How does Te Paina School give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi?

At Te Paina School we continue to make connections from our past, while preparing our aakonga in our present for the future to come.

Matai kite rangi, homai te kauhau wananga ki uta, ka whiti he ora - Look beyond the horizon, and draw near the bodies of knowledge that will take us into the future (Te Mataiaho, 2023).

At Te Paina School we acknowledge and give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and He Whakaputanga - The declaration of Independence. We actively seek to engage and promote the principles of partnership, protection and participation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We review our methodology of cultural responsiveness annually with all whanau, aakonga, kaimahi and our hapori - community. We recognise Ngaati Naho and Ngaati Tamaoho who are the mana whenua of the land our kura sits on, and we ensure that Maaori are succeeding as Maaori.​

Te Tiriti and its principles (as articulated by the Courts and the Waitangi Tribunal) set out obligations for the Crown and Maaori that guide how Tangata Tiriti and Tangata Whenua can live together with mutual respect. The key principles include rangatiratanga, partnership, participation, active protection, equity and opportunity. They provide for the active protection of taonga, including Te Reo Maaori, Tikanga Maaori and Matauranga Maaori, and enable fair and equitable educational processes and outcomes for Maaori and all aakonga at Te Paina School.​

Our journey in 2024 has seen our kura building more of a relationship with Ngaati Naho, Maurea Marae and Horahora Marae as our local marae. Our whaanau have shown that they would like to see more Tikanga Maaori, Matauranga Maaori and Te Ao Maaori in our localised curriculum. We have spent the last two years developing our understanding of puurakau (local stories) and the history of our area.

In 2023 Te Paina school connected with Matua Ivan Marino where he continues to work with our kura to develop Te Ao Maaori in our practice. For the first time our kura performed at the Matariki festival held at Te Kauwhata College and actively participated in professional development at Puu Harakeke Rangiriri and the Rangiriri Trenches. In 2023 our Kaahui Ako Across School Leader worked on unpacking the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories Curriculum for both our Kaahui Ako schools, and our own kura to ensure the richness of our own history and puurakau was embedded in the frameworks and curriculum we are engaging with. We are very proud of our own school resources that continue to shape our own understanding around the history of Mercer and the Northern Waikato area.

At the end of the year our kura proudly delivered their first full show at the end of year prize giving consisting of waiata, karakia, mau raakau, taiaha, titi toria and whaikorero. It has become a part of our normal tikanga to ensure all manuhiri are welcomed formally through the process of poowhiri or mihi whakatau. We ensure the right processes are used depending on the event or situation at the time.

In 2024 all kaimahi and aakonga started their Te Reo Maaori journey through Te Puna Reo Maaori lead by Anita Gill. Our Cultural Leadership ambassador, Sandra Pace has ensured our weekly tikanga lessons and weekly kaimahi sessions have been happening consistently to ensure learning across the entire kura. All kaimahi are attending professional development at Puu Harakeke Rangiriri regularly as part of our localised curriculum mahi and Aotearoa New Zealand Histories implementation. We continue to be actively involved with Te Arahou MAC - Maaori Achievement Collaborative and deeply acknowledge the mahi they do to work alongside the Tumuaki and kaimahi to ensure we are delivering a curriculum that exemplifies “What’s good for Maaori is good for all”. A goal for our kura one day is to visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds as a whole staff.

Our main goals to ensure we are giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

• Ensuring we are delivering and achieving equitable outcomes for Maori.
• Shaping and delivering our curriculum to ensure our Reading, Writing and Maths are delivered in a way that aligns and connects to the richness of our Maori heritage and culture.
• Our kaimahi having regular learning opportunities to unpack Te Tiriti, He Whakaputanga, Taataiako, Ka Hikitia and He Pikorua.
• Ensure we are delivering our Te Puna Reo Maaori tikanga daily in every classroom across our kura.