ākonga, i a rātou e whakatau manuhiri ana. Ka whakapuakihia e ngā ākonga ngā mōteatea, ngā haka, te mau rākau, me ngā waiata e hāngai pū ana ki tō rātou hapū me tō rātou iwi. Ka rongo rātou i te ‘tū tika, tū pono’ i ia rā. E mōhio ana ngā ākonga ki tō rātou tū ki te kura, te hapori, me te iwi.

He mātātoa te whakatewhatewha me te tūhura a ngā ākonga i te ao Māori me te ao whānui. Ka whakawhānui ake ngā kaiako i ngā akoranga mā ngā kōrero me ngā hononga ki ngā tohu ahurea, ngā tohu whenua hoki, ngā tūpuna, ngā pūrākau, me ngā pakiwaitara. Ka whakaute ngā ākonga i ō rātou kuia me ō rātou kaumātua, me te mātauranga ka kawea mai e rātou ki te kura. Ka tūhura ngā ākonga i te ao Māori mā ngā waiata, ngā mōteatea, ngā whakamoemiti, ngā mihimihi, me ngā whakataukī. Ko ngā taumahi tūturu o roto, o waho hoki i te akomanga e whakarato ana i te kanorau o ngā wheako ako, tae atu ki ngā akoranga hangarau i te kura o Taumata. E whakapakari ana ngā ākonga i ō rātou pūkenga hei kaitiaki, ā, e whai māramatanga ana ki ā rātou kawenga i te taiao, tae atu ki te noho whakaute.

E whai wāhi mātātoa ana ngā ākonga ki ngā akoranga. E pou here ana ngā mātāpono o Te Aho Matua i te hōtaka whakaakoranga me te hōtaka akoranga. Ka ngākau nui ngā ākonga ki ngā tūmomo wheako ako e whakatairanga ana i ngā taunekeneke papai me ngā hononga ki te taiao ako. Ka āta whakahāngai, ka āta tūhonohono hoki ngā kaimahi i te ao tūturu ki ngā akoranga, pērā i te mātau ahumoni i ngā akomanga, me te whakatū a ngā rōpū ākonga i ngā kamupene, hei kohi pūtea mō te kura. Ka rāhiritia ngā tamariki iranōtua i ngā akomanga katoa, ā, ka rongo rātou i te āhurutanga, i te mauritau hoki, puta noa i te kura. Kei te harikoa ngā ākonga, ā, e whai wāhi nui ana. Kei te mārie, kei te mauritau, kei te rite, kei te tākare hoki rātou ki te ako.

Te ārahitanga

Ko te aronga ngātahi o te ārahitanga e akiaki ana i te whakatōpūtanga me te kawenga ngātahi hoki i ngā haepapa. He āhuatanga tēnā e poipoi ana i te aronga ngātahi i te kura. He ngākau titikaha ō te tumuaki ki te ārahi, ā, he tino tauira hoki ia ki ngā kaimahi me ngā ākonga. Ka arotahi ngā kaimahi ki ngā rautaki e whakatutuki ai i ngā putanga e whai hua ana ki ngā ākonga. E tino whakautea ana te tumuaki e te whānau me ngā kaimahi. Ka whakapuaki ia i ngā uara o te kura e kīia ana ko te ‘Matū’, me Te Aho Matua. Ka toro whānui atu tōna whakaaweawe ki te hapori, ā, ki tua atu hoki. He tāngata manaaki, he tāngata whakaute ngā pakeke i te taiao ako o ngā ākonga, ā, he hononga tauutuutu te hua.

Te kāwana

Ko te ako a ngā ākonga, ko tō rātou waiora hoki e noho mātua ana ki te poari kaitiaki me te whānau. Ko ngā uara o ‘Matū’ – arā, kia manaakitia, kia arohatia te reo, kia tū tikanga, tū pono, kia ū ki te ako – e āta kitea ana puta noa i te kura. Nō nā noa nei te poari kaitiaki i whakatūngia ai, ā, kua whakapuaki rātou i tō rātou tākare ki te mahi ki te whānau, te tumuaki, me ngā kaiako ki te hāpai i ngā whakawhanaketanga o te kura whānui.

Te aromātai o roto me te arotake whaiaro

E whanake ana ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te aromātai o roto. Ka whai wāhi ki tēnā, ko te pūrongo i ngā hui ā-whānau i te ahu whakamua o ngā whakawhanaketanga i whakamaheretia ai. I te whakatūnga o te tumuaki i te tau 2020, i whakatakoto ia i tētahi mahere mō ngā rā kotahi rau, hei aro atu ki ngā wāhanga i tautuhia ai e ia kia whakapai ake. Ahakoa kāhore anō ētahi o aua whāinga kia whakatutukihia nā te mate urutā KOWHEORI-19, kua āta ahu whakamua tonu. Ko ētahi o aua whakatutukitanga, ko te tautoko me te whakapakari ake i ngā whakaritenga me ngā tukanga e pā ana ki ngā mahi kāwana me ngā mahi whakahaere, ko ngā kawenga o ngā tūranga pērā i te ārahi i ngā akoranga ā-kura me te whakatika ake i ngā hononga ki te hapori, ki tua atu hoki. Kua whakapai ake i ngā take whakahaere, tae atu ki te arotakenga o ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga o te kura, ā, kua oti, ka whāia tonuhia rānei aua tūāhuatanga hei ngā tau 2022-2023. Hui ai ngā kaiārahi me ngā kaimahi i ia te wā ki te whakaaro huritao ki te ahu whakamua o ngā whāinga, mā te tirohanga ki te whakapai tonu hei painga mō ngā ākonga, te whānau, te hapū, me te iwi.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake 

Me whakawhanake ngā kaiārahi i ngā aromatawai whai māramatanga me ngā whakaritenga whakaōrite, puta noa i te kura. Ko te whakapakari ake i te āheinga o ngā kaiako ki te whakamahi i ngā taputapu aromatawai me ngā mōhiohio kia whai hua ai, ka hāpai ake i tā rātou tautuhi i ngā whakaritenga matua ka whai ake i roto i te whakaako me te ako. Ko te aroturuki ake i te ahu whakamua o ia ākonga ka hāpai ake i te noho mōhio o ngā kaiako ki te ahu whakamua o ngā ākonga katoa mā te huarahi e tika ana mō rātou ki te whakatutuki i ngā tūmanako o te kura. Me kaha ake te kohikohi, te whakaemi, me te whakamahinga hoki o ngā kaiārahi i ngā paetae, hei pūrongo atu ki te whānau, ā, hei whakatinana hoki i ngā taumata ā-tau e arotahi ai ki te whakatere i te ahu whakamua me ngā paetae o ngā ākonga hei whakatere ake.

Me whakapai ake i te whakahaeretanga o ngā pūmanawa tāngata. Nā te tātari a te tumuaki i ngā whakaritenga o te kura, nā te aromātai hoki a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, i kitea e mātou kāhore i ngā kaimahi katoa ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi, ngā kirimina mahi rānei. E whai wāhi atu ana ngā kaiārahi me ngā kaiako ki te whakawhanaketanga ngaio me te ako ngaio e tika ana ki te whakapakari ake i ngā whakaritenga, heoi, me hāngai aua mahi ki tētahi taiāwhio tupu ngaio pakari, ā, me āta whakatinana. Ka whai hua ngā ākonga i te whakawhanake tonutanga o ngā mōhiotanga ngaio me ngā whakaritenga ngaio o ngā kaiako me ngā kaiārahi, kia hāngai ai ērā ki ngā tūāhuatanga o te wā.

5 Te Whakatau ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te aromātai, i tirohia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha mō te whakahaeretanga o ngā wāhanga e whai ake nei:

• 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

• te rēhitatanga o ngā kaiako

• ngā tukanga ki te whakatū kaimahi

• te whakaunu, te aukati, te pana me te whakarerenga

• te tae ā-tinana atu a ngā ākonga ki te kura

• ngā kaupapa here o te kura, me te whakatutukitanga o ērā i ngā tikanga e pā ana ki te Children’s Act 2014.

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

• whakatakoto i ngā tuhinga e tohu ana i te whakatinanatanga o ngā whakaritenga mō te whakahaeretanga o ngā pūmanawa tāngata, tae atu ki ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi me ngā whakamāramatanga.

[wāhanga 559, Te Ture Mātauranga me te Whakangungu 2020]

6 Te Taunakitanga

I whakawhanakehia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Otepou te taunakitanga e whai ake nei, arā, kia:

• toro atu te kura ki te tautoko o Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa, kia āwhinatia tā rātou whakatutuki haere i ngā whakaritenga matua i tautuhia ai ki tēnei pūrongo kia whai atu.

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

15 Huitanguru, 2023

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. ERO reports provide important information for hapū and iwi.

2 Context

“Te Tamaiti he mātauranga te kai, he taniwha te tangata.”

TKKM o Ōtepou is a kura Te Aho Matua in Welcome Bay, Tauranga. Whānau affiliate to Ngāti Pūkenga and other local iwi. Raukura feature across all levels of leadership, staff and whānau. Whānau aspirations include ‘Kia tū rangatira hei raukura mō te iwi’. Tuakiritanga is highly valued by whānau. A new tumuaki has been appointed since the previous review. There have been multiple intergenerational connections to the kura for many whānau, some spanning as many as seven generations.

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do students show they are receptive to and have a great capacity for aroha, joy and laughter?

Students are receptive to and have a great capacity for aroha, for joy and for laughter.

4 Findings

Students enthusiastically participate in learning based on the traditional values, beliefs, and concepts of Ngāti Pūkenga. Students experience manaakitia, arohatia te reo, tū tika tū pono, ū ki te ako on a daily basis. These include leading local ceremonial practices. Whānau are committed to their children’s learning in an environment that prepares them to be the repository of their whānau, hapū and iwi knowledge and customs. Students have a strong sense of identity. They learn about significant people and places of Ngāti Pūkenga.

Students are immersed in rich te reo Māori experiences that support the development of effective communication skills. Arohatia te reo is enacted through effective strategies that promote language use. The intergenerational transmission of te reo Māori for students and whānau is supported by kaumātua and kuia involvement in the school. Furthermore, raukura and skilled kaiako provide a variety of language learning experiences that affirm students’ connections to local pūrākau and pakiwaitara. Students express their creativity through kapa haka and pōwhiri. They lead whakamoemiti, waiata, mōteatea and kapa haka with pride. Students are developing confidence and competence in te reo Māori.

Students acknowledge the importance attached to different roles and responsibilities. The whānau support students to learn about the history and significant landmarks within Tauranga moana and surrounding areas. The kura provides a Ngāti Pūkenga centric environment. The tumuaki has made progress in reconnecting with local iwi trusts, hapū rūnanga, and local marae. Regular visits to the marae and hosting manuhiri support students to fulfil their roles as tangata whenua. They are exposed to iwi specific kawa and tikanga. Students observe and provide manaaki, āwhina and tautoko as they welcome visitors. Students chant mōteatea, perform haka, maurākau and sing waiata that are exclusive to their hapū and iwi. They experience tū tika tū pono daily. Students recognise their place within the kura, community and iwi.

Students actively investigate and explore the Māori world and the wider world. Kaiako extend learning for students through stories and connections to cultural icons, landmarks, tupuna, pūrākau and pakiwaitara. Students show respect for their kuia and kaumātua along with the knowledge they bring to the kura. Students explore te ao Māori through waiata, mōteatea, whakamoemiti, mihimihi and whakataukī. Practical activities both in and out of the classroom provide alternative learning experiences that include attending technology classes at Taumata School. Students are building their skills of kaitiakitanga developing an awareness of their environmental responsibilities which includes respect of the taiao.

Students are actively engaged in learning. Te Aho Matua mātāpono underpin the teaching and learning programme. Students enjoy different learning experiences that promote positive interactions and relationships in the learning environment. Kaimahi are deliberate in contextualising the immediate world and connecting that to the learning, for example, financial literacy in the classroom where students have set up group companies to fundraise for the kura. Iranōtua tamariki are welcome in all classrooms and they feel safe and secure throughout the kura. Students are happy and involved. They appear calm, settled, ready and eager to learn.

Leadership

The shared approach to leadership encourages collaboration and collective responsibility. This fosters an inclusive approach in the kura. The tumuaki leads with confidence and provides positive role modelling to staff and students. Kaimahi are focused on strategies to achieve positive outcomes for students. The tumuaki is well respected by the whānau and kaimahi. He espouses the kura values of ‘Matū’ and Te Aho Matua. His sphere of influence stretches within the immediate community and beyond. Students experience an environment where adults are caring, respectful and enjoy reciprocal relationships.

Governance

Students learning, and wellbeing is a priority for the board of trustees and whānau. Manaakitia, arohatia te reo, tū tika tū pono and ū ki te ako (M.A.T.U.) is visible throughout the kura. The board trustees have recently been elected and they expressed their eagerness to work with whānau, the tumuaki and kaiako to support school wide developments.

Internal evaluation and self-review

Internal evaluation practices are developing. This includes reporting progress against planned developments to hui whānau. The tumuaki instigated a 100-day plan on his appointment in 2020 to respond to areas of improvement he had recognised.  Although some of the goals are yet to come to fruition, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, steady progress has been made. This included supporting and strengthening governance and management practices and processes, role responsibilities such as leading kura wide learning and reparation of relationships in the local community and beyond. Improvements have been made to operational matters including a review of school policies and procedures, some are completed or ongoing for 2022 – 2023. Leaders and kaimahi meet regularly to reflect on progress against goals with a view to ongoing improvement for students, whānau, hapū and iwi.

Key Next Steps

Leaders should develop coherent assessment and moderation practices school wide. Building kaiako capability to use assessment tools and information effectively should assist them to identify key next steps for teaching and learning. Monitoring the progress of individual students better will give kaiako more confidence that all students progress at the rate necessary for them to achieve kura expectations. Leaders also need to collect, collate and use achievement information better to report to the whānau, and to inform annual targets that focus on accelerating the progress and achievement of those students who require this.  

Human resource management requires improving. Through the tumuaki audit of kura practices and ERO’s evaluation, we found that not all staff had job descriptions or employment agreements in place. Leaders and kaiako do participate in appropriate professional development and learning that builds practice, however this needs to align to a rigorous professional growth cycle that is fully implemented. Students benefit from kaiako and leaders’ professional knowledge and practice being up to date.

5 Board Assurance on Legal Requirements

During the evaluation, ERO checked at the following areas:

• 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

• school policies in relation to meeting the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014

Actions for Compliance

To meet compliance requirements, they must: 

• Have documents showing suitable human resource management practices are implemented including b - job roles and descriptions are in place.
  [section 559, Education and Training Act 2020]

6 Recommendation

ERO and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ōtepou developed the following recommendation:

• that the kura seek support from the Rūnanganui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori to assist with the key next steps stated in this report.

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

15 February 2023

7 Information about the Kura