Kōhanga Moa Playcentre (Inglewood Playcentre) has been invited and included in the development of Kāhui Ako o te Kōhanga Moa – as one of the five early learning services (ELS) included within the community. 

The ELS involved in this Kāhui Ako embrace Te Whāriki and the value it puts on empowering children. One approach is to focus on seeking children’s views and listening and responding appropriately. ELS involved in this Kāhui Ako agreed that this would be a positive way to draw on relevant information to shape the achievement challenge plan.

“Achievement challenges are shared goals that are identified and developed by a Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako based on the needs of its learners.” (Achievement challenges (2022), Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga The Ministry of Education.)

At Kōhanga Moa Playcentre work was undertaken to support parents’ understanding of the purpose and value of seeking children’s perspectives. Parents were encouraged to ask their children two questions: what children believed they needed to learn well to go to school and what they wanted to be when they grew up. 

The children’s responses were collated across the Kāhui Ako and supported the development of the achievement challenges alongside other data. 

The achievement challenge plan for this Kāhui Ako has four major goals. The data ELS collected particularly informed the goal of enhancing transitions. The Kāhui Ako will be developing key strategies to ensure successful transitions into, between, and within early learning, primary, secondary, tertiary, and the workforce. 

What has been exciting through this process is that the Kāhui Ako has considered both Te Whāriki and The 2007 New Zealand Curriculum equally as the achievement challenge plan has been developed. As a result, the ELS in the Kāhui Ako are engaged in all aspects of the planned work.