Mill Road , Ōtaki
View on mapKua 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 hapū, me ngā iwi.
E tū ana Te Kura o Ōtaki ki waenga i te maunga o Tararua me te tahamoana o Ōtaki. Ko ngā awa o Ōtaki me Mangapōuri, ka ārai, ka tū hoki hei manawapou mō rātou. Ka arahina, ka whakatairangatia rātou e ngā tikanga o Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga. Ka whakarato te kura i te mātauranga reo rua me te mātauranga rumaki reo Māori ki ngā tamariki o ngā tau 1 ki te 8.
I kitea ki te pūrongo Mana Whakahaere a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, ka waihanga ngā kaiārahi me ngā kāwana i tētahi taiao ako papai e whakarato ana i ngā whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te whakatinana i te tauāki e meatia ana ‘kia Ōtaki te tū’, hei āhuatanga matua o ō rātou wheako o ia rā.
Nā te aromātai Mana Whakahaere, i whakatau Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me ngā kaiārahi o te kura, ko ngā kaupapa matua o ngā whakawhanaketanga, ko te
E whakatinana tonu ana ngā kaiārahi me ngā kaiako i ngā mahi e arotahi ana ki te whakapai ake i aua whakaritenga.
I ū tonu te aronga o te aromātai nei, arā, ‘He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā tamariki i te tauākī e meatia ana ‘kia Ōtaki te tū’?’
Ka tautāwhi tonu, ka whakapuaki tonu ngā tamariki i te uara o te kura e meatia ana ‘kia Ōtaki te tū’. Ka whai wāhi atu rātou ki tētahi marautanga i āta whakaarohia ai, ā, e whakatairanga ana i tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga, tō rātou waiora, me tō rātou ngākau titikaha hei ākonga.
Ka tuitui haere i te reo Māori, i ngā tikanga Māori, me te ao Māori, puta noa i ngā tūāhuatanga katoa o te marau i te kura. Ka ako, ka whakanui hoki ngā tamariki i Te Tiriti o Waitangi me tō rātou tū tangata whenua. Ka whanake tō rātou ngākau titikaha ki te kōrero i te reo Māori, ā, ki te tū hoki hei kaiārahi ā tōna wā mō ō rātou hapū me ō rātou iwi. Ka hāngai ngā mahere whakaako o ia wiki me ia rā ki Te Marautanga o Aotearoa me te New Zealand Curriculum, ā, ka whai pānga anō hoki ki ngā putanga e wawatatia ana ki te marau ā-kura. E puāwai ana te whakawhanaungatanga, puta noa i te kura. Ka tautokona ngā tamariki e mau ana i ngā matea hauora, matea ako hoki, kia whai wāhi rātou ki ngā akoranga e whai pūtake ana ki te taha o ētahi atu. Ka whai wāhi nui ngā tamariki katoa ki te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo wheako e tika ana i te kura, ā, i tua atu hoki. He whakaute ngā taunekeneke, ā, ka kitea hoki te papai o ngā hononga ki waenga i ngā tuākana me ngā tēina. Ka whai wāhi nui ngā tamariki tūmāia ki tētahi marau e toro atu ana ki te katoa, ā, e aro haere ana ki ō rātou ngākau nuitanga me ō rātou matea. E whai hua ana ngā tamariki nā ngā whakaritenga e poipoi ana i te taha ahurea.
Ka whakatairangatia te ako a ngā tamariki mā ngā aronga e ahu mai ana i ngā whakakitenga. E piki haere ana te aronga ki te whakapai ake i te whakaako me te ako o te reo matatini me te pāngarau, ā, ki te whakatinana hoki i ngā tino rautaki ako nahanaha e pā ana ki te reo matatini. Kua kī pai ngā akomanga ki te reo ā-tā, he tika hoki ngā rauemi e noho wātea ana, ā, kei te piki haere te whakaongaonga i te ngākau nuitanga o ngā tamariki, me tā rātou whai wāhi atu ki ngā akoranga. Ko tō rātou ngākau titikaha ki a rātou anō hei ākonga e whakatairangatia ana ki te rangaranga reo ā-tā. Ko te mōhiotanga, te ahu whakamua, me te mātau o ngā tamariki ki te ororeo e tautokona ana e ngā kaiako, ā, e kōkiri whakamua ana ngā kaiako ki te whakatō i te rangaranga reo ā-tā me ngā wāhanga whakaako māramarama, wāhanga whakaako pūmau hoki, puta noa i te kura. E tautokona ana ngā tamariki kia eke ki ō rātou tino pūmanawa.
Ko te aromātai o roto, te whakahoahoa ngaio, me te pakirehua ngātahi e arotahi katoa ana ki te waihanga i te ahurea e hāngai ana ki te ako, e whakapūmau ana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ā, e tautāwhi ana i te ao Māori. Ko ngā uara o te ‘STAR’ e āta whakapuaki ana i ngā tūmanako o te kura mō te ako a ngā tamariki me tō rātou waiora hoki puta noa i te kura, ā, e akiaki ana i ngā tamariki kia ‘safe, totally responsible, awesome learner, respectful – be a STAR’. Heoi, tērā te hiahia ki te tūhono i ngā tamariki ki te mātauranga Māori, ā, kia ākona, kia māramahia, kia rangona, kia whakatinanahia māhorahora hoki e rātou ngā mātāpono o te kura e pā ana ki te whanaungatanga, te manaakitanga, te whakapapa, me te kaitiakitanga. Hei tūāhuatanga tonu o te tupu ngaio o ngā kaiako me ngā kaiārahi, kei te ahu whakamua rātou ki te whakatō i ngā mātāpono me te hāpai i ngā tamariki ki te whakatinana me te whakatauira hoki i ngā waiaro me ngā pūmanawa i tautuhia ai ki raro i te maru o ia mātāpono. Kei te tākare te whai wāhi atu a ngā tamariki ki te ahurea o te kura e hapahapai ana i te ako.
Ko te whāinga o ngā taumata o te ahu whakamua me ngā paetae mō te tau 2024, ko te whakawhāiti i ngā rerekētanga o ngā putanga mā te aro nahanaha ki ngā tamariki e tika ana kia whakaterea. I manatoko te aromātai a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i te whai huatanga o te arotakenga a ngā kaiārahi i ngā mahi aromatawai. I tēnei wā, e arotake ana rātou i ngā mahi aromatawai me ngā taputapu aromatawai, hei āta whakatau i te whai pūtaketanga me te whakamōhio atu i ngā whakaritenga matua o te whakaako me te ako ka whai ake. I te mutunga o te tau 2023, neke atu i te haurua o ngā ākonga katoa kei raro i ngā taumata reo matatini i tūmanakohia ai, heoi, i te waenga tau o 2024, i te piki ake te tatauranga o ngā tamariki i te ahu whakamua ki te whakatutuki i ngā tūmanako o te kura.
I tēnei wā e arotakengia ana ngā mahi aromatawai. Ko tā te aromātai nei taunaki, kia whakaoti ngā kaiārahi o te kura i te arotakenga o ngā mahi aromatawai me ngā taputapu aromatawai, me te whakatakoto i ngā tūmanako ā-kura kia riterite ai ngā mahi aromatawai. Ka whai hua ngā tamariki i te wā e whakamōhio ana ngā mahi aromatawai papai i ngā whakaritenga whakaako, whakaritenga ako hoki ka whai ake.
I te wā o te arotake Mana Whakahaere, i oati ngā kaiārahi i whāia e rātou ngā huarahi whai take hei whakatutuki i ā rātou herenga ā-ture. I tautuhia ki tēnei aromātai, me tahuri rātou ki te:
I mua i te aromātai, i whakatutukihia e te poari kaitiaki me te tumuaki o te kura he Tauāki Kupu Tūturu a te Poari me tētahi Rārangi Arowhai Tātari Whaiaro. I roto i aua tuhinga i oati rātou i whāia e rātou ngā huarahi whai take hei whakatutuki i ā rātou herenga ā-ture e pā ana ki:
I te wā o te aromātai, i whakamātauhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā āhuatanga i raro iho nei, i te mea he nui te pānga o ēnei ki te haumaru me te waiora o ngā ākonga:
Hei whakatutuki i ngā herenga ā-ture, me tahuri rātou ki te:
E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me te tumuaki kia whakatutukihia ngā whakaritenga matua me ngā herenga ā-ture i tautuhia ai kia whāia, kia whakapai ake hoki i roto i te wā e tika ana, hei whakatairanga ake i ngā putanga e whai hua ana ki ngā tamariki.
Tiwana Hibbs
Toka ā Nuku
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services
19 Poutūterangi, 2025
| Te tūwāhi | Kei Ōtaki |
| Te tau a te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | 2939 |
| Te tūmomo kura | He kura tuatahi |
| Te tokomaha o ngā ākonga o te kura | 181 |
| Ngā hononga ā-iwi | Māori 92%, Pākehā 4%, Iwi kē 4% |
| Ngā āhuatanga motuhake | Kura Motuhake |
| Te wā i te kura te rōpū arotake | Whiringa-ā-rangi 2024 |
| Te wā o tēnei pūrongo | 19 Poutūterangi 2025 |
| Ngā pūrongo o mua a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga | Arotake Mātauranga – Mana Whakahaere, Haratua 2023; Arotake Mātauranga, Whiringa-ā-rangi 2018; Arotake Mātauranga, Hakihea 2015 |
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. The ERO reports provides important information for hapū and iwi.
Otaki School is situated between the maunga of Tararua and Ōtaki beach. The Ōtaki River and Mangapouri Stream are viewed as providing them with protection and giving them life. They are guided and uplifted by the tikanga of Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga. The school offers bilingual and immersion Māori education to tamariki in Years 1-8.
The ERO Mana Whakahaere report found leaders and governors created a positive learning environment where tamariki had opportunities to demonstrate kia Ōtaki te tū as an integral part of their daily experience.
As a result of the Mana Whakahaere evaluation ERO and kura leaders agreed, priorities for development were to:
Leaders and kaiako continue to implement actions that focus on improving these practices.
The focus of this evaluation remained as, how well do tamariki demonstrate kia Ōtaki te tū?
Tamariki continue to embrace and express the kura value of kia Ōtaki te tu. They participate in a considered curriculum that promotes their sense of belonging, wellbeing and confidence as learners.
Te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and te ao Māori are increasingly woven through all aspects of the school’s curriculum. Tamariki learn about and celebrate Te Tiriti o Waitangi and their indigeneity. They develop confidence as speakers of te reo Māori and as future leaders of their hapū and iwi. Weekly and daily teaching plans align to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and The New Zealand Curriculum, and they reflect the desired outcomes of the marau ā-kura. Whanaungatanga practices permeate the kura. Tamariki with additional health or learning needs are supported to engage in meaningful learning alongside others. All tamariki enjoy a breadth of appropriate experiences both in the school and beyond. Interactions are respectful, and positive tuākana teina relationships are evident. Confident tamariki engage in an inclusive curriculum that is increasingly responsive to their interests and needs. Tamariki benefit from culturally responsive practices.
Tamariki learning is enhanced through evidence-based approaches. The focus on improving the teaching and learning of literacy and mathematics and implementing deliberate and specific literacy learning strategies is gaining traction. Classrooms are print rich, suitable and easily accessible resources increasingly stimulate tamariki interest and engagement. Their confidence in themselves as learners is enhanced through the structured literacy approach. Tamariki phonological awareness, progress and mastery is being supported by kaiako who are working toward embedding structured literacy and these explicit, sustained teaching episodes consistently schoolwide. Tamariki are supported to reach their potential.
Internal evaluation, professional collegiality and collaborative inquiry focus on creating a culture conducive to learning that upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi and embraces te ao Māori. The ‘STAR’ values espouse the school’s expectations for tamariki learning and wellbeing schoolwide, and encourage tamariki to be ‘safe, totally responsible, awesome learner, respectful – be a STAR. However, there is a desire to connect tamariki to mātauranga Māori and for them to learn about, understand, experience and enact the kura mātāpono of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, whakapapa and kaitiakitanga intrinsically. As part of kaiako and leaders' professional growth they are working toward embedding the mātāpono and supporting tamariki to enact and embody the attributes and characteristics defined under each mātāpono. Tamariki enthusiastically engage in a kura culture conducive to learning.
Progress and achievement targets for 2024 aim to reduce disparity in outcomes through deliberately focusing on those tamariki whose progress requires acceleration. The ERO evaluation verified leaders' review of assessment practice as useful. At present they are reviewing assessment practices and tools to be assured they are fit for purpose and inform next steps for teaching and learning. While over half of learners were below their expected literacy levels at the end of 2023, at mid-2024 an increased amount of tamariki were progressing to achieving kura expectations.
Assessment practices are currently under review. This evaluation encourages school leaders to complete the review of assessment practices and tools and set school wide expectations for consistent assessment practice. Tamariki benefit when effective assessment practices inform next steps teaching and learning.
At the time of the Mana Whakahaere review, leaders attested to taking all reasonable steps to meet their legislative requirements. This evaluation identified they need to:
Before the review, the board and principal of the school completed the ERO board assurance statement and self-audit checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to the following:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
To meet compliance requirements, they must:
ERO and the tumuaki recommend addressing the key next steps and areas of non-compliance for further improvement in a timely manner to promote positive outcomes for tamariki.
Tiwana Hibbs
Toka ā Nuku - Director
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services
19 March 2025
| Location | Ōtaki |
| Ministry of Education profile number | 2939 |
| Kura type | Primary |
| Kura roll | 181 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 92%, Pākehā 4%, Other 4% |
| Special features | Kura Motuhake |
| Review team on site | November 2024 |
| Date of this report | 19 March 2025 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review - Mana Whakahaere, May 2023; Education Review, November 2018; Education Review, December 2015 |
Ōtaki School provides education for 173 students in Years 1 to 8. The majority, 80%, identify as Māori. There has been a slight roll decrease since the December 2015 ERO report.
Ko te kawa o Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga te kawa o te kura; the kawa of Ngāti Raukawa is the kawa of Ōtaki School. The school has three learning pathways. Te Korowai Whakamana offers four classes of total immersion in te reo Māori, Kia Manawanui comprises two bilingual classes, and Matariki, with four classes, is English immersion.
The school’s vision, mission and graduate profile articulates the school’s valued outcomes for students: to achieve high levels of educational success; to acquire a wide range of life skills; and in te reo rumaki to have fluency as speakers, readers and writers in te reo Māori.
‘STAR’ values outline the school’s expectation for student learning and wellbeing schoolwide, which are: ‘safe, totally responsible, awesome learner, respectful – be a STAR; te noho haumaru, me ū ki ngā haepapa, tau kē ki te ako, whakaute atu, whakaute mai – Kia rangatira te tū’.
The school’s current aim is that the majority of students will make progress at a rate consistent with the levels of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and/or The New Zealand Curriculum statements. There is a focus on accelerating progress of students identified as achieving below expectation in reading; and for students in Years 2 to 4 in Matariki and Kia Manawanui students, learning pathways.
Leaders and teachers regularly report to the board, schoolwide information about outcomes for students in the following areas:
At the beginning of 2018, the school started a three year commitment to the Manaiakalani Outreach project with four other kura/schools in the Ōtaki area. This is focused on building teacher capability, knowledge and use of digital learning tools to guide, plan for and promote learning and accelerate student achievement.
Ōtaki School is part of Ōtaki Kāhui Ako.
End of data 2017, for students in Māori immersion indicates that almost all students achieve at or above expectation in pangarau, korero a waha, tuhituhi and pānui. All Year 8 students achieved at and above expectation. Achievement has remained at similar levels overtime.
Reported 2017 end-of-year data showed the majority of students in English immersion and bilingual learning pathways achieve in reading, writing and mathematics at or above expectation. Trends over time indicates a positive trajectory as students move through the school.
Deliberate actions, strategies and initiatives are in place to accelerate the learning and progress of identified students. Reported information for 2018 in literacy for these students shows steady progress for many and accelerated progress for some.
The curriculum blends The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, expressing a commitment to and a focus on te ao Māori, that is an integral part of the school culture. The breadth of the curriculum provides students with an extensive range of authentic and engaging learning experiences. As the use of digital technology continues to evolve in the curriculum, there is increased motivation and opportunity for students to be creative and innovative through their learning. There is a positive and respectful tone in the learning environment, where students are enthusiastic, engaged in and share their learning.
Those with additional, more complex needs are well supported through a range of appropriate programmes and initiatives, including use of external expertise. Appropriate systems and processes support the identification and learning of students with additional learning needs.These learners successfully participate and engage in learning alongside their peers.
Leaders and teachers are committed to building their capability through a wānanga approach to professional learning to promote positive outcomes for all students.Culturally responsive practices are strongly evident across the school. Whanaungatanga and manaakitanga underpin all aspects of the life of the school.
Priority is given to the holistic wellbeing and learning of students.Teachers within and across the three learning pathways work collaboratively and take collective responsibility to improve wellbeing and learning outcomes for all students.
Strong and effective relationships and engagement with parents and whānau support their involvement in the life of the school and their children’s learning. Leaders and teachers actively participate and contribute to local and regional learning networks and initiatives.
The principal and senior leaders have a clear vision to promote equity and excellence. Having closer alignment across strategic, annual and appraisal goals, curriculum and teaching practice should better support achievement of this vision.
Leaders should develop achievement targets and refine actions that focus specifically on acceleration of groups of students who have been identified as underachieving. More deliberate tracking and monitoring at class level of these students’ progress and achievement, should support teachers to know about effectiveness of strategies implemented and further promote accelerated learning and improved outcomes.
The school should strengthen the schoolwide shared understanding of internal evaluation to better identify and know about what is most effective in accelerating learning and to inform decision making.
Before the review, the board and principal of the school completed the ERO board assurance statement and self-audit checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to the following:
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student safety and wellbeing:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, the school can draw on existing strengths in:
For sustained improvement and future learner success, priorities for further development are in:
ERO is likely to carry out the next external evaluation in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
27 November 2018
| Location | Ōtaki |
| Ministry of Education profile number | 2939 |
| School type | Full Primary (Years 1 to 8) |
| School roll | 173 |
| Gender composition | Female 50%, Male 50% |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 79% Pākehā 11% Pacific 6% Asian 4% |
| Students with Ongoing Resourcing Funding (ORS) | Yes |
| Provision of Māori medium education | Yes |
| Number of Māori medium classes | 6 |
| Total number of students in Māori medium (MME) | 112 |
| Total number of students in Māori language in English medium (MLE) | 66 |
| Number of students in Level 1 MME | 75 |
| Number of students in Level 2 MME | 37 |
| Review team on site | October 2018 |
| Date of this report | 27 November 2018 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Report December 2015 Education Report November 2012 Education Report September 2009 |