We meet key staff and kapa haka tutors from Ngā Puna o Waiōrea, one of the country’s top total immersion Māori units based at Western Springs College in Central Auckland.

The opportunity to travel to Poland to perform in a cultural festival but the toll on the students is evident as they juggle practices on top of school work, and fundraisers to get them to Europe.

Students and staff continue to strive for excellence as they tackle the enormous workload before them less than a month out from their departure to Poland.

Five days out from departure to Poland, the students are struggling with the workload to perform at the cultural festival while juggling assignments which are due before they leave to Europe.

Centered around the tutors and whānau of Ngā Puna o Waiorea a total immersion unit within a mainstream school in central Auckland as they prepare to take their kapa to the world stage.

The team have concerts in the riverside town of Vistula. But the workload of rehearsals and evening showcases takes a physical toll on the students as they prepare for the finale gala before an audience of excited locals.

We head to Spain on route home to New Zealand for some much deserved down time. But a recent terror attack in Barcelona has everyone on edge.