Te Kōhanga Reo o Muturangi

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 Pukeatua te maunga

Ko Whanganui-a-Tara te moana

Ko Te Awa Kairangi te awa 

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Muturangi ki Moera, ki Te Awakairangi, ā, he tino hononga tō te kōhanga reo ki te marae o Kōkiri. Kua raihanatia te kōhanga reo ki te whakarato i te mātauranga rumaki reo Māori me te atawhai ki ngā mokopuna 40, me te tekau o rātou i raro i te rua tau te pakeke i te wā kotahi. Ko tō te whānau wawata kia rumakina ngā mokopuna mā roto mai i tētahi taiao ako e whakamana ana i ā rātou taonga tuku iho. Nō nā noa nei ētahi kaimahi tokorua i whakatūngia ai ki ngā tūranga whakahaere, ā, kua roa nei rāua e whai wāhi atu ana ki te kōhanga reo. He hou rāua ki aua tūranga, ā, e ako ana rāua i ngā kawenga. 

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te rongo o ngā mokopuna i te angitu me te waiora mā te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori? 

E whakawhanake ana ngā mokopuna i tō rātou ngākau titikaha ki te kōrero me te ako i te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

E rumakina ana ngā mokopuna ki te hōhonutanga o tētahi taiao o te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori. Ka tū ngā kaimahi hei tino tauira e whai hua ana ki te whakatinana i ngā rautaki ako e hāpai ai, e whakatairanga ai hoki i te tupu me te whakawhanaketanga o ngā mokopuna. Ka whakatairangatia te Māoritanga mā ngā kaupapa, ngā ariā, ngā waiata, ngā kōrero tuku iho, ngā waiata koroua, me ngā pakiwaitara. E ākina ana ngā mokopuna kia mihimihi, kia karakia, kia waiata hoki. Ka āta kitea tō rātou māramatanga pai, ā, ka aro tika ki ngā tohutohu me ngā whakamāramatanga. E piki haere ana te ngākau titikaha o ngā mokopuna ki te kōrero, te patapatai, me te whakawhiti whakaaro mā te reo Māori. Ka kitea te māramatanga o ngā pēpi mā te āhua o ō rātou kanohi me tā rātou tāwhai oro, ā, ka whakapuaki i ō rātou whakaaro mā te reo ā-tinana. Ka kitea ki ngā mokopuna tuākana tō rātou manaaki, tō rātou atawhai hoki mō ō rātou tēina. Kua āta whakaritea ngā mahinga hei hāpai i ngā mokopuna kia ngāwari, kia ngākau titikaha hoki tā rātou whakatutuki haere i te hōtaka akoranga. Ka poipoia ngā mokopuna kia ngākau titikaha ai rātou ki tō rātou tuakiri me tō rātou tūrangawaewae. 

Ka whai hua ngā mokopuna nā ngā mahi whakamahere ngātahi i āta whakaritea ai. E tino mōhio ana ngā kaiako ki ngā mokopuna. Ka tautuhi ngā mahere i te aronga o te hōtaka, me te āhua tonu o ngā mahi ki te whakatinana i ngā kaupapa me ngā taumahi, me te tuku hoki i ngā rauemi e whai pānga ana. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā rautaki e tika ana ki te hāpai me te whakatairanga i ngā akoranga e toro atu ana ki ngā mātauranga Māori e whai pānga ana ki te rohe. Ka poipoia, ka ākina hoki te hononga ki waenga i te tuākana me te tēina. Ka akiaki ngā taumahi ako i ngā mokopuna ki te tūhura me te kōkiri i ngā taumahi e whakahihiri ana, e whakaongaonga ana, ā, e wero ana hoki i a rātou. Ka whakariterite ngā whai wāhitanga ako o te pānui, te pāngarau, me te hangarau i te whakawhiti atu a ngā mokopuna ki te kura. Ka hāngai ngā mahi aromatawai ki ngā mahere, ā, ka whakatakoto haere i te ahu whakamua me te whakawhanaketanga o ngā mokopuna. Ka whai wāhi ki aua mahi, ko te tuhi i ngā whāinga, ngā putanga ako, me ngā āhuatanga mātai. Ka whakapuakihia te ako me te ahu whakamua a ngā mokopuna ki te taha o te whānau, mā te pūrongo i ngā hui ā-whānau, mā ngā rōpū pānui ā-ipurangi, mā ngā kōnae mokopuna, mā te whakawhiti kōrero kanohi ki te kanohi. E whiwhi ana ngā mokopuna i tētahi hōtaka akoranga e aro nui ana ki ō rātou pūkenga, ō rātou ngākau nuitanga, me ō rātou matea. 

Kua pou herea ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau ki te whanaungatanga me te manaakitanga. Ko te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori tētahi aronga matua a te whānau. He pai te taetae atu ki ngā hui, ā, ka tū auau hoki. Kei te matawhānui, kei te whai mōhiohio hoki ngā meneti. Ka kōrerohia, ka arahina, ka whakatauirahia hoki ngā tūranga me ngā kawenga mahi kia māramahia ai. He komiti matua ki te kōhanga reo, ā, he whānui tonu ngā pūkenga o roto e whakapakari ana i ngā āheinga o te whānau whakahaere. Ka aroturuki, ka pūrongo hoki i ngā āhuatanga matua o ngā whakahaeretanga i te kōhanga reo i ia te wā. Ko ētahi o aua wāhanga, ko ngā pūtea, ko ngā kaimahi, ko ngā takohanga hei kaituku mahi, me te noho ngākau nui o te whānau ki te kaupapa. Ko te whakatū ohu tētahi tūāhuatanga hou, ā, e whakapakari ana i te whai wāhi nui a te whānau ki ngā whakataunga. Ka noho mōhio ngā whānau nā ngā pūrongo mārama e pā ana ki ngā whakahaeretanga i te kōhanga reo me te hōtaka akoranga. Kua whakatakotohia tētahi pūnaha arohaehae hei aroturuki i te kounga o ngā mahi a ngā kaiako, ā, hei tautuhi hoki i te whakawhanaketanga ngaio ka whakapakari ake, ka whakapai ake hoki i ngā putanga ako ki ngā mokopuna. Ka aro nui ki ngā whakangungu e pā ana ki te tiaki mokopuna, hei whakapiki ake i te māramatanga o ngā whānau ki ā rātou takohanga ki te Children's Act 2014. Ko te hauora me te haumaru o ngā mokopuna kei te pūtake o ngā whakataunga a te whānau. 

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake

Me whakamahine ngā pūnaha me ngā tukanga e pā ana ki ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga. Me whai pānga ngā kaupapa here matua me ngā tukanga matua o te hauora me te haumaru ki ngā herenga ā-ture o tēnei wā, ā, me whakatau hoki i te māramatanga pū o ngā whakaritenga haumaru e pā ana ki ngā wā ohotata me ngā wā whakamoe. E tika ana kia riterite, kia mārama, kia auau hoki te tuhi haere i ngā akoako ohotata me ngā akoako hōneatanga me te aroturuki hoki i ngā wā moe me ngā wā whakatā o ngā mokopuna, hei āta whakatau i te hauora me te haumaru o ngā mokopuna. Ka whakatairangatia te hauora me te haumaru o ngā mokopuna i te wā e mōhiotia ana, e whāia ana hoki e ngā kaimahi katoa ngā tūmanako e pā ana ki ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga. 

Me whakarite i ngā mahere rautaki me ngā mahere mahi. Ahakoa te whai huatanga o ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau i te kōhanga reo, me whakamahere, me nahanaha hoki te aronga ki ngā whakaritenga mō te whakapai tonutanga. Kua tae ki te wā kia whakaōkawa te whānau i tētahi angamahi, hei whakakaupapa, hei whakatinana, hei aroturuki, hei whakatakoto hoki i ngā whāinga, ngā whakataunga, me ngā mahi, tae noa ki te whakaotinga o ngā mahi. Ka whai hua ngā mokopuna i te wā e whakamaheretia ana, e whakapūmautia ana ngā wawata o ngā whānau, kia whai pūtake, kia whakatutukihia. 

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 arotake i ngā tukanga kia whakatutukihia, kia tuhia hoki te katoa o ngā tikanga e pā ana ki ngā akoako hōneatanga ohotata ina he rū whenua, he tai āniwhaniwha rānei, he aukatinga rānei 
  [R46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS8 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• āta whakatau kia aroturukitia, kia tuhia hoki ngā wā moe o ngā tamariki, ā, kia hāngai ngā whakaritenga nei ki ngā herenga ā-ture o te wā. 
  [R46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS9 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 whānau me ngā kaimahi ki te taha o te tari ā-rohe o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo ki te whakatutuki i ngā whakaritenga matua me ngā herenga ā-ture i tautuhia ai ki tēnei pūrongo kia whāia. 

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

8 Haratua 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 

Ko Pukeatua te maunga

Ko Whanganui-a-Tara te moana

Ko Te Awa Kairangi te awa

Te Kōhanga Reo o Muturangi is in Moera, Lower Hutt and has a close association with Kōkiri Marae. The kōhanga reo is licensed to provide Māori immersion education and care for 40 mokopuna including 10 under two years of age at any one time. Whānau aspire for mokopuna to be immersed in a learning environment that affirms their cultural heritage. Two long serving kaimahi have recently been appointed to management positions. They are new to these positions and are learning their roles.

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do mokopuna experience success and wellbeing through te reo and tikanga Māori?

Mokopuna are developing their confidence as speakers and learners of reo and tikanga Māori.

4 Findings 

Mokopuna are immersed in an environment rich in te reo and tikanga Māori. Kaimahi are strong role models who successfully implement learning strategies that support and promote mokopuna growth and development. Māoritanga is promoted through kaupapa, themes, waiata, kōrero tuku iho, waiata koroua and pakiwaitara. Mokopuna are encouraged to mihimihi, karakia and waiata. They show clear understanding and respond appropriately to instructions and directions. Mokopuna converse, question and communicate with increasing confidence in te reo Māori. Pēpi show their understanding through facial expressions, mimicking sounds and use body language to share their ideas. Older mokopuna display care and affection for their younger peers. Well established routines enable mokopuna to move throughout the learning programme with ease and confidence. Mokopuna are supported to be confident in who they are and where they are from.

Mokopuna benefit from collaborative and well organised planning practices. Kaiako know their mokopuna well. Planning identifies the focus for the programme and how the content and activities are to be implemented and resourced. Kaimahi use appropriate strategies that support and promote learning that draws on matauranga Māori that is relevant to the area. Tuākana-tēina relationships are nurtured and encouraged. Learning activities encourage mokopuna to explore and initiate activities that are interesting, stimulating and challenging to them. Pānui, pāngarau and hangarau learning opportunities prepare mokopuna for their transition to kura. Assessment practice reflects planning and narrates the progress and development of mokopuna. This includes documenting goals, learning outcomes and āhuatanga mātai. Mokopuna learning and progress is shared with whānau through reporting at hui whānau, online chatgroups, kōnae mokopuna and regular face to face conversations. Mokopuna experience a learning programme that is responsive to their strengths, interests and needs.

Whānau whakahaere practices are underpinned by whanaungatanga and manaakitanga. Te reo and tikanga Māori is a key focus for whānau. Hui are well attended and regular. Minutes are detailed and informative. Understanding roles and responsibilities are communicated, mentored and modelled. There is a core committee who possess a variety of expertise that strengthen whānau whakahaere capabilities. Monitoring and reporting on key aspects of the kōhanga reo operations is ongoing. These include finances, staffing, employment obligations and whānau commitment to the kaupapa. Ohu are a new development and are strengthening whānau engagement and participation in decision making. Transparent reports about kohanga reo operations and the learning programme keep whānau informed. An appraisal system is in place to monitor the quality of kaiako mahi and identify areas of professional development to strengthen their practise and improve learning outcomes mokopuna. Tiaki mokopuna training to increase whānau understanding of their obligations to the Children’s Act 2014 is prioritised. Mokopuna health and safety are at the heart of whānau decision making.

Key Next Steps

Systems and processes around policy and procedure reviews require refining. Core health and safety policies and procedures need to reflect current legislation and assure clear guidance for safe emergency and sleeping practices. Documenting of emergency drills and evacuations, and monitoring sleeping and resting mokopuna needs to be consistent, clear and regular to assure the health and safety of mokopuna. Mokopuna health and safety is enhanced when policy and procedural expectations are known and followed by all staff.

Strategic and action planning requires establishing. While whānau whakahaere operate the kōhanga reo efficiently, a planned and systematic approach to ongoing improvement is required. It is timely that whānau formalise a framework to strategise, implement, monitor and record goals, decision making and tasks to completion. Mokopuna benefit when whānau aspirations are planned for, deliberate, meaningful and achieved.

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: 

• review procedures to ensure all requirements for earthquake, tsunami and lockdown emergency evacuation drills are carried out and recorded
  [Regulation 46 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS8 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• monitor and record mokopuna sleeping that aligns to current legislation.
  [Regulation 46 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS9 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

6 Recommendation

ERO recommend that the whānau and kaimahi work alongside their Tari-ā-Rohe to address the key next steps and non-compliance issues identified in this report. 

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

8 May 2025

7 Information about the Kōhanga Reo