Te Tiriti O Waitangi at Tirau Primary School

Schools are Tiriti partners. There is a structural, moral and ethical obligation to uphold and express the mana of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

At Tirau Primary School we are committed to honouring the Principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi - Participation,Protection, Partnership.

Students are at the centre of teaching and learning, and they experience a curriculum that engages and challenges them, is forward-looking and inclusive, and affirms Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique identity.

Participation means offering opportunties for our learners to learn about and experience the indigenous culture that is unique to Aotearoa New Zealand. We need to ensure both Māori and Pakeha have equal opportunities in NZ.

Partnership is about having genuine relationships with all our students and in particular our Māori community. Māori and Pakeha work together. We value the taonga(treasures) each other bring to our country. We understand that everyone brings different knowledge and experiences to share. We listen and respect peoples ideas.

Protection means actively protecting Māori knowledge, interests, values, and other tāonga. Identity, language, and culture are important expressions of what it means to be a culturally located learner.