Te Kōhanga Reo o Kautu Ki Te Rangi

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Kautu ki te Rangi ki te taha o te marae o Taipōrohenui, ki Hāwera. Kua hūnuku te kōhanga reo ki tētahi whare hou o te marae. Nō nā tata tonu nei tētahi kaiako hou me tētahi kaiwhakahaere hou i whakatūngia ai. Kei te mōhio te whānau, tērā ngā wāhanga maha o te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo hei tirohanga ake.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa ngā tamariki e whakaatu i tō rātou tūmāia hei ākonga?

Kei te pakari ngā āheinga me ngā pūkenga o te nuinga o ngā tamariki, i a rātou e whai wāhi atu ana ki ngā taumahi ako ki te taha o ō rātou hoa.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Kei te harikoa, kei te mauritau hoki ngā tamariki ki te taha o ētahi atu. E noho whakakoia ana te whānau i runga i tō rātou mōhio ki te manaakitanga, te aroha anō hoki o ngā taunekeneke a ngā kaimahi ki ā rātou tamariki. Ka kitea te tino whai whakaaro nui o ngā kaimahi ki ngā tamariki. Ka kitea hoki taua tūāhuatanga ki te āhua o ngā tamariki i a rātou e toro atu ana ki te tautoko o ngā kaimahi hei whakatau i ngā tautohetohe. He pai te mahi ngātahi o ngā tamariki, ā, ka tohatoha i ngā rauemi, ka noho tahi hoki. He whai wāhitanga anō hoki mō ngā tamariki tuākana ki te ārahi i ētahi wāhanga o te hōtaka, pērā i ngā karakia. Ka whakanuia ā rātou whakamātau e ngā kaimahi. He pakari te āhua o ngā tamariki i roto i ō rātou hononga ki ētahi atu.

E ako ana ngā tamariki ki tētahi taiao e poipoi ana i tō rātou tuakiri. Ko te marae tētahi wāhi ako e hāpai ana i ngā tamariki ki te ako i ō rātou hononga me ō rātou whakapapa. Ka hāpai anō hoki ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki ki te whai wāhi atu ki ngā pōwhiri. Ka whakapuaki ētahi o ngā tamariki i ngā pātere o Aotea. E mōhio ana rātou ki ngā tikanga me ngā kawa i te marae. Ka ako hoki rātou i ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga hei tangata whenua. E whanake ana te māramatanga o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou whakapapa.

Ka kitea te ngākau titikaha o ngā tamariki i roto i ā rātou akoranga ki te kōhanga reo. Kua whakaritea e ngā kaimahi ngā tino tūmanako mō te whanonga o ngā tamariki ki te kōhanga reo. Ka manaaki ngā tuākana i ngā pēpi i ngā wā ōkawa o te hōtaka. He mātātoa tō rātou tū hei tuākana mō ō rātou tēina. Kei te tino mōhio ngā tamariki ki te taiao o tō rātou kōhanga reo. Ka āta whakarite ngā kaimahi i te noho riterite, te tau anō hoki o te hōtaka mā ngā tamariki. He ngāwari te whakawhiti haere a ngā tamariki ki ngā tūmomo wāhanga o te hōtaka akoranga. Kei te mauritau ngā tamariki ki te kōhanga reo.

E hāpaitia ana te tūhura haere a ngā tamariki i tō rātou taiao ako. He wāteatea ngā wāhi ako, ā, kua āta whakatakotohia anō hoki. He whānui ngā tūmomo rauemi o roto, o waho hoki. Ka akiaki ngā kaimahi i te tākaro māhorahora me ngā whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te whai i ō rātou taha auaha hei hīraurau i ngā hopanga. Ka whiriwhiri, ka whakatau hoki ngā tamariki i ā rātou ake whakaritenga tākaro. E mōhio ana ngā tamariki ki ngā wāhi o ngā rauemi ako me ngā taumahi ako, otirā, kei te mōhio hoki me pēhea te whakapā atu. Ka whai wāhi atu ngā kaimahi ki te taha o ngā tamariki, ā, he harikoakoa hoki te tākaro ngātahi. He ngākau titikaha ō ngā tamariki ki te ako.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kāhore te whakamahinga o te reo Māori e noho pūmau ana ki ngā āhuatanga katoa o ia rā. He pai ake ki ngā tamariki te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero mā te reo Pākehā. Kua tae ki te wā, kia whakapakarihia e te whānau tō rātou pūmautanga ki te reo Māori. Me whai whakaaro te whānau ki ngā rautaki e whai hua ai ki te whānau me ngā kaimahi, kia tupu ake ai ō rātou mōhiotanga me ō rātou māramatanga ki te reo Māori, tae atu hoki ki tā rātou whakamahinga i te reo.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Ahakoa kei te harikoa, kei te mauritau, kei te tūmāia hoki ngā tamariki i roto i ā rātou akoranga, tērā anō ētahi wāhanga o ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau, o te arotake whaiaro hoki hei whakawhanake ake kia whakatairangatia te whakahaeretanga whānui tonu o te kōhanga reo.

Me whai huarahi te whānau ki te whai wāhi ake ki ngā tukanga e whakatau ai i ngā whakaritenga. He komiti matua e whakatau ana i ngā whakaritenga matua mā te whānau. Ka tuhia ngā meneti o ngā hui, engari kāhore aua tuhinga e puritia ana ki te kōhanga reo. He mea nui kia whai whakaaro te whānau me te komiti matua i ngā huarahi e whakapakari ai i te whai wāhi mai, i te noho mōhio mai hoki o te whānau ki ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga i roto i te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo. Ka whai hua anō hoki taua tūāhuatanga ki te hāpai i te kaiako hou me te kaiwhakahaere tari hou i roto i ō rāua tūranga.

Me whakatinana ngā kaimahi me te whānau i ngā tukanga ka āta whakarite i te whakatutukitanga o ngā mahi e pā ana ki te whakamahere, te aromatawai, me te aromātai hōtaka. Kāhore ngā mahere hōtaka e tohu ana me pēhea ngā ngākau nuitanga o ngā tamariki i roto i ngā akoranga me ngā tākaro e whakawhānui ai; kāhore ngā aromatawai e āta aroturuki ana i te ako me te ahu whakamua a ngā tamariki; heoi anō rā, he uaua anō hoki ki te tātari i ngā whakarerekētanga i whakatutukihia ai hei whakatairanga i te kounga o te hōtaka akoranga mō ngā tamariki.

Ahakoa he mahere rautaki i te kōhanga reo, me whakatakoto anō hoki i ngā mahi i tautuhia ai hei āta whakarite i te huarahi ka whāia e te whānau me ngā kaimahi ki te whakatutuki haere i ā rātou whāinga me ō rātou wawata mō te pae tawhiti, ā, kia pai ai hoki tō rātou tūnga ki te aroturuki i tā rātou ake ahu whakamua. Kāhore i te whānau tētahi mahere ā-tau hei āta whakatau i tā rātou whakatutuki haere i ngā take whakahaere nunui i ngā wā e tika ana, puta noa i te tau.

Kāhore anō ngā kaupapa here o te hauora me te haumaru kia arotakengia, ā, kāhore anō rānei kia whakahāngaitia ki Te Ture Oranga Tamariki o 2014. Kāhore ngā taiapa e karapoti ana i te katoa o te kōhanga reo, kāhore hoki e mau pūmau ana. I āraihia tētahi āputa o te taiapa ki ngā aupuru, kia kore ai ngā tamariki e puta. Kāhore ngā akoako hōneatanga ohorere e whakatutukihia ana i ia te wā, kāhore rānei e tuhia ana. He āhuatanga ēnei e pā tōraro ana ki te haumaru ā-tinana o ngā tamariki.

Kāhore ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te whakahaeretanga o ngā kaimahi e āta whakatinanahia ana. Kāhore i te mārama ki te whānau ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga hei kaituku mahi. Me whakahou ake, me whai waitohu hoki ngā tuhinga katoa a ngā kaimahi e pā ana ki ō rātou tūranga mahi. Kua roa nei te kore whakatutukitanga o ngā mahi arohaehae, ā, kāhore anō ngā whai wāhitanga whakawhanaketanga ngaio kia tāutuhia, kia āta aroturukitia hoki.

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.

I tāutuhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā wāhanga kāhore e tutuki ana e ai ki te ture. Kia tutuki i te whānau o te kōhanga reo ngā herenga ā-ture, me tahuri rātou ki te:

• whakarite i tētahi tukanga arotake whaiaro, i te aromātai o roto rānei ka haere tonu i ia te wā, hei hāpai i te kōhanga reo ki te whakapūmau me te whakapai ake i te kounga o ngā whakaritenga mā ngā tamariki
  [R47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA6 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakarite kia whakamahere, kia whakatinana, kia aromātai hoki ngā kaimahi i te marautanga o te kōhanga reo, hei whakarato i te pai o ngā wheako akoranga mā ngā tamariki
  [R43 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; C1-13 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakarite i tētahi mahere ā-tau ka ārahi i ngā whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo
  [R47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA8 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• arotake me te whakahou ake i te katoa o ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru, hei āta whakarite i te whakatutukitanga me te whakapūmautanga o ngā herenga katoa e pā ana ki ngā akoako hōneatanga ohorere, te moe, ngā aituā me ngā maiki, ngā āhuatanga mōrearea, Te Ture Oranga Tamariki o 2014, me te whakahaeretanga tika o te whanonga, hei painga mō ngā tamariki
  [R46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS1-33 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakapau kaha ki te whakarato ki ngā kaimahi katoa e mahi ana, e whai wāhi ana rānei ki te kōhanga reo, te rawaka me te tika o ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi e whai pānga ana ki a rātou, tētahi kirimana mahi ki ia kaimahi, te tautoko ngaio, ngā whai wāhitanga whakawhanaketanga ngaio, me ngā rauemi.
  [R47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA7 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]

4 Te Taunakitanga

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

• toro atu te whānau ki te tautoko e tika ana ki te whakatutuki i ngā wāhanga i tāutuhia ai ki tēnei pūrongo hei whakawhanake ake.

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 Kautu ki te Rangi i roto i te kotahi tau.

Charles Rolleston Toka ā-nuku

01 Paengawhāwhā, 2019

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Kautu ki te Rangi is next to Taipōrohenui Marae in Hāwera. The kōhanga reo has moved to a new building on the marae complex. A new kaiako and administrator were recently appointed. The whānau are aware there are many areas of kōhanga reo management that require attention.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children show they are confident learners?

Most children are confident in their abilities and skills as they engage in learning activities and with their peers.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children are happy and positive towards others. Whānau feel assured that kaimahi are caring and loving in their interactions with their children. Kaimahi display genuine concern for children. This is evident in the way children approach kaimahi for support to resolve conflicts. Children are observed to be working well together as they share resources and space. The older children are provided opportunities to lead parts of the programme such as karakia. Their efforts are affirmed by kaimahi. Children appear secure in their relationships with others.

Children learn in an environment where their identity is nurtured. The marae provides a learning space where children learn about their connections and whakapapa. Kaimahi enable children to participate in pōwhiri. Some children chant pātere that are from Aotea. They are aware of the tikanga and kawa of the marae. They also learn about their roles and responsibilities as tangata whenua. Children are developing an understanding of their whakapapa.

Children show confidence in their learning at the kōhanga reo. Kaimahi have established clear boundaries for children’s behaviour within the kōhanga reo. The older children care for the babies during the formal part of the programme. They are active as tuākana to their tēina. Children know their kōhanga reo environment well. Kaimahi ensure that the programme is consistent and familiar to children. Children transition easily through the different parts of the learning programme. Children are settled in the kōhanga reo.

Children are supported to explore their learning environment. The learning areas are spacious and well set out. There are a range of indoor and outdoor resources. Kaimahi encourage free play and opportunities for children to be creative problem solvers. Children make independent choices and decisions about their play. Children know where and how to access learning resources and activities. Kaimahi get involved and play happily alongside the children. Children are confident learners.

Key Next Steps

The use of te reo Māori throughout the day is inconsistent. The preferred language of communication by children is English. It is time for whānau to strengthen their commitment to te reo Māori. The whānau should consider strategies for both whānau and kaimahi to grow their knowledge, understanding and use of te reo Māori.

Planning and Evaluation

Key Next Steps

Although children are happy, settled and confident in their learning, there are areas relating to whānau management and self review that require further development to enhance the overall operation of the kōhanga reo.

The whānau must take steps to be more involved in decision-making processes. There is an executive committee in place that makes key decisions on behalf of the whānau. Minutes of meetings are recorded but are not kept at the kōhanga reo. It is important that the whānau and executive committee consider ways to strengthen whānau involvement and awareness of their role and responsibilities within the kaupapa of kōhanga reo. This will also be useful to support the new kaiako and new administrator in their roles.

Kaimahi and whānau must implement processes to ensure planning, assessment and programme evaluation are carried out. Programme plans do not show how children’s interests in learning and play will be extended, assessments do not adequately monitor children’s learning and progress, and it is difficult to gauge what changes have been made to improve the quality of the learning programme for children.

While there is a strategic plan for the kōhanga reo, there also needs to be defined actions to ensure that the whānau and kaimahi can take practical steps towards achieving their longer-term goals and aspirations, and to be well positioned to monitor their own progress. The whānau do not have an annual plan in place to ensure they can attend to important operational matters in a timely manner throughout the year.

Health and safety policies have not been reviewed or aligned to the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014. The fencing around the kōhanga reo is not fully and safely secured. There is a gap in the fence that had been covered with cushions to prevent children from getting out. Emergency evacuation drills are not carried out regularly or documented. Children’s physical safety is compromised.

Personnel management practices are not well implemented. The whānau are unclear about their roles and responsibilities as employers. All kaimahi employment documentation needs to be updated and signed. Appraisals have not been completed for some time and relevant professional development opportunities have not been identified and monitored well.

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.

ERO identified areas of non-compliance. In order for the kōhanga reo whānau to meet compliance requirements, they need to:

• establish an ongoing process of self review or internal evaluation to help maintain and improve the quality of practice for children
  [Regulation 47 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA6 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• ensure kaimahi plan, implement, and evaluate the Te Kōhanga Reo curriculum to provide positive learning experiences for children
  [Regulation 43 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; C1-13 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• establish an annual plan to guide the operations of the kōhanga reo
  [Regulation 47 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA8 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• review and update all health and safety policies and procedures to ensure all requirements for emergency evacuation drills, sleeping, accidents and incidents, hazards, Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014, and behaviour management are met and maintained for children [Regulation 46 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS1-33 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• take all reasonable steps to provide staff employed or engaged in the service with adequate and relevant job descriptions, individual employment contracts and professional support, professional development opportunities, and resources.
  [Regulation 47 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA7 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

4 Recommendation

ERO and the Kōhanga Reo whānau developed the following recommendation:

• that the whānau seek support to address the areas for development identified in this report.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Kautu ki te Rangi will be within one year.

Charles Rolleston Toka ā-nuku

1 April 2019

Information about the Kōhanga Reo