About Kāhui Ako

Kāhui Ako, or Communities of Learning, bring together education and training providers with the aim of helping students to achieve their full potential.

Each Kāhui Ako sets shared goals, or achievement challenges, based on the needs of its children and young people. The Kāhui Ako works with students, their parents, whānau, iwi and communities to achieve those goals across the learner pathway.

Kāhui Ako include early learning services, schools, kura, and post-secondary education providers.

State, state-integrated, schools and kura that are members of Kāhui Ako receive ongoing operational funding and staffing support. Private schools and early learning services can be unfunded members.

There are 220 established Kāhui Ako around New Zealand.

How to join

To join an existing Kāhui Ako send us an expression of interest form. A person from your regional office will be in touch.

Email: [email protected]

Achievement challenges

Achievement challenges are the goals a Kāhui Ako sets for itself. Each Kāhui Ako should set 3 to 5 achievement challenges based on the key priorities in their community.

Identifying achievement challenges

The below documents provide guidance for Kāhui Ako that are identifying achievement challenges.

Endorsement of achievement challenges

Submit completed achievement challenges to your Director of Education for endorsement. Endorsement enables a Community of Learning to access the full range of resources available to them to support the important job of tackling the challenges.

Once endorsed, your achievement challenges plan will be published on Education Counts.

Kāhui Ako | Communities of Learning – Education Counts

Refreshing achievement challenges

We expect Kāhui Ako to formally review and refresh their achievement challenges every 2 to 5 years, with the appointment of a new lead principal, or if goals are reached.

We have developed guidance to help you. You may also consider using the development maps to help assess the progress you have made as a Kāhui Ako.

When achievement challenges are refreshed, you must send a copy to your regional office for review and approval by the Director of Education. Once approved, we will replace the original achievement challenge with the refreshed version on Education Counts.

Support

We offer a range of support to Kāhui Ako from the early stages of establishment, through to being fully functioning. Contact your regional education advisor to talk about support options.

The board of each school or kura receives $1,000 when it joins a Community of Learning.

Each board then receives $1,000 each year to help with costs relating to maintaining their Community of Learning.

Inquiry time

Inquiry time is no longer available for schools and kura in a Kāhui Ako.