Whanau

Students are invited to join the whanau class. To be a member of the class they need to be Maori or be taking Te Reo Maori as a subject and be prepared to take part in kapa haka. Students must be prepared to respect the kaupapa of the whanau concept. This model of class where the students are together with their own level was conceived to give students the opportunity to form strong relationships with each other and with staff, so that they feel more connected to the school environment. Our goal is to keep our Maori students at school longer and ensure that they reach their academic potential. Staff who teach the whanau classes are addressed as Whaea/Matua and their first name. A strong emphasis on using Te Reo as much as possible, incorporating tikanga and content into teaching programmes is required by staff who teach our whanau classes.