Te Ao Māori | the Māori world is part of everyday life at our kura | school.
Te ao Māori | the Māori world is woven through learning and life at our kura | school. We want tamariki | children to experience te reo Māori | Māori language, tikanga Māori | Māori customs and mātauranga Māori | Māori knowledge as a natural and meaningful part of their education, growing their knowledge, confidence and connection as they move through the school.
As a Level 3 Māori language school, we make an ongoing commitment to te reo Māori | Māori language being heard, seen and used throughout our kura | school. Te reo Māori is a taonga | treasure, and we recognise the part our learning community can play in protecting, nurturing and growing the language.
Our approach continues to grow through relationships with whānau | families, local hapū | our local Māori community and iwi | tribes, helping connect the learning our tamariki | children experience with people, whakapapa | genealogy and place.
Tipuranga
Tipuranga gives tamariki | children opportunities to explore learning through te ao Māori | the Māori world, drawing on whakapapa | genealogy, pūrākau | traditional stories, mātauranga Māori | Māori knowledge, the seasons and local stories.
Learning is hands on and connected across the curriculum. A science concept, for example, might be explored through Western scientific knowledge alongside the pūrākau | traditional stories and mātauranga Māori | Māori knowledge connected to the same natural process, giving tamariki | children different ways to understand and connect with what they are learning.
Te Reo Māori | Māori Language
Our Level 3 commitment means te reo Māori language isn’t confined to a particular lesson, group or day of the week. Tamariki | children hear, see and use te reo Māori throughout the kura | school, with dedicated teaching giving them further opportunities to grow their knowledge and confidence in the language.
Kapa Haka
Kapa haka is much more than performance at our kura | school. Through waiata, haka, poi, whaikōrero | formal speech, pūrākau | traditional stories, history and te reo Māori, tamariki | children learn and perform together while building confidence, commitment and connection.
For some tamariki | children, kapa haka can also become a place where they discover a strength, experience success and find another meaningful point of connection with school.
Te Wā Tikanga
Te Wā Tikanga grew from a desire within our whānau | families for tamariki | children to go deeper into tikanga Māori | Māori customs, moving beyond knowing what happens to understanding the meaning and knowledge behind it.
Tamariki | children learn about whaikōrero | formal speech, karanga | ceremonial call and the tikanga | customs of pōwhiri | formal welcome, including the roles people hold and the reasons behind different cultural practices. They then have opportunities to put that knowledge into practice through student-led pōwhiri at our kura | school.
Giving tamariki | children genuine responsibility allows them to grow their knowledge, confidence and leadership while understanding not only what they are doing, but why.
Marae | meeting place Experiences
Our connection with local marae | meeting places gives tamariki | children opportunities to learn through tikanga | customs, whakapapa | genealogy, local history and place.
These experiences deepen as tamariki | children move through the school. Younger learners begin with a day visit, becoming familiar with the marae and learning within that environment. By Year 4, tamariki | children have the opportunity to stay overnight and deepen their experience and understanding.
During these visits, tamariki | children learn from the people and knowledge connected to the marae, exploring significant places through their stories and history. They begin to understand that the places around them hold meaning, strengthening their connection to the place in which they are growing up.