Developing our culturally responsive practices is about acknowledging Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri as holding mana whenua over the takiwa (area) where we reside and building a relationship with them.

It is also about acknowledging the future focussed values held by current Ngāi Tahu generations and having high expectations of ākonga Māori so they can succeed as Māori.

This term our kura has progressed our culturally responsive practices with the establishment of three self selected Professional Learning Groups with a culturally responsive focus. Two groups have a specific focus on te reo Māori and tikanga while a third is focussed on Science and Mātauranga Māori.

Every learning advisor at Ao Tawhiti is also engaging in professional conversation with a colleague related to a goal for the continued development and practice of tikanga and Te Reo Māori. This term, our Senior Leadership Team all attended a workshop at Tuahiwi as a step towards building a closer relationship with our mana whenua, Ngāi Tūāhuriri.

Finally, on the 2nd of July we continued our annual celebration of Matariki with a night of performances, workshops and kai. A highlight was the unveiling of some stones and plinths that were gifted to the school.