Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Rāhuitanga

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. Ka whakarato ngā pūrongo a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i ngā mōhiohio mātuatua mā ngā whānau, ngā hapū, me ngā iwi. 

2 Te Horopaki 

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Rāhuitanga ki Papakura, ki Tāmaki-makau-rau. E whakawhānui ake ana te whānau i tā rātou raihana whakahaere, mā te mahi ngātahi anō hoki ki te hunga nō rātou te whare. E noho ngākau nui ana rātou ki te whakarato i tētahi taiao e hāpai ana i ngā mokopuna ki te toro atu ki te reo Māori, ki ngā tikanga Māori, me te mātauranga Māori. 

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā tamariki i tō rātou ngākau titikaha i roto i ā rātou akoranga? 

He ngākau titikaha ō ngā mokopuna ki te whai wāhi atu ki ngā akoranga, puta noa i te tangongitanga o ngā wheako.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

E rumakina ana ngā mokopuna ki te taiao reo Māori. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i te tangongitanga o ngā rautaki e hāpai ana i ngā mokopuna ki te whakamahi i te reo Māori. Kei te tākare ngā mokopuna tuākana ki te whakaatu i ō rātou pūkenga ki te ārahi i ngā taumahi, pērā i ngā waiata, i ngā hīmene, i te kori tinana, me ngā kēmu. Kei te tākare hoki ngā tēina, ā, ka whakamahi rātou i ngā kupu māmā, i ō rātou puna kupu e tupu haere ana. Ka rongo hoki ngā mokopuna i ia te wā, i te reo Māori ōkawa me te reo o ngā kuia me ngā koroua, ā, he tūāhuatanga e whakatairanga ake ana i te whakawhanaketanga reo Māori o ngā mokopuna. Ka whiriwhiri māhorahora ngā mokopuna, mai i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo rauemi e wero ai i tō rātou  taha tairongo, taha auaha, taha tinana hoki. Kua whakaritea ngā taputapu tākaro hei wero, hei akiaki hoki i ngā mokopuna ki te tūmāia me te whakamātau i a rātou anō. Ka āta whakatau ngā kaimahi kia papai ngā taunekeneke ki waenga i ngā mokopuna, hei poipoi i te noho tahi, i te manaaki, me te aroha. Ka whai wāhi atu ngā mokopuna ki ngā taumahi mō ngā wā roroa. He pārekareka ki a rātou te ako ki te taha o ō rātou hoa me ngā pakeke. I ngā wā katoa, ka tuku ngā kaimahi i ngā kōrero whakamihi, hei whakanui i ngā whakamātau me ngā whakatutukitanga a ngā mokopuna. He whai wāhitanga anō hoki mō ngā mokopuna ki te ārahi, ā, nā konā tō rātou kiritau e whakatairangatia ana. 

E whakawhanake ana te whānau i ngā huarahi ki te whakahaere i te kōhanga reo. Tū ai ngā hui ā-whānau i ia te wā, ā, he kaha te taetae atu. Kua pūrongotia te nuinga o ngā wāhanga whakahaere me ngā wāhanga whakarite, ā, ka whai mōhiohio, ka whai kiko hoki ngā meneti o ngā hui. Kawea ai e te whānau i ia te wā tētahi huringa arotake e pā ana ki ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga. Ka whakapuakihia ērā ki te whārangi Pukamata tūmataiti a te kōhanga reo, hei kōrerotanga mā te whānau. Whakahaerehia ai, tuhia ai hoki i ia te wā, ko ngā akoako e pā ana ki te ahi me te rū whenua. Kei ngā rēhita ngā mōhiohio papai hei whakatairanga i te waiora o ngā mokopuna. Ka whakamōhiotia te mahere rautaki ki Ngā Pou e Whā, ā, ka tautuhi i ngā kaupapa matua mō te whakawhanake tonutanga o te kōhanga reo. Ko te whakapai tonutanga tētahi aronga ngātahi a te whānau. 

He pakari te whakahaere i ngā take e pā ana ki ngā kaimahi. Kei te mārama, kei te whai kiko hoki ngā kirimina whiwhi mahi a ia kaimahi, ā, e hāngai ana hoki ki ngā herenga ā-ture. Kei ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi te māramatanga ki ngā pūkenga e tūmanakohia ana ki ngā kaimahi. Kua whakatutukihia te arowhai i te haumaru o ngā kaimahi. Ka whai wāhi atu ngā mema o te whānau mā ngā huarahi maha, hei hāpai i te kōhanga reo. Ko ngā mokopuna kei te pūtake o ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau. 

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake

Ki tā te whānau, i roto i ngā tau e whā kua pahure ake nei kua āta whakawhiti kōrero rātou ki te hunga nō rātou te whare o te kōhanga reo, i a rātou e whakatikatika ana i ngā raru e pā ana ki ngā wāra, hei kōkiri tonu i tā rātou whakawhānui ake i te raihana whakahaere. E mihi ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ki te whānau mō tō rātou ngākau nuitanga, ā, e akiaki ana i a rātou ki te whai tonu i ngā putanga pai ake mō ngā mokopuna. 

Ko te aromātai hōtaka tētahi āhuatanga hei tirohia. Ahakoa ka whakawhiti kōrero ngā kaimahi mō te whai huatanga o te hōtaka akoranga, e tika ana kia whakamahine ake te tuhi haere i aua whakawhitinga kōrero. Ka whai hua ngā mokopuna mā te whakatairanga ake i te māramatanga o ngā kaimahi ki te aromātai hōtaka mō te whakapai tonutanga.

5 Te Whakatau a te Whānau o te Kōhanga Reo ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te arotake, i tirohia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha ki te whakahaere i ngā wāhanga e whai ake nei, 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; 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 ohotata me ngā tikanga ohotata e pā ana ki te rū whenua, te ahi, te waipuke, te tai āniwhaniwha, me te mate urutā.

6 Te Taunakitanga

E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga kia mahi te whānau ki te taha o te tari ā-rohe o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo, kia whai tautoko rātou i roto i ngā whakaritenga matua i whakaraupapahia ai ki tēnei pūrongo kia whāia. 

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

8 Paengawhāwhā, 2024

7 Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

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

2 Context 

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Rāhuitanga in situated in Papakura, Tamaki Makaurau. Whānau, in collaboration with the building owners, are actively pursuing an expansion of their operational licence. They are dedicated to providing an environment where mokopuna embrace te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori. 

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do mokopuna show confidence in their learning?

Mokopuna confidently engage in learning across a range of experiences.

4 Findings 

Mokopuna are immersed in a te reo Māori environment. Kaimahi use a range of strategies that foster mokopuna use of te reo Māori. Older mokopuna are keen to show their ability to lead activities such as waiata, himene, kori tinana and kēmu. Teina are enthusiastic and use simple kupu as they grow their vocabulary. Regular exposure to formal te reo Māori, of kuia and koroua, enhances mokopuna reo Māori development. Mokopuna freely choose from a variety of resources to challenge their sensory, creative and physical needs. Play equipment is set up to provide challenges and encourage mokopuna to be courageous and have a go. Kaimahi ensure positive interactions between mokopuna that foster sharing, caring and aroha. Mokopuna participate in activities for sustained periods of time. They enjoy learning with their peers and adults. Kaimahi consistently use positive affirmations to acknowledge mokopuna efforts and achievements. Mokopuna experience leadership opportunities where their self esteem is enhanced. 

Whānau are developing ways in which to manage the kōhanga reo. Whānau hui are held regularly and are well attended. Reporting has occurred across most aspects of management and operations and hui minutes are informative and detailed. Whānau undertake a regular cycle of review for policies and procedures. These are shared through the kōhanga reo private Facebook Page for whānau feedback. Fire and earthquake drills are conducted and recorded regularly. Registers contain good information to promote mokopuna wellness. The strategic plan is informed by Ngā Pou e Wha and identifies the priorities for the future development of the kōhanga reo. Continued improvement is a shared focus for whānau. 

Personnel matters are competently managed. Kaimahi individual employment agreements are clear, detailed and align to legislation. Position descriptions provide clarity of expected kaimahi competencies. Kaimahi safety checks are complete. Whānau members participate in various ways to support the kōhanga reo. Mokopuna are at the centre of whānau whakahaere. 

Key Next Steps

Whānau shared that for the past four years they have diligently consulted with the building owners while striving to overcome drainage challenges, all in pursuit of increasing their existing operational licence. ERO acknowledge whānau dedication and encourage them to continue to pursue improved outcomes for mokopuna. 

Programme evaluation requires attention. Although kaimahi discuss the effectiveness of the learning programme, there is a need for additional refinement in documenting these discussions. Mokopuna would benefit from enhancing kaimahi understanding of programme evaluation for ongoing improvement. 

5 Kōhanga Whānau Assurance on Legal Requirements

During the evaluation, ERO looked at systems for managing the following areas: 

• emotional safety including positive guidance and child protection.
• physical safety including supervision, sleep procedures, accidents, medication, excursion policy and procedures.
• suitable staffing including appropriate qualifications, police vetting, ratios.
• emergency procedures and practices for earthquakes, fire, flood, tsunami and pandemic.

6 Recommendation

ERO recommends that whānau work alongside the district office for support with the key next steps outlined in this report. 

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

8 April 2024

7 Information about the kōhanga reo