New closing for instruction settings

The Minister of Education Hon Erica Stanford has specified the circumstances boards can close their schools | kura during term time. The key changes:

• A set of ‘criteria for closing’ boards must use when making the decision
• In 2025 boards can close their school for 4 half-days for curriculum related purposes. These half-days don’t need to be made up, so long as 6-weeks’ notice is given to whānau.
  • Schools covering Years 0 to 8 have to use the 4 curriculum half-days for Maths or Pāngarau PLD.
  • Schools covering Years 9 to 13 can use 2 half-days for general curriculum and assessment PLD and 2 half-days to prepare for the new curricula being implemented in 2026.
  • Schools covering all years can determine how best to meet the requirements above.
• Boards can close their school for an additional 4 half-days per year that need to be made up, for purposes to be determined by the board based on the criteria for closing.

For more information about the criteria and the new closing days settings visit:

New closing instruction settings

Contact [email protected] or your local Te Mahau office if you have questions. We will provide more detailed guidance in early January that will cover off the new settings and how to meet the requirements under the Education (When State Schools Must be Open and Closed) Regulations 2024.

Curriculum, assessment and professional learning updates

The following information will be available on Tāhūrangi on the dates specified.

Strengthening the New Zealand curriculum

20 January 2025: Phonics check and Hihira Weteoro

In 2025, new entrant – Year 2 teachers and kaiako will have access to a phonics check for students at 20 and 40 weeks. These quick checks support teachers to understand progress and identify students who need more support early. We encourage you to start using this ahead of when it becomes a requirement in 2026.

A resource pack will be made available, including guidance videos, implementation supports and resources on Tāhūrangi from 20 January 2025. Additional printed resources for Hihira Weteoro will be delivered at the same time.

Regional curriculum advisors will provide support to schools and kura in how to use the checks, to support implementation early in 2025.

Structured literacy and Rangaranga Reo-ā Tā professional learning and development providers will also support teachers to use the checks to inform their teaching.

27 January onwards: Consultation for revised curriculum content

From 27 January to 11 April, consultation will be open for:

• Years 7 to 13 English and Years 9 to 13 maths learning areas
• Years 7 to 13 Te Reo Rangatira and Years 9 to 13 Pāngarau wāhanga ako.

Content and feedback forms will be live on Tāhūrangi from this date.

Curriculum advisors will facilitate regional feedback workshops for the NZC learning areas between 15 March and 11 April.

We are planning to hold regional workshops across the country for the wāhanga ako.

The contributing groups for writing the remaining learning areas and wāhanga ako will be confirmed early in the new year. We are working with subject associations and other sector groups to identify these people who will need to confirm their availability with their school and kura leaders as part of the process.

27 January 2025: Assessment and aromatawai

For the 2025 year, schools and kura will be adjusting their assessment, aromatawai and reporting to reflect how students and ākonga are progressing against the new Years 0 to 6 English and Te Reo Rangatira and Years 0 to 8 maths and Pāngarau curricula.

We will be providing guidance to support schools and kura with reporting to parents and whānau. This will clearly outline what schools | kura are required to report on in 2025. This guidance will include templates (and examples of what these templates look like filled out) that are optional for schools and kura to use.

We have heard feedback about the need for more information about how standardised assessment and aromatawai tools align to the new curricula. We will provide an update on work to make sure assessment and aromatawai tools are fit for purpose in the new year. Schools and kura should continue to use tools they currently find useful for assessment, aromatawai and reporting purposes.

Ka Ora Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches programme

The School Lunch Collective is preparing to deliver nutritious lunches, for schools | kura and their students across New Zealand from the first day of Term 1, 2025.

Gilmours is working with food suppliers to negotiate wholesale pricing on ingredients from cost-effective recipes. Term 1 pricing will be available on the Gilmours portal from 13 January 2025 for internal model schools and iwi/hapū providers.

The group of organisations involved in Ka Ora, Ka Ako share a common goal with us to support student growth and learning through healthy meals. We remain available for you and will continue to work on providing the extra support we have heard you need.

If you have any questions, contact your senior advisor or email [email protected].

For more information, visit the website:

Ka Ora, Ka Ako – Healthy School Lunches Programme