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Raranga Poutama - Maori Enrichment Class

Who are we? What are we about?

We are the only primary school in Cambridge to offer Maori Education.  

Our units are running at level 3, the definition for this level of Maori immersion is:

Level 2 Bi-lingual Programme (51% to 80% Immersion)

• English and Maori are the languages of communication and instruction
• Maori is used as the classroom management language
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Our units are known as Raranga Poutama. Our name has been linked with the design on the Leamington School kapahaka costumes. A design that was approved by a local kaumatua, Cambell Clarke.

This particular design is called poutama - steps to achievement. Added to this design was a maunga (mountain) representing Maungatautari and an awa representing the Waikato river.

Our room is unique and reflects a very specific integration of Maori tradition, language and culture.

We teach all essential learning areas, and the delivery is in English with varying levels of te reo and tikanga Maori, interwoven accordingly. We use various teaching and learning strategies to deliver the curriculum this involves a mixture of traditional and modern strategies. We foster a strong whanau base within our rooms and encourage the tuakana/teina concept.