Achievement Challenge Four: Strengthening relationships between iwi, hapū, whanau and our community.

Whanau and tamariki;

• Connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed and extended.

• Know they have a place

• Feel comfortable with the routines, customs, and regular events

• Know the limits, boundaries of acceptable behaviour

Family and Community – Whānau Tangata is one of four principles of the early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. Because of our vision for the wider Inglewood community, we are passionate about engaging with our Whānau and Iwi and building capacity across our community. As we want to partner with Whānau and Iwi in their tamariki learning journey the principle of Whānau Tangata becomes relevant across the Kāhui Ako. Te Whāriki highlights that when the well-being of family and community is supported, the learning and development of tamariki is fostered. Whānau have a wealth of valuable knowledge about their tamariki, and an understanding of how they learn. Additionally, whānau expectations and understandings influence the expectations tamariki have of themselves. Tamariki need to know that they are accepted for who they are, and that their learning centre is inclusive of their whānau. Whānau should have a sense of belonging to their child’s learning centre and be secure in the knowledge that they are able to freely participate in decision making and the education programme for their child. Through these links, families and the community are empowered as crucial learning partners. To facilitate this we have identified goals from the strand of Belonging within Te Whāriki. Particularly we will be focusing on ensuring tamariki and their families experience an environment where: we will (continue to) welcome whānau, and the community to learning centre activities; we will foster reciprocal relationships through meaningful communication, with a view to enhancing learning opportunities for tamariki; we will continue to have high expectations of student learning and foster these expectations with whānau; we will actively collaborate across the community to provide opportunities for all our ākonga to become competent confident ākonga, as well as communicators who take responsibility for their wellbeing, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.