This document outlines the Ka Hikitia action plan to improve outcomes for Māori students in New Zealand schools. It focuses on four key areas: foundation years of education, engaging students in years 9-10, teaching the Māori language, and organizational success. The plan aims to improve teaching and leadership, whānau partnerships, and student decision-making. It emphasizes that effective practices value Māori culture, share power, and see students and whānau as connected. The desired outcomes include improved teaching of Māori students, principal leadership, student engagement, qualifications, and whānau support for student choices.

1. Ka Hikitia Epsom Girls’ Grammar School 2010

3. Young people engaged in learningThis focus area covers schooling with a particular focus on Years 9 and 10 (the first years in secondary schooling)

4. Māori Language in Education: goals and actionsThis focus area covers teaching and learning of, and through, te reo Māori in English medium and Māori medium settings

6. Perceptions

7. Leadership Much research shows that student engagement and achievement improves when teachers develop positive teaching and learning relationships with Māori students and when principals demonstrate professional leadership in relation to teaching and learning.

8. Support Peer culture also has a significant influence on presence, engagement and achievement at school. During adolescence, peers can have more influence than whānau on behaviour and attitudes. Schools have a critical role in helping students to positively support each other and their decision-making.

9. Information When students and whānau have appropriate information and advice early on in secondary school, they can better plan for and make decisions about subject choices, National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualifications, and future education and career pathways.

10. Survey

11. Responses School needs to be more cultured in terms of ways of teaching. Teachers should understand that we don't all come from the same background therefore some may learn and perceive differently. Teachers need to learn to understand the students more! Management I believe needs to relax a bit more, rather than sticking to a schedule; although the overall affect is a positive move, students get stressed quickly which causes a negative environment, which teachers do not see.

12. More… I choose to engage in my learning because I like to prove what I can achieve as a Maori student My learning is supported really well, when I don't do work it is my own fault, no one else's. I would like to get more help in areas that I'm failing in atm. I want to pass and make my family proud. I think that I am a good learner but teachers need to explain to the classes. Sometimes in maths they don't. when I ask for help they get angry so there's no point of even listening but sometimes they are nice and other times annoying

13. More… I would like to see more Maori activities happening around the school. Make us do different things than the other students eg, trips , meeting new people . teachers put too much pressure on students. A lot of them also don't give second chances. its ok, sometimes I think that the teachers can be a bit racist. not just to Maori but to different cultures. It has been fun. I have achieved a lot higher than the past couple of years. I have learnt a lot.( especially in maths ) My learning at Epsom is really consistent. I am always learning something new in every subject and I enjoy learning at Epsom. that it's been great being able to interact with both Maori and Pakeha students whilst not being forced to be one or the other.

14. And more… personally, I don't think being Maori has much of an advantage or disadvantage on our learning, but it is often a personal problem I have been offered the facilities I needed to get the help I wanted for subjects. some teachers have been more supportive over the years than others. I think peer tutoring and other support/help classes should be more approachable. I really like learning at eggs, I feel like I get the help I need when I need it. my learning at Epsom is fine but I would like teachers to care more about my learning.

16. Cultural Advantage – all Maori have cultural advantage by virtue of who they are – being Maori is an asset: not a problem

18. Where culture counts

19. Where learning is interactive and dialogic

21. The educator learns from the learner

22. The educator is informed by latest research which is deliberative and reflective

23. The educator must recognise that the learner and whanau cannot be separated

25. Outcome 1 Teachers engaged in PD that enables them to establish effective teaching and learning relationships with Maori students, which leads to improved student engagement, and achievement

26. Outcome 2 Principals are leading and supporting professional development and can account for their school’s performance in lifting Maori student presence, engagement and achievement

27. Outcome 3 Maori students are at school, engaged and active in school life. They are gaining stronger foundation literacy and numeracy competencies and higher level qualifications.

28. Outcome 4 Years 9 and 10 Maori students and their whanau have the relevant information, tools, and support to identify their gifts and interests and to make sound decisions about future education choices

29. Outcome 5 Maori student voices are contributing to school improvement practices

30. Ka pai Congratulations on the efforts you have made thus far but think about the contribution you can develop from now on to: KA HIKITIA - UPLIFT Kitekorete iwi, e korekoeikiia – he tangata Without the people you are diminished, you are nobody