Ata HĀpara
Rāwhiti School provides Level 2 Māori Medium education (51%-80% immersion) for students from New Entrant to Year 8 level. Te reo Māori is, for most of the time, the language of communication and instruction. Māori-medium programmes focus on improving the students’ Māori language skills and they also aim to revitalise the Māori language.
Our aim is for tamariki graduating from Ata Hāpara to do so with strengths in the use of both languages, with strong identify and self esteem, and with the knowledge and skills to stand with confidence in both the Maori and Pākehā worlds.
Our Māori Medium programme is named Ata Hāpara:
Ata Hāpara refers to the morning chorus - which originally was deafening in Aotearoa. This name gives inspiration to our bilingual teachers and learners, whose every effort is directed towards the reinvigoration of reo Māori in our community. We feel that the name Ata Hāpara fits well with our kura name, Rāwhiti, and helps to define their special role within the whole school.
why māori medium?
Becoming biliterate, or being able to read and write in two languages, is the key educational advantage that students in Māori-medium education will have over students in English-medium contexts.
Learning to speak, read and write in Māori means that students are more likely to succeed academically in both Māori and English. The skills students learn for Māori will also help them with their English.
The many advantages of being able to communicate and think in two languages
A sound understanding of Tikanga Māori.
A sound knowledge of the heritage of Aotearoa, and the significance of our local area to Māori.
Strong cultural identity
Strong self esteem
In Māori-medium programmes, most of the students speak Māori as their second language – most come from homes where English is the first language. So our Māori medium programme focuses on improving the students’ language skills while aiming to revitalise the Māori language.
To be successful, Māori medium programmes also need strong support from whānau and the community. Even if parents and whānau do not know much Māori themselves, they can still encourage their children to speak and read to them in Māori at home, wherever possible. This will help everyone at home to learn more Māori!
Students who live within the school’s home zone and meet the criteria for enrolment in the special programme will be enrolled in the bilingual programme ahead of Out of Zone students.
The criteria for acceptance into Ata Hāpara is that students and their whānau will need to demonstrate a commitment to Tikanga Māori as assessed by the Kaiwhakahaere, Whaea Jasmine Stirling.
The size of the special programme will be determined annually in response to the school’s operational capacity.
The number of students who are able to participate in this programme are limited and priority for acceptance into the programme is as follows:
1. Applicants residing in the home zone and with siblings attending the Te Tikanga Rua Reo.
2. Applicants residing in the home zone.
3. Applicants residing outside the home zone with siblings currently attending the Te Tikanga Rua Reo.
4. Applicants with extended whānau connections (e.g. cousins)
5. All other applicants.
E tiu ana i te ata hāpara
The dawn chorus sounds at daybreak