Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Pihi o Te Purapura Pai

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 

Ko te Rangi i Tōtōngia Te Ihu O Tama Te Kapua te maunga

Ko Te Wai Ū O Matakamokamo te moana

Ko Oruamo te awa

Ko Te Raki Paewhenua te rohe

Ko Te Purapura Pai te whare tupuna

Ko Ngā Pihi O Te Purapura Pai Te Kōhanga Reo

Nō te tau 1983 Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Pihi o Te Purapura Pai i whakatūngia ai, ā, koia nei te kōhanga reo tuatahi i te rohe o Te Raki Paewhenua. E tū ana te kōhanga reo ki ngā papa o te kura tuarua o Birkenhead. Kua whakatakotohia e te whānau ngā kaupapa matua hei āta whakatau i te ako a ngā mokopuna mā roto mai i ngā tūāhuatanga o te ao Māori. 

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā mokopuna i tō rātou māramatanga ki te whanaungatanga? 

Ka kitea te maioha o ngā mokopuna ki ētahi atu, mā ā rātou taunekeneke me ō rātou hononga.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

E whai wāhi nui ana ngā mokopuna ki tētahi taiao e mau ana i ngā taunekeneke whai pūtake e poipoi ai i te ngana ki te ako. Ka karapinepine ngā kaimahi, ngā mokopuna, me te whānau ki te karakia, ki te waiata, me te mihi i ia ata. E tino tautokona ana, e tino ākina ana hoki ngā mokopuna kia ārahi rātou i ētahi wāhanga o te hōtaka. Ka kawe atu ngā mokopuna i aua tūranga ārahi mā te ngākau whakahī. Ka ngākau nui rātou ki ngā whai wāhitanga ki te whakapuaki i ā rātou akoranga ā-tikanga ki te taha o ō rātou whānau me ō rātou hoa. Ka whakamihia, ka whakamanahia hoki ngā mokopuna mō ā rātou whakamātau me ā rātou whakatutukitanga. E ākina ana ngā taunekeneke ki waenga i ngā tuākana me ngā tēina. Kei te tākare ngā tuākana ki te tautoko i ō rātou tēina, ā, ka ngākau nui hoki ngā tēina ki tō rātou āwhina. E tino whakatairangatia ana, e tino whakatauirahia ana hoki ngā hononga papai e ngā kaimahi me ngā whānau. Ka ngākau nui ngā mokopuna ki te ako me te tākaro ki te taha o ētahi atu. 

E whakamanahia ana te reo Māori, ā, koia anake te reo e rangona ana, puta noa i te rā. I ngā wā katoa, e whakapūmautia ana ngā uara matua me te ū ki te kaupapa. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā rautaki e tika ana ki te hāpai i te whakawhanaketanga reo o ngā mokopuna, pērā i te whakatauiratanga o te hanganga reo e tika ana, i te whāngai kupu, i te tāruarua, i te patapatai, me te tohutohu. Ka toro atu ki ngā pao kia areare mai ngā taringa o ngā mokopuna, kia whakawhiti hoki rātou, ā, he rautaki hoki tēnei e whakapūmau ana i te hopu reo me ngā kaupapa ako. Ka whakaako hoki ngā kaimahi i te reo rotarota ki ngā mokopuna. Ka ngākau nui, ka whai wāhi nui hoki ngā mokopuna ki te reo rotarota hei tohu ā-tinana atu i te reo Māori. He whai wāhitanga ngā mahinga mō ngā kaimahi me ngā mokopuna ki te whakamahi i te reo Māori me te whakapakari i te māramatanga ki ngā horopaki ōkawa me ngā horopaki ōpaki. E whanake ana ngā mokopuna ki te kōrero i te reo Māori. 

E whakatairangatia ana te ako a ngā mokopuna nā te papai o ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te whakamahere me te aromatawai. E arahina ana ngā mahere ki Te Whāriki a Te Kōhanga Reo. Ka whakamahere ngā kaimahi hei poipoi i ngā matea o ngā mokopuna katoa, ā, ka tautuhi i ngā kupu hou, tae atu hoki ki ngā pao, ngā waiata, me ngā karakia ka whakatairanga ai ngā kaupapa ako. Ka whakatutukihia ia wāhanga mā tētahi haerenga e whakapūmau ana i ngā akoranga a ngā mokopuna. Ka kapohia te ahu whakamua a ngā mokopuna ki ngā paki ako. Ka whai wāhi hoki ki ērā, ko te whakawhanaketanga o ngā mokopuna, me te whakatutukitanga o ngā whāinga ako. Ka kapohia ngā mahi a ngā mokopuna ki ngā whakaahua e tohu ana i te whai wāhi nui a ngā mokopuna ki ngā taumahi, me ngā tauira o ngā mahi toi me ngā kaupapa mahi a ngā mokopuna. He tino pai te kapo atu i te ako me ngā whakatutukitanga a ngā mokopuna. 

Ko ngā whakaritenga whakahaere a te whānau te tino tūāpapa pakari mō ngā mahi whakahaere ki te kōhanga reo. He hononga ā-whakatupuranga ō ētahi o ngā mema o te whānau ki te kōhanga reo me te hapori nei, ā, he hou kē ētahi ki te kaupapa. Kei te whānau te tangongitanga o ngā tautōhito me ngā pūkenga e whai hua ana i roto i ngā mahi whakahaere ki te kōhanga reo me tari. He pai te taetae atu ki ngā hui ā-whānau, ā, ka tū auau. E mōhio ana te whānau, he mea nui te aro nahanaha atu ki te arotake i ngā kaupapa here, ā, nō nā noa nei ngā kaupapa here matua me ngā tukanga matua o te hauora me te haumaru i whakatakotohia ai, i arotakengia ai, i whakahoungia ai hoki. 

Kua whakatutukihia te arohaehae kaimahi. Ka tautoko te whānau i te whai atu a ngā kaimahi i ngā kaupapa whakawhanaketanga ngaio, tae atu ki ngā mahi rangahau a ngā kaimahi hei hāpai ake anō i ngā matea ako ake o ētahi mokopuna. Ko ngā mokopuna kei te pūtake o te aronga ngātahi a te whānau ki ngā whakaritenga whakahaere. 

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake

Me whakapakari ake i te aromātai hōtaka. Ka whakawhiti kōrero, ka whakaaro huritao hoki ngā kaimahi mō te hōtaka akoranga, engari me whakaōkawa ake i taua aronga. Kua tae ki te wā kia tuhi ngā kaimahi i ā rātou whakawhitinga kōrero mō ngā whakapaitanga ki te ako a ngā mokopuna me te hōtaka akoranga. Ka whakatairangatia ngā wheako o ngā mokopuna i te wā ka whakaōkawatia ngā mahi aromātai. 

Kua whakatutukihia ētahi wāhanga o te mahere rautaki. Me whakatakoto i tētahi mahere mahi hei hāpai i te aronga rautaki. Kua tautuhia e te whānau ō rātou whāinga me ā rātou kaupapa matua, i runga anō i te āhua o Te Ara Tūāpae, ā, kua tae ki te wā ki te whakawhanake i tētahi mahere mahi ka aru, ka aroturuki hoki i te ahu whakamua ki te whakatutuki i aua whāinga. Ka whakapūmautia te anamata o ngā mokopuna ki te kōhanga reo mā te āta aroturuki i ngā whāinga pae tawhiti kia whai hua ai. 

Me whai wāhi atu ki ngā whakangungu mō te whai māramatanga me te whakatinana i te kaupapa here e pā ana ki te ārai tamariki. Ahakoa kua taunga ki ngā kaimahi te kaupapa here me ngā tukanga, he mea nui kia whakatutukihia ngā whakangungu e hāngai pū ana ki te hāpai i te māramatanga o ngā kaimahi ki te whai pānga o te kaupapa here nei ki ō rātou tūranga. Ka whakakoia te haumaru me te waiora o ngā mokopuna i te wā ka whakatutuki ngā kaimahi me te whānau i ngā whakaritenga matua e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru. 

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 a te kōhanga reo 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 mahi 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, ngā rēhita a ngā kaiako, me te tatauranga ki waenga i te kaimahi me ngā tamariki
• ngā whakaritenga ohotata me ngā tikanga ohotata e pā ana ki te rū whenua, te ahi, te waipuke, te tai āniwhaniwha me te urutā. 

Ko te tikanga, ka whakatairanga ngā kōhanga reo katoa i te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki, ā, ka arotake i ia te wā i tā rātou whakatutukitanga i ngā herenga ā-ture. 

6 Te Taunakitanga

E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga kia whakawhanakehia e te whānau – mā te tautoko hoki o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo – tētahi mahere mahi ka whakatutuki i ngā wāhanga i whakaraupapahia ai ki tēnei pūrongo.  

Rita Walker
Toka ā Nuku Whakakapi 
Te Uepū-a-Motu – Māori Services

28 Hereturikōkā 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. The ERO reports provide important information for whānau, hapū and iwi.

2 Context 

Ko te Rangi i Totongia Te Ihu O Tama Te Kapua te maunga

Ko Te Wai Ū O Matakamokamo te moana

Ko Oruamo te awa

Ko Te Raki Paewhenua te rohe

Ko Te Purapura Pai te whare tupuna

Ko Ngā Pihi O Te Purapura Pai Te Kōhanga Reo

Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Pihi o Te Purapura Pai was established in 1983 and was the first kōhanga reo in the Raki Pae Whenua region. The kōhanga reo is situated on the grounds of Birkenhead College. Whānau have set priorities to ensure their mokopuna learn within a te ao Māori environment. 

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do mokopuna demonstrate an understanding of whanaungatanga? 

Mokopuna show an appreciation of others through their interactions and relationships. 

4 Findings 

Mokopuna enjoy an environment where meaningful interactions foster positive engagement in learning. Kaimahi, mokopuna and whānau come together for shared karakia, waiata and mihi every morning.  Mokopuna are well supported and highly encouraged to lead parts of the programme. Mokopuna assume these leadership roles with pride. They enjoy opportunities to share their learning of tikanga with their whānau and friends. Mokopuna are acknowledged and affirmed for their efforts and achievements. Interactions between tuākana and teina are encouraged. Tuākana enthusiastically volunteer to support their teina who welcome their tautoko. Positive relationships are well promoted and modelled by kaimahi and whānau. Mokopuna enjoy learning and playing alongside others. 

Te reo Māori is highly valued and the only language to be heard throughout the day. The key values and commitment to the kaupapa are constantly reinforced. Kaimahi use appropriate strategies such as role modelling correct language structure, prompting, repetition, questions and instructions to support mokopuna language development. Pao are used to capture attention, transition mokopuna, and to reinforce language acquisition and the kaupapa ako. Kaimahi also teach mokopuna sign language. Mokopuna enjoy and engage in sign language as a physical expression of te reo Māori. Routines provide opportunities for kaimahi and mokopuna to use te reo Māori and strengthen understanding in both formal and informal settings. Mokopuna are developing as speakers of te reo Māori.

Mokopuna learning is enhanced by good planning and assessment practices. Planning is guided by Te Whāriki a te Kōhanga Reo. Kaimahi plan for the needs of all mokopuna and they identify kupu hōu, as well as pao, waiata and karakia to enhance learning topics. Each term culminates in a haerenga to reinforce mokopuna learning. Mokopuna progress is captured in learning stories. These include mokopuna development, and achievement of learning goals. Mokopuna mahi is captured in photos of mokopuna engaged in activities and samples of mokopuna artwork and mahi. Mokopuna learning and achievement are well captured.

Whānau whakahaere practices provide a sound basis for the operations and practices of kōhanga reo. Some whānau have inter-generational affiliation to the kōhanga reo whānau and hāpori while others are new to the kaupapa. Whānau have a range of experiences and skills that are useful to management and administration tasks. Whānau hui are well attended and regular. Whānau recognise the importance of a planned approach to policy review and key health and safety policies and procedures which have recently been adopted, reviewed, and updated. 

Appraisals for kaimahi have been completed. Whānau support kaimahi in professional development opportunities including study for kaimahi to further support mokopuna with additional learning needs. Mokopuna are at the heart of a collective approach to whānau whakahaere practices.

Key Next Steps

Programme evaluation requires strengthening. Kaimahi discuss and reflect on the learning programme, however this approach needs formalising. It is timely for kaimahi to record discussions they have about improvements to mokopuna learning and the learning programme. Mokopuna experiences are enhanced when evaluation practices are formalised. 

The strategic plan is partially completed. An action plan to support the strategic direction is needed.  Whānau have identified their goals and priorities in alignment with Te Ara Tūāpae and it is now time to develop an action plan to track and monitor progress towards these goals. Mokopuna future at the kōhanga reo can be sustained through effective monitoring of long-term goals.   

Training for the understanding and implementation of the Child Protection policy is required. While kaimahi are familiar with the policy and procedures it is important that specific training is undertaken to support kaimahi understanding of the relevance of this policy to their roles. Mokopuna safety and wellbeing is assured when kaimahi and whānau attend to key health and safety requirements.

5 Kōhanga Whānau Assurance on Legal Requirements

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, excursion policy and procedures
• suitable staffing including appropriate qualifications, police vetting, ratios
• emergency procedures and practices for earthquakes, fire, flood, tsunami and pandemic.

All kōhanga reo are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Recommendation

ERO recommend that whānau, with the support of the Kohanga Reo National Trust, develop an action plan to address areas outlined in this report.

Rita Walker 
Toka-ā-Nuku – Acting Director
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services

28 August 2024

7 Information about the kōhanga reo