He taonga te reo Māori – he taonga ngā reo katoa
Maori language is a treasure – as are all languages
Knowledge of Māori culture enhances students’ sense of belonging and national pride. It also encourages them to expand their world view. Wadestown students learn about te reo and tikanga Māori at every level of the school. This is through context-based te reo lessons, waiata, and events such as pōwhiri and sports fixtures.
In Years 4-8, students expand their practical capabilities in te reo, and all students participate weekly in Kapa Haka. Year 7-8 students compete in the annual Wellington Region Kapa Haka Festival.
A tuakana: teina (buddy class) approach is used to encourage the building of these skills and to develop manaakitanga (caring) and whakawhanaungatanga (reciprocal relationships) across the different class levels.