PT ENGLAND SCHOOL POLICY
CULTURAL GROUPS
INTRODUCTION:
Our school is multicultural, composed of:
2% European, 32% Maori, 16% Samoan, 14% Cook Island, 24% Tongan, 5.% Niuean, 2% Other Pasifika, 4% Myanmar.
In our parent meetings, we have made a conscious decision not to have separate ethnic groups, but to function as one large group learning each others songs, dances, protocols and cultures. However every second year we celebrate the diversity our school community by holding a major cultural event, the Pt England Fiafia. All our major ethnic groups are represented in our biennial Fiafia, but our learners choose for themselves which group they join. On this occasion we generally have up to 20 performing groups who practise for the whole term prior to performing.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To give each culture in the school the opportunity for expression and performance and thus provide a place of standing for each ethnic group in a way that also promotes unity.
2. To give every student the opportunity of participating, with parental permission, in the expression of their own culture.
3. To encourage the involvement of parents and other community people in the cultural training of our children.
4. To provide a performance platform for our children to raise self-esteem and boost ethnic dignity and pride
GUIDELINES:
1. The 2025 Maori Kapa Haka programme will be set up and devised by Toni Nua, Safron Witika and the other leaders and coaches in consultation with the Principal.
2. All children in the school will be given the opportunity to participate. As time goes by, it is anticipated that the 3 groups will reduce in size a little and this will make performances involving transport easier to carry out.
3. Culture Group teachers will involve and invite other resource people from the different cultures in the community to help teach the children and to help with costuming, transport and performances etc.
4. Once children are selected for the group a timetable will be established and this will be referred back to classroom teachers.
5. The selected children will be withdrawn from class at the times agreed and will work with their tutors at designated places.
6. A programme of practices will be devised, that is inclusive of the cultures represented in the group and this will effectively prepare the group for performance.
7. There will be on-going consultation between the specialist teachers and the Principal to ensure that the programme is effectively meeting the needs of and satisfying all the people involved.
8. Each year this programme will be re-evaluated to determine whether in its current format, it continues to meet the needs of the children involved or whether it needs to be altered.
9. In the event of questions, concerns, or even complaints arising from this programme, the Principal will be notified. The Principal will relay the content of any such approach to the Specialist Teachers who will talk to the others involved to find the best way in which to handle the approach. From time to time the staff meeting or syndicate meetings may be used as avenues for discussing, altering or evaluating this programme.
10. Our Whanau, Staff and Board have agreed that we should hold a large Fiafia every 2nd year.
Formulated: 1995
Reviewed: 1999
2002
2005
2006
2008
2009
2013
2019
2023
2025