Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Paatu

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Paatū ki te marae o Te Paatū ki Pāmapūria, e pā tata tonu ana ki Kaitāia. He hononga ā-whakapapa tō te whānau ki ngā iwi o Te Paatū, rātou ko Ngāti Kahu, ko Te Aupōuri, ko Ngāti Kurī, ko Ngāi Takoto, ko Te Rarawa hoki. Kua tau ētahi wero ki te kōhanga reo, heoi anō rā, kua pā tōraro aua wero ki te āheinga o te whānau me ngā kaimahi ki te whakapūmau i ngā wāhanga katoa o ngā mahi whakahaere ki te kōhanga reo.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai o ngā tamariki i tō rātou māramatanga ki ō rātou tuakiri me tō tūrangawaewae?

E whakawhanake ana te māramatanga o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou tuakiri me tō rātou tūrangawaewae.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

E whiwhi ana ngā tamariki i ngā hononga e whai pūtake ana ki te taha o ētahi atu. Ka whakatauira te whānau i ngā uara o te aroha, te manaaki, me te āwhina. Ka whakapuaki ngā kaimahi i te manaaki me te tautoko ki ngā tamariki, inarā, i roto i te āhua o tā rātou whakamihimihi hei whakanui i ngā whakamātau me ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. Ka noho mōhio ngā tamariki ki te whai wāhi mai o ngā manuhiri ki tō rātou kōhanga reo, ā, ka atawhai, ka whakatau anō hoki i a rātou. Ka tohatoha rātou i ngā rauemi, ka whakapuaki hoki i ā rātou wheako ki te taha o ētahi atu tamariki. He mātātoa te tū o ngā tuākana. Kei te harikoa, kei te mauritau hoki ngā tamariki i roto i ā rātou taunekeneke ki te kōhanga reo.

Ka ako ngā tamariki ki tētahi taiao e poipoi ana i tō rātou tuakiri me ō rātou hononga ki Te Paatu. Ka kawe atu ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki ki ngā marae, ā, ka ako rātou i ngā pepeha me ngā tikanga o Te Paatū. Ka whakapuaki ngā tamariki i aua akoranga ki te kōhanga reo, ā, ki te taha hoki o tō rātou whānau. Ka whakarite ngā kaimahi i ngā haerenga ki ngā pouwhenua motuhake, ngā hopuni, ngā tāone, me ētahi atu kōhanga reo o Muriwhenua. E hāpai ana ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki ki te ako i ō rātou pepeha me ō rātou whakapapa. E whakawhanake ana ngā tamariki i te mōhiotanga me ō rātou ngākau titikaha ki ō rātou tuakiri.

E aro nui ana ngā tamariki ki te ako i te reo Māori. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā rautaki, tae atu ki te whāngai kupu, te patapatai me te tohutohu, hei hāpai i te ako reo a ngā tamariki. Kei te mārama ngā tamariki tuākana ki tēnā e kōrerohia ana mā te reo Māori, ā, he tika tā rātou aro atu ki ngā kaimahi. Ka tāwhai ngā pēpi i ngā oro me ngā rerenga kōrero. Ka rongo ngā tamariki i ngā reo ā-iwi o Muriwhenua. E tīmata ana te ako a ngā tamariki i te reo Māori.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kāhore ngā matea ako me ngā ngākau nuitanga o ngā tamariki e whakatutukihia ana. Ka whakaatuhia ngā mahere ki ngā pātū o te kōhanga reo. Ka waihanga ngā kaimahi i ngā whāinga ako mō ngā rōpū reanga tamariki e hāpaitia ana e rātou, engari kāhore ngā mahinga ako e noho pūmau ana i ngā wā katoa. E kōkirihia ana te hōtaka akoranga o ia rā e ngā pakeke. Kāhore he whiringa mā ngā tamariki i roto i ā rātou akoranga me ā rātou tākaro. Kāhore anō te whare hou kia whakarawetia ki ngā rauemi. Kāhore ngā kaimahi e hui ana i ia te wā ki te arotake i te kounga o te hōtaka. Kāhore te whai wāhi atu a ngā tamariki ki ngā akoranga e whakawhānuihia ana, e āta whakapūmautia ana rānei.

Ko te reo Māori tētahi āhuatanga hei whakawhanake ake. Ahakoa e wawatatia ana e te whānau kia kōrero ngā tamariki i te reo Māori, tērā anō hoki ngā wā ka kōrero kē ngā kaimahi, te whānau, me ngā tamariki i te reo Pākehā ki te kōhanga reo. Nā taua tūāhuatanga, he pai kē atu ki ngā tamariki te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero mā te reo Pākehā.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

He pai te whakatinanatanga o ētahi wāhanga o ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau. Tū ai ngā hui ā-whānau i ia te wā, ā, he pai hoki te taetae atu a ngā mema o te whānau o te kōhanga reo. Kua whakatakotohia ngā tuhinga e pā ana ki ngā kaimahi. Kua tīmata ngā kaimahi i te tukanga arohaehae. E hāngai ana ngā kirimana me ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi ki te wā. Kua whakatutukihia te arowhai a ngā pirihimana i ngā kaimahi. Kua whakaritea ngā rēhita e pā ana ki ngā aituā me ngā maiki. Ko ngā tamariki kei te pūtake o ngā whakataunga.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kei te ako tonu te whānau i ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga mahi e hāpai ai i te whakahaeretanga me te whakaritenga o te kōhanga reo. Kāhore anō kia whakaurua ki ā rātou kaupapa here me ā rātou whakaritenga o tēnei wā, ko ngā rerekētanga ki ngā herenga ā-ture nō nā tata tonu nei i pā ai. Kāhore anō kia whakatakotohia ngā kaupapa here matua me ngā tukanga matua e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru, tae atu ki te arowhai i ngā āhuatanga mōrearea me te āhua o te moe, me te tū auau o ngā akoako hōneatanga.

Me titiro ki te aromātai o roto. Kāhore anō ngā tuhinga matua me ngā tikanga matua kia arotakengia, kia whakarerekēhia, kia whakamanahia hoki e te whānau. Kāhore anō tētahi mahere rautaki kia whakatinanahia e te whānau hei whakatutuki haere i ā rātou kaupapa matua mō te paetawhiti o tō rātou kōhanga reo. Me auau te aroturuki me te pūrongo i te whakahaeretanga o ngā pūtea.

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 ka haere tonu i ia te wā, e whai wāhi atu ai 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]
• whakamahere, te whakatinana, me te aromātai i te marautanga o Te Kōhanga Reo, kia whakaratohia ai ngā wheako ako papai 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]

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 o te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo ki te whakatutuki i ngā take i tāutuhia ai ki tēnei pūrongo.

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 Te Paatū i roto ngā tau e rua.

Charles Rolleston

Toka ā-nuku

02 Hereturikōkā, 2019

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo is located on Te Paatū Marae in Pāmapūria, near Kaitāia. Whānau share whakapapa connections to Te Paatū, Ngāti Kahu, Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Takoto, and Te Rarawa. The kōhanga reo have been going through some challenging times which has impacted on the ability of whānau and kaimahi to maintain all areas of kōhanga reo operations.

2 The Evaluation Findings

To what extent do children show an understanding of who they are and where they are from?

Children are developing understanding of who they are and where they come from.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children enjoy meaningful contact with others. Whānau model the values of aroha, manaaki and āwhina. Kaimahi show care and support for children, particularly in the way that they use positive praise to affirm children’s efforts and learning. Children are aware of manuhiri in their kōhanga reo, and are warm and welcoming towards others. They share resources and experiences with other children. Tuākana are active in their role. Children are happy and positive in their interactions at kōhanga reo.

Children learn in an environment that nurtures their identity and links to Te Paatū. Kaimahi take children to marae where they learn pepeha and tikanga of Te Paatū. Children share this learning at the kōhanga reo and with their whānau. Kaimahi organise trips to visit local landmarks, campsites, towns and other kōhanga reo in the Far North. Kaimahi support children to learn their pepeha and whakapapa. Children are developing knowledge and confidence in who they are.

Children are receptive to learning te reo Māori. Kaimahi use strategies including prompts, questioning and instructions to support children’s language learning. Older children understand what is being said in te reo Māori and respond appropriately to kaimahi. Babies mimic sounds and sentences. Children hear the local dialect of Muriwhenua. Children are early learners of te reo Māori.

Key Next Steps

Children’s learning needs and interests are not addressed. Planning is displayed on the walls of the kōhanga reo. Kaimahi create learning goals for the age group of children they work with, however learning routines are not consistently maintained. The daily learning programme is adult directed. Children are not provided with choices in their learning and play. The new whare has not yet been fully resourced. Kaimahi do not meet regularly to review the quality of the programme. Children’s engagement in learning is not extended or maintained well.

Te reo Māori is an area for development. Although the whānau aspire for children to speak te reo Māori, there are times when kaimahi, whānau and children speak English in the kōhanga reo. Consequently, children prefer to communicate in English.

Planning and Evaluation

Some aspects of whānau management have been implemented well. Whānau hui are held regularly and are well attended by members of the kōhanga reo whānau. Personnel documents are in place. Kaimahi have started the appraisal process. Contracts and job descriptions are current and up to date. Police vetting for kaimahi has been addressed. Accident and incident registers are in place. Children are at the heart of decision making.

Key Next Steps

Whānau continue to learn about their roles and responsibilities to support the management and operation of the kōhanga reo. Recent changes to legislation have not been included into their current policies and practice. Key health and safety policies and procedures are not in place including hazard checks, sleeping checks, and regular evacuation drills.

Internal evaluation needs attention. Key documents and requirements have not been reviewed, amended and endorsed by the whānau. A strategic plan has not been implemented by the whānau to work toward their long-term priorities for the future of their kōhanga reo. Financial management requires regular monitoring and reporting.

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 to help maintain and improve the quality of practice for children
  [Regulation 47 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA6 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• plan, implement, and evaluate the Te Kōhanga Reo curriculum to provide positive learning experiences for children.
  [Regulation 43 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; C1-13 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 from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust to address the concerns identified in this report.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Paatū will be within two years.

Charles Rolleston

Toka ā-nuku

2 August 2019

Information about the Kōhanga Reo