Te Whare Whitinga o te Rā

Education institution number:
47017
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
56
Telephone:
Address:

34 Sunrise Avenue, Owhata, Rotorua

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Te Whare Whitinga o te Rā

1 He Kupu Arataki

Kua mahi ngātahi Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me ngā kaiārahi, ngā whānau, ngā kaiako me ngā hapori o ngā Puna Reo, o ngā Whare Kōhungahunga rānei 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.

2 Te Horopaki

Ko Te Whare Whitinga o Te Rā tētahi ratonga mātauranga reo rua i whakatūngia ai i te tau 2016 e te tarahiti o Te Roro o te Rangi Hapū. E tū ana te whare kōhungahunga ki runga i te whenua o te tarahiti i te taha rāwhiti o Rotorua. E poipoi ana i ngā tamariki e ono marama te pakeke, tae noa atu ki te wā ka whakawhiti atu ki te kura, ā, kua whakaritea ki ngā horopaki ā-reanga e toru. Nō nā noa nei te kaiwhakahaere o te whare kōhungahunga i whakatūngia ai. I mua i tēnei tūranga, ko ia te kaiako matua.

“Ruia taitea, ruia taitea, ka tū ko taikākā ko ahau anake” Nā Te Roro o Te Rangi

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakapuaki a ngā mokopuna i ngā uara o te whanaungatanga, te wairuatanga, te manaakitanga, me te kotahitanga?

Kei te tīmata te whanaketanga haere o ngā māramatanga o ngā tamariki ki te whanaungatanga, te wairuatanga, te manaakitanga, me te kotahitanga.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

E poipoia ana ngā tamariki ki tētahi taiao ako e ngā pouako e manaaki ana, e tiaki ana hoki i a rātou hei taonga. He ngākau titikaha ō ētahi o ngā pouako ki te kōrero i te reo Māori, ā, he tino tauira rātou mō ngā tamariki me ō rātou hoa mahi. He kaiaka te patapatai me te whāngai kupu, ā, ka akiaki i te hōhonutanga o ngā whakautu a ngā tamariki tuākana i a rātou e whakawhitiwhiti kōrero ana. Ka whakarato ngā pouako i te tini me te tika o ngā whiringa mā ngā tamariki, i roto i te whare, i waho hoki. He pai te reretahi o ngā wāhi nei i waihangatia ai hei wāhi ako, hei wāhi tākaro hoki mō te kōhungahunga, ā, ka hāpai anō hoki i te mātakitaki tamariki. Ka whakawhānuihia ngā tamariki i roto i ā rātou akoranga, mā te tūhura i tō rātou taiao māoriori. E mōhio ana, e aro nui ana hoki ngā pouako ki ngā matea me ngā hiahia o ngā tamariki me ō rātou whānau. He pai ki ngā tamariki ngā mahi e wero ana i a rātou, ā, ka whai wāhi atu rātou ki ngā wheako ako e tika ana.

E hāngai ana te tikanga whakaaro o te puna reo ki ngā mātāpono me ngā whenu o Te Whāriki. Ka whakatairangatia anō hoki taua tūāhuatanga ki te tikanga whakaaro mātauranga o Ngāti Te Roro i Te Rangi e meatia ana, ‘Know me before you teach me.’  E whakarato tonu ana te tarahiti i te tautoko ā-tikanga whakaaro, ā-mātauranga hoki, hei ārahi i ngā whakahaeretanga me ngā whakaritenga i te whare kōhungahunga. Ko ngā kaupapa here e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru e ārahi ana i ngā whakataunga me ngā whakaritenga a ngā pouako mō te atawhai o ngā tamariki. He pai te mahi ngātahi a te kaiwhakahaere o te whare kōhungahunga, te kaiwhakahaere o te tari, me ngā pouako, kia rere pai ai ngā whakaritenga i te whare kōhungahunga i ia rā. Kua whakatakotohia tētahi huringa taiāwhio arotake, hei whakapūmau i ngā whakaritenga papai mā te aronga ki te whakapaitanga. Kei te harikoa ngā tamariki ki te whare kōhungahunga nei, nā te aronga ki tō rātou hauora, tō rātou noho haumaru, tō rātou waiora, me te atawhai i a rātou.

He hou te kaiwhakahaere o te whare kōhungahunga ki tōna tūranga. He pakari tana whakariterite me ōna mōhiotanga ki te whakawhanaketanga o te marautanga. Kua whakatakotohia ngā mahere. Kei te Storypark, ko ngā whakamāramatanga e pā ana ki te ako, te ahu whakamua, me ngā whakatutukitanga a ia tamaiti. Ka toro atu ki te reo o te whānau i roto i te whakatakotoranga o ngā huarahi ako o ngā tamariki. Arotake ai ngā pouako i te hōtaka akoranga i ia te wā, hei tautuhi i ngā whakapaitanga. He auau ngā arohaehae, ā, ka ārahi i te ako ngaio o ngā pouako. E wātea ana ki ngā pouako ngā whai wāhitanga whakawhanaketanga ngaio hei hāpai i tō rātou tupu ngaio. E tautoko ana te kaiwhakahaere o te whare kōhungahunga i ngā pouako e tākare ana, e manaaki ana hoki, ā, e arotahi ana ki te whakarato i te tino kounga o te atawhai me te mātauranga ki ngā tamariki.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake 

E mōhio ana ngā kaiwhakahaere o te whare kōhungahunga me ngā pouako, he mea nui ki te whakapakari tonu i te whakatōpūtanga o te ārahitanga, hei whakatairanga tonu i ngā putanga papai. Ka whai hua ngā tamariki nā te tupu i te ārahitanga e āta whakatau ai i te rōnakitanga mō meāke nei.

5 Te Whakatau a te Whakahaere ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te arotake, i tirohia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha o te ratonga ki te whakahaere i ngā wāhanga e whai pānga nui ai ki te waiora o ngā tamariki, arā, ki:

  • te haumaru ā-whatumanawa, tae atu ki te ārahi mauritau me te ārai tamariki

  • te haumaru ā-tinana, tae atu ki te mātakitaki tamariki, ngā whakaritenga whakamoe, ngā aituā, te whāngai rongoā; ngā ritenga akuaku; me ngā kaupapa here, ngā tukanga hoki mō ngā haerenga whakawaho

  • te tū tika o ngā kaimahi, tae atu ki te tika o ngā tohu mātauranga, ngā mahi arowhai a ngā pirihimana, me te tatauranga ki waenga i te kaiako me te tamaiti 

  • ngā whakaritenga hōneatanga me ngā tikanga hōneatanga e pā ana ki te ahi me te rū whenua.

Ki tā ngā herenga, mā ngā ratonga mātauranga kōhungahunga katoa e whakatairanga te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki, ā, mā rātou anō e arotake i ia te wā, tā rātou whakatutukitanga o ngā herenga ā-ture.

6 Te Taunakitanga

I whakawhanakehia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me te whare kōhungahunga, te taunakitanga e whai ake nei, arā, kia whakatairanga tonuhia te tōpūtanga o ngā pūmanawa e whakapiki tonu ai i te kounga o te ako me ngā putanga ki ngā tamariki.

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

29 Pipiri 2023

7 Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te Puna Reo, ki te Whare Kōhungahunga rānei

Te tūwāhi

Kei Rotorua

Te tau a te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga

47017

Te tūmomo raihana

He Ratonga Mātauranga me te Atawhai

Te raihana

Ngā Ture Mātauranga (Ratonga Kōhungahunga) 2008

Te tokomaha mō te raihana

75, kia 25 ki raro i te rua o ngā tau

Te tokomaha kei runga i te rārangi ingoa

58, 12 kei raro i te rua o ngā tau

Ngā hononga ā-iwi

Māori 57, Iwi kē 1

Te ōrau o ngā kaimahi kua whakawhiwhia ki ngā tohu mātauranga

80%+

Te tatauranga i pūrongotia ai, ki waenga i ngā kaimahi me ngā tamariki

Ki raro i te rua o ngā tau

1:5

He pai ake i ngā herenga tikanga mōkito

Ki runga ake i te rua tau

1:10

He pai ake i ngā herenga tikanga mōkito

Te wā i te whare kōhungahunga te rōpū arotake

Poutū-te-rangi 2023

Te wā o tēnei pūrongo

29 Pipiri 2023

Ngā pūrongo o mua a
Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga 

Arotake Mātauranga, Poutū-te-rangi 2019

1 Introduction

The Education Review Office (ERO) in collaboration with Puna Reo or Whare Kōhungahunga leaders, whānau, kaiako and their communities develop evaluation insights that foster accountability and improvement, identify progress and build evaluation capability.

2 Context

Te Whare Whitinga o Te Rā is a bilingual education service established in 2016 by Te Roro o te Rangi Hapū Trust. The centre is located on trust land in Eastern Rotorua. It caters for tamariki aged from six months to school age which is organised in to three age-based settings. The centre manager has recently, been appointed. She was originally the lead teacher.

“Ruia taitea, ruia taitea, ka tū ko taikākā ko ahau anake” Nā Te Roro o Te Rangi

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do tamariki demonstrate the values of whanaungatanga, wairuatanga, manaakitanga and kōtahitanga?

Tamariki are in the early stages of developing their understanding whanaungatanga, wairuatanga, manaakitanga and kōtahitanga.

4 Findings

Tamariki are nurtured in a learning environment by pouako who manaaki and tiaki them as taonga. Some pouako speak te reo Māori with confidence and are role models for tamariki and their colleagues. Skilful questioning and prompts, encourage thoughtful responses from older tamariki who are considered in their replies during conversations. Pouako provide multiple and appropriate choices for tamariki both indoors and out. These purpose designed areas have a good flow of the play spaces allowing for good supervision. Tamariki are extended in their learning by exploring their local natural environment. Pouako know and respond to the needs and requirements of both tamariki and their whānau. Tamariki enjoy being challenged as they participate in appropriate learning experiences.

The puna reo philosophy aligns to the principles and strands of Te Whāriki. This is complemented by Ngāti Te Roro i te Rangi Education Philosophy of ‘Know me before you teach me’. The trust continues to provide philosophical and educational support to guide centre operations and practice. Policies for health and safety guide pouako decision making and practices in the care of tamariki. The centre manager, administrator and pouako work well together to achieve the smooth day to day operations of the centre. A regular review cycle is in place to sustain good practice with a focus on improvement. Tamariki are happy in a centre that focuses on their health, safety, wellbeing and care.

The centre manager is new to this role. She is highly organised and knowledgeable in curriculum development. Planning is in place. Storypark documents include descriptions of individual tamariki learning, progress, and achievements. Whānau voice is invited in the crafting of tamariki learning journeys. Pouako regularly review the learning programme to identify any improvements. Appraisals are regular and provide guidance for pouako professional learning. Pouako have access to a range of professional development opportunities to support their professional growth. The centre manager supports enthusiastic and caring pouako who are focused on providing the best possible care and education for their tamariki.

Key Next Steps

The centre management and pouako acknowledge that it is important to continue to build collaborative leadership to further enhance positive outcomes. Tamariki benefit from leadership growth to ensure future sustainability.   

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

During the evaluation, ERO looked at the service’s 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 pouako (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Recommendation

ERO and the centre developed the following recommendation to continue to enhance the collective strength to further increase the quality of learning and outcomes for tamariki

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

29 June 2023

7 Information about the Puna Reo or Whare Kōhungahunga

Location

Kei Rotorua

Ministry of Education profile number

47017

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

75 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

58 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Ethnic composition

Māori 57, other 1 

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of pouako to children

Under 2

Ratio (1:5)

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

Ratio (1:10)

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

March 2023

Date of this report

29 Pipiri 2023

Most recent ERO report(s) 

Education Review, March 2019

Te Whare Whitinga o te Rā - 13/03/2019

1 Evaluation of Te Whare Whitinga o te Rā

How well placed is Te Whare Whitinga o te Rā to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Te Whare Whitinga o te Rā is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Te Whare Whitinga o te Rā is a new bilingual education and care service established in June 2016, to align to Te Roro o te Rangi Hapū education strategy. It is owned by Te Roro o te Rangi Hapū Trust and located on hapū land in Eastern Rotorua. The centre caters for tamariki from six months to school age in three age-based settings each led by a head teacher in a full-day programme. The centre manager provides overall professional and administrative leadership. The centre is licensed for 70 children including 20 under the age of two years. Its roll of 60 includes 59 Māori children, most of whom affiliate to Te Roro o te Rangi.

The centre's philosophy is to follow the aspirations of the trust, to see all tamariki engaged in whanaugngatanga, wairuatanga, manaakitanga, and kōtahitanga as the foundation principles of the early learning environment.

A board of governors sets policies and direction for the centre. Most pouako, are qualified and registered early childhood teachers.

This is the first ERO review of the service.

The Review Findings

Children benefit from a shared kaupapa of unconditional aroha. Pouako create a warm, welcoming environment. Partnerships with whānau demonstrate genuine interest and attitudes of acceptance. Interactions are positive and sensitive. Pouako take time to listen to children and foster their language development in te reo Māori, English and New Zealand sign language. Learning environments are well designed. Pouako pay careful attention to the display and accessibility of resources. There are many opportunities for children of all ages to make choices, set challenges and experience success.

Babies and toddlers are valued and trusted as capable learners. Pouako ensure they have freedom, time and space to move and explore the natural and physical world.

Centre governance and management effectively promotes positive learning outcomes for all children. The service acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and is committed to treaty-based partnerships at all levels. Parents and whānau are consulted and have opportunities to have a voice and be involved in decisions that affect their children and centre development. The service philosophy, vision and goals strongly reflect the aspirations that hapū, parents and whānau have for tamariki. There is an appropriate range of policies to guide centre operations and practices. Policies and procedures are based on the principles of advocacy, equity and social justice, promoting equitable opportunities for participation in the service for tamariki and whānau and are regularly reviewed. The board of governors has accessed an external consultant to support governance and management to maintain a strong focus on continual improvement including strengthening internal evaluation.

Leadership effectively grows collective capability within the centre, promoting positive outcomes for children. Centre leaders show a strong commitment to the philosophy and vision. They have established a culture where children are central to decision making and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Leaders have established relationships based on respect, trust and reciprocity. They value te ao Māori creating opportunities for parents and whānau to participate in the life of the centre. Leaders and pouako are strong advocates for the rights of all children to participate and enjoy learning. They have formed productive partnerships with parents and external support agencies ensuring equitable opportunities for children with additional needs.

The curriculum is effectively designed to realise the intent of the services philosophy. Whanaugngatanga, wairuatanga, manaakitanga and kōtahitanga underpin responsive, reciprocal and respectful relationships and interactions between, tamariki, their whānau and pouako. Māori theories, philosophies, hapū history and stories are well understood by pouako enabling them to develop a culturally appropriate curriculum. Consideration to the implications of the revised early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki is needed to support pouako to further extend and refine the centre's local curriculum. Pouako use te reo Māori naturally, demonstrating good models of the language for children and less confident adults. Māori children have opportunities to participate as tangata whenua. They show pride and enjoyment in waiata, haka, pūrakau and karakia.

Assessment affirms children’s language, culture and identity. It supports Māori children to develop a strong identity as Māori, acknowledging and building on their intrinsic cultural heritage. There is a focus on dispositional learning that makes links to whakataukī and the characteristics of tupuna. Assessment includes multiple voices including whānau aspirations. Pouako make assessment records accessible to tamariki of all ages to allow them to revisit their learning.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps for the centre manager and pouako are to:

  • continue to build an understanding of internal evaluation to enable them to inquire into the effectiveness of their practice and resulting outcomes for children

  • engage in professional learning and development to support them to understand and respond to Te Whāriki, the current early childhood curriculum document.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Te Whare Whitinga o te Rā completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

  • curriculum
  • premises and facilities
  • health and safety practices
  • governance, management and administration.

During the review, ERO looked at the service’s 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 early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

13 March 2019

The Purpose of ERO Reports

The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Rotorua

Ministry of Education profile number

47017

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Service roll

60

Gender composition

Boys 30 Girls 30

Ethnic composition

Māori
Other

59
1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

January 2019

Date of this report

13 March 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

No previous ERO reports

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:

Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children

Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children

Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children

Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.

Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.

ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.

A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.

For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

  • Very well placed

  • Well placed

  • Requires further development

  • Not well placed

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.