Newton Central (Newton, Auckland)

• Contributing School (Years 1-6)
• U4
• 43% Māori
• Māori Medium education, Immersion and bilingual classes
• Decile 7

Newton Central School, Te Kura-ā-Rito o Newton, can be found in central Auckland. With views of the sacred mountains of Maungawhau and Maungakiekie the school inspires and guides their students to be proud in their identity, language and culture while striving to attain to the best of their ability.

Relationships and connections at Newton Central are based on trust, respect and acceptance. Teachers strive to build and nurture a diverse community of bicultural and bilingual learners. This is replicated in their Treaty based co-governance model.

Students learn in rumaki Māori, bilingual or English medium classes. The school’s culture of high expectations effectively supports its diverse community to be connected and active life-long learners.

Porangahau School (Hawke's Bay)

• Full Primary
• 77% Māori roll
• U1

The Porangahau School curriculum is reflective of their rural school community and is clearly focused on students’ learning and the ongoing partnerships with families and whānau. Positive, affirming relationships amongst students, staff, whānau and the community contribute to a strong sense of belonging and ownership.

A strong sense of whakawhanaungatanga provides students with an environment that supports and affirms them as individuals and as Māori. The school has a strong association with Ngāti Kere and Te Rongomaraeroa Marae. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori is celebrated and embraced and staff actively build their knowledge of the values of Ngāti Kere to support Māori success as Māori.

Board members are committed to and have a clear understanding of their governance roles and responsibilities. They use information from consultation and achievement data to make decisions that are focused on improving student outcomes. Trustees, leaders and teachers use an extensive range of effective strategies to engage families, whānau and the community.

Transitions to school have been strengthened with preschoolers beginning school 6 months earlier, an effective process that familiarises the learners with the school before starting. This enhances students’ confidence and sense of security. Teachers are building relationships with Central Hawke’s Bay College. As part of an iwip contract 'Te Kauhua', trustees and leaders can monitor and track the progress of their school leavers.

Breens Intermediate (Christchurch)

• Year 7-8
• 15% Māori
• U4
• Decile 6

Breens Intermediate is a decile 6 school that caters for Year 7 and 8 students the school values have a strong influence on all things that impact on the students’ learning. The values are about belonging and being bold, brilliant, brave and beautiful. The Canterbury earthquakes have given the school opportunities to put their values into practice.

Teachers and school leaders have made a commitment to improve the achievement levels of Māori students at the school. They are taking part in effective professional learning to extend their understandings and knowledge of practices that better support and engage Māori learners. Teachers are developing strong and positive relationships with their students and have expectations that all will achieve well. They are also becoming more knowledgeable about te Ao Māori.

No one person is more important than the other at Breens, where strong relationships exist between the learners and the teachers. School leaders and teachers form genuine working partnerships with students’ parents and whānau. This effective practice embodies the whakataukī 'Ma te tuakana te teina e totika’, reciprocal learning or Ako which offers students authentic experiences to learn about their bicultural heritage.

Te Karaka Area School (Gisborne)

• Composite School (Year 1-13)
• 94%
• U4
• 2 immersion Raumaki Māori classes
• New school

In early 2010 the decision to close both Waikohu College and Te Karaka Primary and open a new area school in 2011, was confirmed by the Associate Minister of Education the Honourable Pita Sharples. Te Karaka Area School began in 2011 comprising Year 1-13 students. The new buildings were completed on the Waikohu College site and the school was officially opened in March 2014.

Te reo Māori is embedded throughout the school with tikanga Māori interwoven in the school’s culture and values. There is a school-wide commitment to improving opportunities for Māori students to express and celebrate their culture, knowledge and experience. Students benefit from strong links with local marae and positive role modelling provided by Māori staff.

Te Karaka consulted extensively with the wider community to develop their curriculum. The development of the curriculum is based on recent research, is aspirational and future focused. Local contexts are widely integrated into programmes with extensive use of vocational and correspondence programmes.

There is a well-developed partnership with whānau and iwi which directly impacts the students' strong sense of belonging and pride in being Māori. Consequently, there has been significant improvement in student achievement in the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Levels 1 and 2.

Makoura College (Masterton)

• Secondary (Year 9-14)
• U4
• 55% Māori
• Decile 2
• Managing School for Alternative Education

Makoura College is a co-educational secondary school in Masterton, catering for students in Year 9-14. Just over half of the roll identify as Māori. In 2008 Makoura College was threatened with closure. With consecutive poor ERO reports and the resignation of the school board, a commissioner was appointed.

Governance has since transitioned to a board of elected and appointed members. A strong partnership between school, iwi and whānau assists decision making. Mana Māori has been restored through the refurbishment of the wharenui. Consultation with the community produced a new motto and values, expressed in te reo Māori. These underpin all operations of the school.

The school is highly effective in promoting educational success for Māori as Māori. Leaders and managers use achievement information well to set school-wide targets, review faculty performance and inform annual planning. As a consequence, the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) data shows the percentages of students obtaining qualifications for Level 1, 2 and 3, significantly exceeds those of comparable schools.

Homerooms (Te Kura Teina) operate for Year 9 and 10. This allows for an emphasis on the basic skills required to access the Year 11 curriculum. Data analysis for shows targeted students made accelerated progress in literacy and mathematics.