Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kāinga o Te Koraha

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 Kāinga o Te Koraha ki Wairoa. Ko te kōhanga reo te puāwaitanga o ngā kōhanga reo e rua o tēnei takiwā i whakatōpūngia ai. Kua roa nei te kōhanga reo i whakahaerehia ai ki Wairoa, ā, e wawata ana kia rumakina ā rātou mokopuna ki te reo Māori me ngā tikanga. 

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whai hononga, te whai waiora hoki o ngā mokopuna? 

He pai te manaaki i ngā mokopuna ki tētahi wāhi e whakanui ana i te whakawhanaungatanga.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

E ako ana ngā mokopuna ki tētahi taiao e poipoi ana i tō rātou waiora me tā rātou ako. Ka akiaki, ka tautoko hoki ngā kaimahi i ngā mokopuna puta noa i te hōtaka akoranga, mā te aroha. Ka whakarato rātou i te tangongitanga o ngā tākaro me ngā taumahi ako e hāngai ana ki ngā matea me ngā ngākau nuitanga. Kei te mārama, kei te riterite hoki ngā tūmanako o ngā kaimahi mō ngā mokopuna. I ngā wā katoa ka whakamihi rātou i ngā whakatutukitanga a ngā mokopuna, mā roto mai i ngā wā ako ōkawa me ngā akoranga pāhekoheko. Ka āta poipoia te hononga ki waenga i te tuākana me te tēina. Ka whakaū ngā kaimahi i ngā hononga ā-whakapapa ki waenga i ngā mokopuna, ngā whānau, me ngā kaimahi. Ka tautoko rātou i te whakapuakitanga o ngā mokopuna i ō rātou hononga ā-marae, ā-hapū, ā whānau hoki, mā tā rātou taki i ō rātou pepeha. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i te tangongitanga o ngā rautaki ako reo Māori hei hāpai i te whai wāhi atu a ngā mokopuna, tae atu ki te whāngai kupu, te tāruarua, ngā waiata whakanui, te reo rotarota, me te tākaro. Ka kitea te mauritau o ngā mokopuna i roto i ā rātou akoranga. 

Ka hui tahi ngā kaimahi ki te whakarite ngātahi i ngā mahere me ngā taumahi mō te tau. Ka whakaritea ngā kaupapa mā ngā kaupeka o te tau me ngā atua Māori, ā, ka tūhono i ngā mokopuna ki ngā tūmomo tūāhuatanga o te taiao. Ka whai pānga ngā mahere ki te tangongitanga o ngā rōpū me ngā pūkenga o ngā mokopuna, ā, he maha ngā tūmomo taumahi i whakamaheretia ai ki te whakatairanga i te waiora ā-tinana, ā-tangata hoki. He whai wāhitanga mō ngā whānau ki te hāpai i ngā mahere me te āta whakahua ake hoki ki ngā kaimahi i tēnā e hiahiatia ana e rātou ki te hōtaka akoranga. Kei te tino mōhio ngā kaimahi ki ngā tamariki, ā, ka taea e rātou ngā pūmanawa tini o ngā tamariki te tautoko, hei āta poipoi i ō rātou ngākau nuitanga me ō rātou pūkenga. 

He pai te tuhi haere i te ahu whakamua a ngā mokopuna me tō rātou whakawhanaketanga. Ka kapo atu ngā kaimahi i ngā whakaahua e tohu ana i te whai wāhi a ngā mokopuna ki ngā taumahi, ā, i te tirohanga hoki ki ō rātou wheako ako. Ka tohu ngā mātai mokopuna i te tupu me te whakawhanaketanga i roto i te roanga o te wā. Ki ngā hui o ia marama, ka whakapuaki ā-waha ngā kaimahi i ngā kōrero urupare me ngā whakaaro huritao ki ngā whānau, mō te tākaro, te whai wāhi atu, me te pārekareka o ngā mokopuna. Ka whakanuia, ka whakatairangatia te ako a ngā mokopuna me tō rātou whakawhanaketanga. 

Ka mahi ngātahi ngā whānau hei painga mō ā rātou tamariki. Ko te whanaungatanga tētahi tino tūāhuatanga e tūhono ana i ngā whānau ki te kōhanga reo. Kua paiheretia rātou ki te whakapapa me tō rātou hiahia ki te whakatupu i ā rātou tamariki i roto i te reo Māori. E whakatau ana te whānau, he wāhi haumaru tēnei mō ā rātou tamariki, ā, e whakaarotia ana ō rātou matea. Kua piki ake te whai wāhi atu a te whānau ki te tupu me te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo. Hui ai rātou i ia te wā ki te whakawhiti kōrero mō ngā take matua o te kōhanga reo, ā, ka mahi ngātahi ki te whakawhanake i tētahi tirohanga mō ngā whakapaitanga. Ka whai wāhi Te Ara Tūāpae me te mahere mahi ki te ārahi i tā rātou tirohanga. E hāngai ana ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga ki te wā, ā, kua whakatakotohia tētahi huringa taiāwhio e pā ana ki ngā mahi arotake. I tēnei wā, e arotake ana te kōhanga reo i ngā kaupapa here e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru, kia pai ake ai te whai pānga ki Te Kāinga o Te Koraha, ā, hei whakapakari anō hoki i ngā māramatanga o ngā whānau. Whakatakotohia ai ki te whānau i ia te wā, ko ngā pūrongo e pā ana ki ngā pūtea, ngā kaiako, me ngā kaimahi. Kua whakaritea te mahere ā-tau, ā, ka whakamahia hei ārahi i ngā whakaritenga. Kua āta whakaritea ngā tuhinga kaimahi, ā, kua whakatakotohia ngā arowhai i te haumaru. Ko ngā mokopuna kei te pūtake o ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau. 

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake

Kāhore e kitea ana te aromātai hōtaka. Ahakoa ka tū auau ngā kaimahi i ngā hui, ā, ahakoa ka tuhi hoki i ngā whakawhitinga kōrero, he iti noa ngā whakaaturanga e tohu ana i te aromātaitanga o te hōtaka akoranga kia pai ake ai. Kua tae ki te wā kia rapu tautoko te whānau mō ngā kaimahi, hei whakatairanga i tō rātou māramatanga ki te pūtake me ngā tukanga e tika ana mō te aromātai hōtaka. Ka ahu whakamua te ako a ngā mokopuna mā ngā whakaritenga aromātai hōtaka pakari i āta whakatōpūngia ai. 

Me whakapakari i te tukanga arohaehae kaimahi. Ahakoa nō nā noa nei ētahi o ngā kaimahi i whakatutuki ai i ngā arohaehae āhua mahi, kāhore he whāinga ngaio i tohua ai hei tautuhi i ngā wāhanga ka whakapai ake. Ka whai hua ngā mokopuna mā te whakawhanake tonutanga o ngā kaiako, hei whakatairanga i te kounga o ngā akoranga a ngā mokopuna. 

Kāhore e āta whakaritea ana ngā akoranga i waho atu i te kōhanga reo. Me mātua whakamahere i ngā haerenga, me mārama hoki ngā tuhinga e pā ana ki ngā whakaritenga o te rā. Me whakaoti ngā pepa whakaae a ngā whānau, ā, me whakahoki mai i mua i te haerenga. Me whakaoti ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki ngā tūāhuatanga whakamōrearea, ā, me noho mōhio ia tangata ki ngā tūraru me ngā whakamaurutanga. Ka noho matua te haumaru o ngā mokopuna me ngā kaimahi i te wā e āta whakamaheretia ana ngā haerenga. 

I tautuhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me Te Kāinga o Te Koraha, nā ngā whakarerekētanga ki ngā tūranga kaimahi me te arotakenga o ngā kaupapa here nō nā noa nei i whakatutukihia ai, kua tae ki te wā mō te whānau ki te whakapakari ake i tō rātou mōhiotanga me tō rātou māramatanga ki te Children's Act 2014. Ka whakaaro nuitia te waiora me te haumaru o ngā mokopuna i te wā e mārama ngātahitia ana e te katoa ngā huarahi ki te tautuhi me te whai atu i ngā tukanga mō te whakatau take. 

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, 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 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. 

Hei whakatutuki i ngā herenga ā-ture, me tahuri te whānau ki te:

• āta whakatinana i tētahi tukanga e aromātai ai i te whai huatanga o te hōtaka akoranga
  [R43 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; C1 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakapeto ngoi ki te āta whakatau i te takotoranga o ngā tukanga e tika ana hei whakatairanga i te haumaru o ngā tamariki i tā rātou wehenga i te kōhanga reo mō ngā haerenga. [R46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS17 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]

6 Te Taunakitanga

E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga kia mahi Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kāinga o Te Koraha ki te taha o te tari ā-rohe o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo ki te whakapai ake me te whakatika i ngā whakaritenga matua me ngā wāhanga i tautuhia ai kia whāia. 

Tiwana Hibbs
Toka ā Nuku 
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services

28 Paengawhāwhā, 2025

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 Kāinga o Te Koraha is located in Wairoa. The kōhanga is the fruition of the amalgamation of two earlier kōhanga of the area. The kōhanga has been long standing in Wairoa that aspires for their mokopuna to be immersed in te reo Māori and tikanga.

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do mokopuna experience connection and wellbeing?

Mokopuna are well cared for in an environment that values whakawhanaungatanga.

4 Findings 

Mokopuna learn in an environment where their wellbeing and learning is nurtured. Kaimahi lovingly encourage and support mokopuna throughout the learning programme. They provide a variety of play and learning activities based on needs and interests. Kaimahi are clear and consistent about their expectations of mokopuna. They continuously praise mokopuna achievement in both formal and interactive learning sessions.  Tuākana-tēina relationships are well-nurtured. Kaimahi reinforce whakapapa connections between mokopuna, whānau, and kaimahi. They support mokopuna to share their marae, hapū and whānau connections through reciting their pepeha. Kaimahi utilise a range of reo Māori learning strategies to support mokopuna engagement including prompting, repetition, waiata whakanui, reo rotarota and play. Mokopuna appear to be secure in their learning.

Kaimahi meet to collaboratively prepare planning and activities for the year.  Kaupapa are organised under the seasons of the year and atua Māori connecting mokopuna to different taiao elements.  Planning considers the various groupings and abilities of mokopuna, with a variety of activities planned to promote physical and social wellbeing. Whānau have opportunity to contribute to planning and feel confident to share with kaimahi what they would like to see incorporated into the learning programme. Kaimahi know their tamariki well and are able to support their various attributes to ensure their interests and capabilities are catered to. 

Mokopuna progress and development is well-recorded. Kaimahi capture photo evidence of mokopuna engaging in activities and provide insights into their learning experiences. Mātai mokopuna show growth and development over time. Kaimahi share verbal feedback and reflections of mokopuna play, participation and enjoyment to whānau at monthly meetings. Mokopuna learning and development is celebrated and promoted.

Whānau work cohesively for the betterment of their tamariki. Whanaungatanga is a clear element that connects whānau to the kōhanga reo. They are connected through whakapapa and their desire to raise their tamariki in te reo Māori. Whānau assert that their tamariki are in a safe place where their needs are considered. Whānau engagement in the growth and management of the kōhanga has increased. They meet regularly to discuss key kōhanga matters and work together to develop a vision for improvement. Te Ara Tūāpae and the action plan helps to guide their vision. Policies and procedures are current, with a review cycle in place. The kōhanga is currently reviewing Health and Safety policies to better align to Te Kainga o Te Koraha and build whānau understanding. Financial, kaiako and kaimahi reports are regularly presented to the whānau. The Annual Plan is in place and utilised to guide through the requirements. Personnel documentation is clearly organised, with safety checks in place. Mokopuna are central to whānau management.

Key Next Steps

Programme evaluation is not evident. While kaimahi hold regular hui and record discussions, there is very little evidence to show that the learning programme is evaluated for improvement. It is time for whānau to seek support for kaimahi to enhance their understanding of the purpose and processes required of programme evaluation. Mokopuna learning is advanced through cohesive, robust programme evaluation practices.

Kaimahi appraisal process requires strengthening. While some kaimahi have recently completed performance appraisals, there are no professional goals indicated to identify areas for improvement. Mokopuna benefit from ongoing kaiako development to promote mokopuna quality of learning.

Learning outside the kōhanga is not well prepared. It is essential that haerenga are well planned, with clear documentation of the day’s preparation. Whānau permission forms need to be completed and returned prior to the haerenga. Risk assessment management must be completed, with all individuals aware of the risks and mitigations. Mokopuna and kaimahi safety are prioritised when haerenga are well planned for.

ERO and the Te Kainga o Te Koraha identified that with the recent change in staffing and review of policies it is timely that the whānau re-build their knowledge and understanding of the Children's Act 2014. Mokopuna wellbeing and safety are ensured when there is a collective understanding of how to identify and follow processes to address concerns.

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.

Actions for Compliance 

To meet compliance requirements, they must:

• establish a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning programme
  [Regulation 43 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; C1 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• take all reasonable steps to ensure appropriate procedures are in place to promote the safety of children when they leave the premises on an excursion. 
  [Regulation 46 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS17 Licensing for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

6 Recommendation

ERO recommend Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kāinga o Te Koraha work alongside te Tari-ā-Rohe to improve and rectify identified key next steps and requirements.

Tiwana Hibbs 
Toka ā Nuku - Director
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services

28 April 2025

7 Information about the Kōhanga Reo