Tumuaki | Principal

Location: Makarika, Ruatoria, East Coast

Me Ako Tahi Tatau – Learning Together

Kei te rapaina tangata ngakaunui, tangata whakaaro auaha hai tumuaki mo to tatau nei kura.

Mena ka whai oranga koe i roto i te ahurutanga o tetahi kaenga taiwhenua piri tata. Āno hoki, He tangata ngakaunuitia ana ki te reo me nga tikanga, ā,  kia ako ai nga tamariki i roto i te mātotorutanga o ō ratau whanau, marae, hapu, iwi, ā, me tono mai!

Are you a passionate, creative educational leader who puts tamariki at the centre of every decision? Makarika School seeks an inspiring, solutions-focused fixed-term tumuaki for 2027 to nurture confident, capable tamariki connected to their identity and place.

About our kura

Located near Ruatoria in Ngāti Porou, Makarika School is a vibrant full primary kura grounded in our whenua, whakapapa, marae, and hapū. Our curriculum is underpinned by our core KATA values:

• Kaitieki – caring for our learning, culture, and environment.
• Attitude – positivity, resilience, and personal best.
• Think – critical thinking, creativity, and solutions-focused learning.
• Aroha – kindness, empathy, and respect for all.

Key requirements and attributes

• Excellence in practice – outstanding practitioner skilled in multilevel rural teaching and the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum.
• Cultural capability – commitment to te reo me ōna tikanga, Te Tiriti, and localised curriculum with marae and hapū guidance.
• Inclusive leadership – experience supporting neurodiverse tamariki using strengths-based practices.
• Relational mindset – builds authentic, reciprocal relationships grounded in Tika, Pono, Aroha, and Manaakitanga.
• Rural adaptability – resourceful leader who actively participates in East Coast community life.

What we offer

• A welcoming, supportive, and tight-knit kura community.
• Eager tamariki who love learning and connecting with their surroundings.
• A supportive, engaged school board and whānau.
• The chance to make a meaningful, lasting impact on East Coast education.