This winter, as Matariki arrived, our tamariki painted wishing stars using cotton buds.
While they mixed colours and created their own designs, something equally beautiful was happening: their whānau were writing down their hopes and dreams for them, and we displayed these wishes alongside the stars with each child's photo on the reverse side.
Now the stars hang in our space. A child's painted creation is visible, their whānau's written aspirations are nearby, and their photo is on the back. It's a simple but powerful way of saying: your family is here, believing in who you're becoming.
One of the stars in Matariki is Hiwa-i-te-Rangi, the star of inspiration and new possibilities. This year's theme is Matariki herenga waka, the gathering of canoes. It's about bringing people together, celebrating as one whānau across all our different whakapapa and backgrounds. In te ao Māori, Matariki marks the Māori New Year, a time when whānau pause, reflect, and look forward together.
For our tamariki, it's a chance to celebrate what they're learning, and for their whānau to voice what they value most for their child's future. When a child paints a star with a cotton bud, they're making choices about what colours feel right, how to move it, what their star will look like. When whānau write their wishes, they're naming what matters to them: confidence, kindness, curiosity, belonging, strength.
These two things together, the child's creative play and the whānau's hopes, remind us that learning happens in relationship. Our tamariki aren't learning alone. They're held within the aspirations of the people who know and love them best. The stars stay with us as a gentle reminder of that connection.