Ngā Mātāpono o te Kura

At Ōtaki School we are grounded in Raukawatanga, this is the heart that guides everything we do. Under this overarching value, we embrace four core Mātāpono to shape our actions and learning. 

Manaakitanga

Manaakitanga reminds us to treat every member of our community with respect, dignity, and generous hospitality while actively upholding their mana. We make sure everyone feels they are a valued part of our kura through welcoming them with pōwhiri and whakatau, making sure everyone has enough kai, ensuring our classrooms are safe and welcoming places to learn and including and inviting our friends in games.

Kaitiakitanga

Through Kaitiakitanga, we commit to guardianship, protecting not only our school's environment but also our knowledge and wellbeing for future generations. We provide learning experiences for our tamariki to engage with te taiao, the world outside our classrooms. We learn that we can become kaitiaki of knowledge. We have school maara which tamariki are active participants in the care and devlopment of. Our kura taiao and kura tuwaho rōpū are out in our community learning about skills to become kaitiaki in our community.

Whanaungatanga

Whanaungatanga is central to building the strong, supportive relationships and sense of belonging that make our school a whānau. We actively seek out ways to learn about and with each other. Every morning we start with karakia and mihimihi. Our tamariki are proud to stand and share their mihi. We make connections with each other through learning experiences that promote tuakana teina and learning together across our kura. Whanaungatanga helps to remind us to treat each other as family, with care and respect. 

Whakapapa

Whakapapa connects us all to our tupuna and our history, honouring where we come from and strengthening our unique identity. We learn that everyone and everything has whakapapa so we are able to form a deeper understanding and respect for each other and the world around us. 

Together, these mātāpono create a powerful path for our students to stand strong and develop into the leaders of tomorrow.

Kia Ōtaki te Tu!