Refreshed New Zealand Curriculum

In 2025 the Ministry of Education mandated schools to use the refreshed New Zealand curriculum for English and Maths.  The New Zealand Curriculum refresh is shifting from an outcomes-focused approach to a progression-focused one, using a framework called "Understand, Know, Do". This involves replacing curriculum levels and achievement objectives with five learning phases: 

  • Phase 1:  Years 1-3, 

  • Phase 2: Years 4-6, 

  • Phase 3: Years 7-8, 

  • Phase 4: Years 9-10

  • Phase 5: Years 11-13 

The scale of the refresh encompasses the whole curriculum, and the Ministry of Education has given the timeframe of 2027 until this is complete. This means we are in a period of huge change with new learning for teachers, new curriculum to learn, and new ways of teaching and assessing. Some of these important decisions have not been shared with schools currently. 

The changes the Ministry of Education is making encompass:

  • what will be taught and in what sequence for each year of schooling, 

  • the teaching practices that teachers and kaiako use in classrooms, 

  • and the assessment and aromatawai tools and practices teachers and kaiako use to monitor and respond to learner and ākonga progress. 

This year, we have implemented the new, knowledge rich curriculum in Maths (Year 0-8) and English (Year 0-6) that was rolled out by the Ministry of Education at the start of the year. These changes are designed to align with international standards and elevate learning outcomes across all year levels. As a result, you may notice adjustments in your child's progress and achievement, reflecting the updated curriculum expectations. This is normal and will be the case for all schools over New Zealand.

The refresh aims to provide clarity about the direction of learning and key outcomes across these phases, making it easier to understand how learning progresses. 

It is important to note that as at Mid Year Reporting 2025, there is no assessment system to replace National Curriculum levels. This will limit what can be shared currently. The Ministry of Education has indicitated that assessment tools and systems will be introduced to schools before the end of 2025.

Parent Portal: A New Resource for Whānau

Ministry of Education's new Parent Portal, an online platform designed to support your involvement in your child's education. This portal offers:

  • Year-by-year Curriculum Learning Guides tailored for parents, explaining what children will be learning in that year level, why it matters, and when it will be taught.

  • Practice activities to support learning at home, such as phonics cards with audio support.

  • Informative videos and resources, helping you understand and support your child's learning needs.

Access the Parent Portal by clicking the picture below: