2025 Piki Ake Programmes

Results and Feedback 

Piki Ake 2025 - Project A

The Piki Ake Project was provided for ten Year 6–10 Maori & Pasifika students.

The delivery of the Piki Ake project was grounded in students’ cultural traditions and values.

These cultural principles were woven throughout the programme and helped foster a safe, supportive, and culturally affirming learning environment in which the students and their whanau felt valued, appreciated and were fully integrated into the Piki Ake project. 

The table below presents the Reading and Spelling assessment results for the ten participating students:

Student
& gender

Year

Age (yrs)

Reading
(yrs) pre

Reading
(yrs) post

Rdg
progress

Spelling
(yrs) pre

Spelling
(yrs) post

Spelling
progress

1 F

7

11

15.6

15.10

4m

12.6

13.6

1y

2 F

10

14

15.2

17y+

1.10y+

15

15.7

7m

3 F

9

13

11.10

13.2

1.4y

15

15.9

9m

4 F

8

12

7.4

10.11

2.7y

8.11

10.7

1.9y

5 F

8

13

13.2

-

-

13.6

15

1.6m

6 M

8

13

7.02

7-8

6m

5.10

6

2m

7 M

8

12

14

15.2

1.2y

15

16.5

1.5y

8 F

7

11

14

14.07

7m

14.8

15

4m

9 M

9

13

NA

NA

-

15

16.6

1.6y

10 M

7

10

12.4

12.07

3m

11.1

12.8

1.7y

 

Summary of Reading and Spelling Assessment Results for Ten Students:

Eighty percent (80%) of students demonstrated measurable progress in reading, with gains ranging from three months to three years. In spelling, 100% of students showed improvement, with progress ranging from two months to 1.9 years. 

*End of Piki Ake project Student and whanau voice and feedback is below :

Student Feedback

1.    What is the best thing you learned in the programme, and how has it helped you?

  • The best thing had to be my spelling because its helped me spell words correctly and help me improve in future spelling.
  • The best thing I’ve learnt in the Piki Ake programme is learning how to spell harder words.
  • I have learnt meanings for more advanced words which has helped expand my vocabulary.
  • Learning how to structure my sentences.
  • How to pronounce and spell words properly.


2. How has the Piki Ake programme grown your confidence in reading, writing and speaking?

  • It helped a lot because at school we are practicing speeches and speaking for a day where speaking and writing plus reading will come in handy.
  • The programme has boosted up my confidence in reading, writing and speaking a lot.
  • Reading: I learnt how to take an educated guess at unknown words by using the sentence around it. 
    Writing: I have better vocabulary.
    Speaking : I can pronounce hard words.
  • By alot. It has helped me to check my work properly.
  • By having me practice words through different activities and tasks.

3. How did the programme connect you to your culture and values?

  • “… the books we got at the end when we got our certificates were pretty good.”
  • It has connected me in many ways to my cultural heritage by just having a same culture teacher.
  • Having same culture teachers and peers helped a lot.
  • I believe the literacy programme has been helping me connect to my culture by teaching me how to be part of a community and teaching me my important values.


4. If you could tell Debbie anything that would make Piki Ake better just for you - what would you tell her?

  • “... maybe we can learn more about my culture then that will be great.”
  • Make new activities.
  • Music is nice, helps me concentrate. (Not that I listened to any :-)
  • Sometimes do different activities.
  • Being able to listen to music while silently working.

5. What would you say to future students that may want to join the Piki Ake programme?

  • The Piki Ake programme will increasingly help you towards your reading and spelling. Over all recommendations it can help you heaps in reading and spelling to add on.
  • This programme really does help if you just do what you are told.
  • Trust the process. It’ll help with word knowledge, reading comprehension and dictation.
  • It’s a great opportunity! You can learn a lot from this programme !
  • You should join the Piki Ake programme because it can help you if you’re struggling with English and it encourages you with free food.

 

Parent Feedback

1.    How did this programme support your child’s learning and growth?

  • Awesome. The help and support of this programme encouraged my child to work hard and focus a lot on her spelling as well as sentence structure.
  • Really improved his comprehension skills and literacy. I can tell he is above his average chronological age.
    See him more motivated and more confident at school.
  • This programme has helped my daughter improve her spelling and reading. She has become more confident.
  • The programme was great as I could see how much my son enjoyed it, the learning environment and how much confidence he has gained from the experience. I have seen the growth and the learning has also greatly affected his school work.
  • Piki Ake has helped my girls progress on their spelling and reading comprehension.
  • It helped my child improve her spelling and writing.


2. How did the programme strengthen your child’s identity, sense of mana and confidence?

  • The programme helps strengthen her confidentiality in saying hard words. Not only that but exploring her knowledge of culture and identity.
  • Way more confident ! He is more courageous to answer questions and he doesn’t shy away from his questions.
  • Her confidence has jumped a lot when it comes to spelling. As it was something she struggled with. She is also aware that the support is there.
  • I have seen a huge boost in his confidence. His school teachers have always mentioned that he has great potential but he has kind of doubted himself at times, but now I see that he has grown to believe in his abilities.
  • Piki Ake has given my children to speak with confidence and know/understand what they are saying.
  • It helped her confidence knowing that she can spell and write correctly.


3. How were relationships and care shown in the programme?

  • Encouraged her to share the knowledge she has learnt to other children in the programme.
  • So Good! My son loves the programme and is always eager to come. He enjoys everyone's company and has no issues so far.
  • The fact that my daughter was always looking forward to tutoring days, for me, meant that she enjoyed it.
  • I think that having a smaller class and the attention he has gained in it, has given him confirmation that he has the ability to apply himself to his schoolwork. He has thoroughly enjoyed the tasks and also improved in his learning. We have both enjoyed quality time during his studies at home because of this.
  • Helping each other get where they need to be.
  • It is shown by the kids taking care of each other and their Piki Ake teachers.


4. If you could tell Debbie anything that would make Piki Ake even better just for you- what would you tell her?

  • Continue the programme for next year.
  • A maths programme ! My son has significantly improved his comprehension and literacy, and therefore just needs improvement on his Maths. Otherwise he has enjoyed his time !
  • Nothing -Debbie is doing an amazing job and the kids love her.
  • Keep doing what you are doing, as my son enjoyed the programme !
  • Debbie has done a wonderful job with my girls. No complaints from me.
  • To maybe do some games.

Summary

The Piki Ake project has achieved excellent results and a transformational impact on all ten students in Project A.
Feedback from the students and their whanau highlighted increased confidence, improved literacy skills, and stronger pride in learning and cultural identity within a safe, culturally responsive environment. 
The Piki Ake project achieved excellent results and had a transformational impact on all ten students in Project A. Feedback from students and their parents and/or whānau highlighted increased confidence, improved literacy skills, and a stronger sense of pride in learning and cultural identity, supported by a safe and culturally responsive environment.