Teaching/Ako & Learning
Kōmanawa
(Year 1-11)
Kōmanawa means “a spring of water”.
We are the beginning of our Haeata narrative; the start of the journey. Kōmanawa is the spring of water that wells up, much like feelings well up in the heart.
Kōmanawa is Haeata’s bilingual provision for whānau wanting their child to experience learning through a Te Ao Māori worldview.
Kōmanawa is committed to the cultural narrative gifted to us by local iwi and seeks to ensure tamariki access their own connections to their own iwi and communities.
Our philosophy is centred on ākonga being supported to achieve in a highly personalised way that is responsive to their needs and interests and is underpinned by kaupapa Māori values. Kōmanawa will grow each year until we reach Year 13. A Level 2 provision; kaiako speak between 50-80% te reo in class. Our curriculum document is Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
Building relationships with our tamariki and their whānau is at the heart of Kōmanawa.
We focus on Te Whare Tapawhā; their cultural, spiritual, physical and mental wellbeing. Puna Ako time is about building a connection between the child, whānau and kura; ensuring that each mokopuna feels safe, valued and supported. We do this through our Tū Rangatira Programme which recognises and builds on the uniqueness of each child through the dispositions and values of Haeata.
Communication Fluency.
Te Reo Matatini(Literacy in te reo Māori and English) and Pāngarau(Mathematics) are the main focal areas for Kaupapa Ako.
Te Ao Māori, Hauora and Intrapersonal Skills will also be developed and enhanced through Kaupapa Ako.
Rākaihautū was a great explorer from Waitaha who carved out this whenua with his kō (digging stick).
Rākaihautūtanga is an opportunity for our ākonga to pick up their own kō and explore and drive their learning by participating in various workshops.
● Our mokopuna have the freedom to explore through Te Ao Māori.
● Ngā Ahi Tūtata/Develop Passions
● Pakirehua/ Develop inquiry and investigation skills
Hauora and well-being are promoted and supported through daily fitness, PE and sports opportunities as well as EOTC.
We have brain food (a wholemeal sandwich and fruit snack) at 9:30 to support ākonga to be ready for learning.

Ko Māui Hangarau is a Māori Tech and innovation Summit for rangatahi Māori, whanau and educators that aims to awaken, inspire, and ignite rangatahi to see the infinite opportunities in the tech industry. Supported by the Ministry of Education, the event is designed to capture the hearts and minds of rangatahi who have an interest in Digital Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship. Haeata Community campus was very lucky to be able to host the 11th event at our kura.
A selection of Māori and Pasifika ākonga from all over Ōtautahi were lucky enough to be able to participate in this event. We listened to an amazing line up of Māori Tech Entrepreneurs who shared some korero about some of the cool mahi they are working on, their journey and experiences, Kendal Flutey, Anton Matthews, and Taikawa Tamati-Eliffe.
Our rangatahi were awakened, inspired and ignited!
He hiringa hangarau, he oranga tangata
Innovation in technology for the benefit of people.
As part of our continued learning journey around the cultural narratives of this whenua, we visited Tautahi Pā. These haerenga help with our connectedness to the whenua and our knowledge of the mana whenua, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe and Ngāi Tahu.
We were fortunate enough to engage with Waka on Avon and be taken on a walking tour by the very knowledgeable Matua Jerry. We learnt about Tautahi Pā, which was established by a rangatira from Koukourarata, Tautahi. He is also who Ōtautahi was named after. The Ōtākaro was an important mahinga kai or food and resource gathering area, for Ngāi Tahu, and for Tautahi and his people visiting from Horomaka. This place was later a landing place on the Ōtākaro used by the first European settlers. We also visited a monument which consists of three carved pou. This marks the spot where Tautahi married and represents the three waves of migration, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, and Ngāi Tahu.
After our walking tour we experienced the excitement of paddling a hand-crafted waka down the Ōtākaro, and learnt about the importance of the waka to Māori. We enjoyed more early stories of Ngāi Tahu and the earliest European settlers, and the positive things they achieved building the city of Christchurch together.
Whatungarongaro te tangata, toitū te whenua.
As man disappears from sight, the land remains.