Te Poutāhū Curriculum Centre school update

Kia ora koutou,  

Our work with you over the last few years has helped us to reach important milestones on the road to strengthening our national curriculum for schooling (New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa). 

Thanks to valuable input from the education sector, we have been able to shape the content for recently released updated learning areas for English (0-6) and maths (0-8) and Te Reo Rangatira (0-6) and pāngarau (0-8) wāhanga ako, so they now include evidence-based teaching practices and year-by-year sequences. These inclusions respond to calls from teachers, kaiako and leaders for a curriculum and supports that are clearer, more consistent, and easier to use and access. 

The Government has prioritised the implementation of these learning areas and wāhanga ako while rephasing other areas. This decision supports the focus on lifting progress and achievement in these foundational areas which are so important for all learning. 

Today’s newsletter focuses on the key and important changes we are making for Years 0-8 and provides you with some detailed information about the multi-year approach the Government is taking to funding and supporting you to lead this change in your schools and classrooms. 

As you begin to implement change, there is no expectation of perfection on day one, especially for those schools who have not done structured literacy before, it’s just important to make a start. We acknowledge people will be at different stages of readiness to implement changes next year. 

Ultimately, we know change will take sustained focus and investment. We’re committed to helping you make sense of what’s required and continuing to provide you with access to a range of supports so you can make a start next year and build from there or go faster if you are ready. 

Together, the Ministry and ERO will work with you to understand how you are Getting Ready to implement the changes, including the successes you are having, challenges you are facing, and tailoring additional support as needed.

This curriculum newsletter outlines the supports available to you now and over the coming years so that you can plan and sequence your activities. If you are a member of a Kāhui Ako, network or cluster, you may wish to undertake this planning together and consider how you can support each other. We’ve included information in this newsletter to help you with this planning and what to do if you are just making a start.  

Our work together will also continue – we’ll act on your feedback on the draft curriculum content for the updated English (0-6) and maths (0-8) learning areas and Te Reo Rangatira (0-6) and pāngarau (0-8) wāhanga ako before they are finalised in Term 4 next year. Once the full curriculum is gazetted in 2027, the Government intends to move into a regular update cycle for the curriculum, as occurs in other jurisdictions, to avoid the need for wholesale reform. 

We hope today’s newsletter edition helps to clarify how recent and coming changes fit together to support you in lifting student achievement.  

You will hear from us again soon through this monthly newsletter – the next edition will provide a longer-term view of implementation support and have a focus on Years 9-13. You should have already received your email from the Minister of Education announcing that the transition period for the co-requisite is being extended out to 2027.  You can also read the news here: 

News NCEA update: Support for NCEA Level 1 and Co-requisite implementation

Ellen MacGregor-Reid   
Hautū (Deputy Secretary)  
Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre   

Information and resources to help you

As well as publishing this newsletter monthly to provide you with timely information about the national curriculum and clear pathways to support, we’ll be providing resources to help you get ready, and get started with embedding the changes in your schools and kura. 

As part of today’s issue, we have included links to the following resources now available on Tāhūrangi: 

• Implementing the National Curriculum Information Brochure – Supports and Services.
• Curriculum and Assessment Changes for Years 0-8 (Getting Ready, Getting Started). 
• Implementation of Curriculum and Assessment Changes Wall Planners.

You can find links to those resources on Tāhūrangi:
Curriculum and assessment implementation supports – Tāhūrangi

Stay up to date and subscribe to this newsletter here:
Subscribe to our curriculum newsletters   

The newsletter will be archived on Tāhūrangi for ease of access and referred to in future Education Bulletins. 

While today’s newsletter focuses on Years 0-8, you can read about the latest NCEA news here:
News update: Support for NCEA Level 1 and Co-requisite implementation

What's coming up

We understand every school and kura will be at different starting points with the updated Years 0-6 English or Te Reo Rangatira and Years 0-8 maths or pāngarau curricula next year, and that’s ok. In this section, we’re outlining what you need to know and do in the coming months depending on where you are starting from, recognising that schools and kura will be at different starting points on this journey.

Implementation timeline

In Term 4, 2024  

Actions for principals and boards are captured in the ‘Getting Ready, Getting Started’ product: 
Supports for implementing curriculum and assessment changes – Tāhūrangi

Schools and kura should:  

• consider the new content for Years 0-6 English or Te Reo Rangatira and Years 0-8 maths or Pāngarau, as well as the teaching practice expectations for that curriculum
• participate and/or register for structured literacy or Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā – check out the ‘how we’re supporting you’ section for more details
• register for maths or Rangaranga Pāngarau PLD – check out the ‘how we’re supporting you’ section for more details
• familiarise yourselves with the Ministry’s existing literacy and resources and Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā information to support a structured approach to teaching:
  • Literacy resources (The New Zealand Curriculum)
  • Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā (Te Marautanga o Aotearoa)
• purchase literacy, pānui and tuhituhi resources to support a structured approach to teaching, making use of the funding contribution provided – a minimum of $500 and up to $5000 per school, each year, for the next four years 
• order from a range of maths and pāngarau teacher and student resources to support the implementation of the maths and pāngarau curriculum. Schools and kura will be able to select from a range of resources from 21 October – these will be provided to you at no cost and shipped to your school (note that there’s no need to on-charge these to students)
• plan when you will have your two maths and pāngarau curriculum days in 2025. 

In Term 1, 2025  

Actions for principals and boards are captured in the ‘Getting Ready, Getting Started’ product: 
Supports for implementing curriculum and assessment changes – Tāhūrangi

Schools and kura should:  

• use the new content for Years 0-6 English or Te Reo Rangatira and Years 0-8 maths or Pāngarau and continue to participate and/or register for structured literacy or Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā PLD – check out the ‘how we’re supporting you’ section for more details
• use the new teaching resources – e.g. decodables, flashcards, teacher handbooks, student workbooks you have chosen
• begin to use the new curricula and teaching practice expectations to underpin your approaches to assessment, aromatawai and reporting in 2025 – we’ve included more information on assessment and aromatawai below
• get familiar with the assessment tools including the phonics checks and twice-yearly testing for Years 3-8 using standardised tools to understand learners’ progress.    

Assessment and aromatawai

A more coherent, consistent system of assessment and aromatawai includes the introduction of a phonics check in English and Hihira Weteoro in te reo Māori and the use of standardised tools for Years 3-8 (for TMoA this includes Te Waharoa Ararau and/or e-asTTle, and for NZC this includes the Progressive Achievement Tests and/or e-asTTle) so that schools and kura are better able to notice and respond to learners’ needs throughout their foundational learning. 

The phonics check for the NZC and Hihira Weteoro for TMoA will identify the next steps in learning and where new entrant students require additional supports. We want to ensure learners are engaged early with the national curriculum and getting the best possible start.  

• PLD to support assessment and aromatawai will be available and is captured under the ‘how we’re supporting you’ section in this newsletter.   
• Plan the process for your school or kura to implement the use of phonics checks and the standardised tools across 2025, to determine what best suits your learning context before these become a requirement in 2026. 
• For NZC, the phonics check will be easy to administer, taking 5 to 7 minutes per student, where a student sits down with a teacher and works through a list of 40 words to see how well they can read the sounds represented by the words. 
• For TMoA, the 20-week check is a purpose-built tool that is easy to administer where ākonga distinguish sounds they hear in te reo Māori. The check for TMoA also covers all aspects of phonics including letters and word identification at 40 weeks, reading words, and writing what an ākonga hears at 55 weeks. You can read the recent announcement here:
  • Landmark phonics check in te reo Māori – Beehive.govt.nz
• There will be a suite of supports provided to help teachers and kaiako implement the phonics check including online modules, guidance and resources including videos. 
• There will also be guidance for teachers and kaiako on how to use the checks with students who may have additional learning needs, and learners for whom English is a new language. 
• For those using TMoA, there will be guidance for kaiako on how to use the checks for bi-lingual learners, those with additional learning needs, and those who need accelerated learning.

See the recent phonics news item on Tāhūrangi:
Phonics checks – Tāhūrangi

Reporting to parents

Updated learning areas and wāhanga ako will provide direction relating to what learning needs to be reported on, using aromatawai and assessment practices and tools. We know you’ll need to align your reporting to the updated curriculum, and in Term 4 we will provide you with guidance on this including providing example templates if you’d like to use them. 

You can expect guidance focused on:

• reporting on progress for Years 3-8 using standardised tools
• reporting on progress using the phonics tools in Years 0-2
• descriptions of progress against the curriculum. 

We are currently working with schools on templates to support these areas. 

We’ll also provide guidance and support on communicating with parents, whānau and community.

Making progress - roles of the Ministry, ERO, and schools

Some of you have asked how the Ministry and ERO will work together and with schools as you implement the curriculum changes. 

Over Term 4, schools will be undertaking the readiness activities and accessing the supports that are described in this newsletter. Together, the Ministry and ERO will work with you to understand how you are Getting Ready to implement the changes, including the successes you are having, challenges you are facing, and tailoring additional support as needed.

We will do this by:

• Te Mahau check ins - Te Mahau teams will be in touch with principals in Term 4 to ask about your planning and connect you with the supports you need. This will include checking whether your school has booked your structured literacy and maths PLD, ordered resources and applied for accelerated learning supports. If we already know that your school has undertaken PLD for structured literacy, our check in will be a little later in the term.
• Scheduled ERO reviews - If your school has an ERO review scheduled for Term 4, ERO will have the feedback from your Te Mahau check-in to help inform their initial conversations with you. ERO will talk to you about the changing context, provide advice, and help you think about the support you might need and how to access this.  ERO will not be reporting judgements about individual schools’ progress toward new curriculum implementation in its scheduled reviews but will explore with schools the next steps in curriculum implementation in their planning for the 2025 school year.

How we're supporting you

We know quality teaching makes the biggest in-school difference to learners, and that improving outcomes for students will only work if you have what you need to successfully implement and sustain the changes. That’s why we’re providing you with resources and opportunities to support you as you embed the curricula into your schools and kura. More supports will be added over time with data insights and feedback used to make improvements.

Professional learning and development

We’re moving towards a more consistent system of training and PLD for teachers and kaiako. As part of this there will be no further rounds of regionally allocated professional learning (RAPLD), and all current RAPLD delivery is due to be completed by the end of this year.

Maths and pāngarau resources

We are providing schools and kura with immediate and practical support for the new maths and Pāngarau curricula via Ministry-funded maths and Pāngarau teaching resources. These will be high-quality instructional resources including, for example, workbooks, teacher guidance and lesson plans to support teachers and kaiako in their delivery of the maths and Pāngarau curricula. 

Maths resources 

• Approved/funded suppliers will be published on Tāhūrangi no later than 18 October – follow the hyperlinks to each supplier’s webpage to see what package you will receive.
• Schools and kura will be able to select from a range of quality resources from 21 October which the Ministry will pay for.
• The ordering process is easy with pre-populated roll data for each year group – you simply choose your supplier for each phase of learning and the Ministry will do the rest. 
• For delivery prior to the start of Term 1, orders must be received by 4 November.
• Schools can expect to receive their resources from 20 January 2025. 
• We’ll provide more information about selecting these resources in the next bulletin.
• Only resources that meet our criteria will be funded – this includes aligning with the refreshed mathematics and statistics learning area, supporting best pedagogical practice, the science of learning, and a structured approach as well as being able to deliver at scale and accelerate learning. 
• Schools who have already invested in maths resources will be able to update their materials to ensure the refreshed curriculum is supported. 
• We are unable to reimburse schools for materials already purchased.

For any enquiries relating to maths resources, please email [email protected].

Pāngarau resources

• Three packages of resources will be made available at the beginning of Term 1, 2025 to support the pāngarau wāhanga ako for Tau (Years) 0-8.
• A Rangaranga Pāngarau workbook for each Tau will also be made available at the beginning of Term 1, 2025 aligned with existing resources available on Tāhūrangi and Down the Back of the Chair. You can search for resources on Down the Back of the Chair here:
  • Down the Back of the Chair 
• There will be activities for Te Paerangi Kaiako 4 (Teacher-only Day 4) exploring key pāngarau collections that you may wish to download or order.
• Other resources are in development. 

Other supports will include:   

• Targeted supports for accelerated learning in maths and Pāngarau.   
• Online guidance for teachers and kaiako to fast-track learning.   

Funding contribution for structured literacy and te reo matatini resources  

As part of supporting schools and kura to implement structured literacy and te reo matatini approaches, the Ministry of Education is providing a contribution towards purchasing resources for structured approaches to literacy and te reo matatini.

Every school and kura with students in Year 0-3 will receive a minimum of $500 and up to $5000, with any additional funding being allocated to schools dependent on their roll size. Schools and kura will receive the first contribution alongside their 1 October (quarter three) operational grant this year. Funding will be allocated every year for the next four years, adjusted according to the 1 July roll.  

You can read more about this here: 
Funding contribution for structured literacy and te reo matatini resources – Tāhūrangi

Ready to Read Phonics Plus books are already on their way to schools and kura now, with more coming between now and the end of next year.

Find out more here:
New Ready to Read Phonics Plus books out (New Zealand Curriculum)

For TMoA, resources such as Pīpī Pānui series, Ngā Kete Kōrero readers and journals from Rārangi Pukapuka series with teacher support materials (TSMs) can be used for structured pānui and tuhituhi to support te reo Rangatira learning area.

You can find those here:

• Pīpī Pānui
• Ngā Kete Kōrero
• Rārangi Pukapuka

Look out for a new site on Tāhūrangi called Te Ara Tohu that is currently being trialled through PLD that houses a comprehensive Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā programme with guidance, mini lessons and resources.

Find our existing Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā resources here now:

Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā

More resources are coming.

Accelerative supports in literacy and Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā 

As structured approaches to the teaching and learning of literacy, pānui and tuhituhi, maths, and pāngarau become embedded – and as stronger, more consistent assessment and aromatawai practices make it easier for you to recognise and respond to your students’ needs – fewer students will need additional support (Better Start to Literacy Approach, November 2023 Report by Gillon, McNeill, Gath). For those that do, we’re providing a range of curriculum supports to help you accelerate their progress across the curriculum in reading, writing, pānui, and tuhituhi. It includes: 

For schools using The New Zealand Curriculum: 

• Staffing resource for structured literacy support, for NZC Years 0-2 – Apply now – Tāhūrangi. 
• Accelerated Learning in Literacy (through Programmes for Students), for NZC Years 3-8 – applications are open now, and close Monday 11 November 2024. Find out more here: 2025 Programmes for Students (PfS) - ALL & ALiM.  
• Resource Teachers of Literacy, Years 0-8. 

For kura and schools using Te Marautanga o Aotearoa: 

• In-school specialist support for pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau, for Te Marautanga o Aotearoa – applications will open in Term 1, 2025. 

You can find more information about all the additional supports – including how to apply and the help that your local Ministry office can provide – here:
Additional supports – Tāhūrangi

We’ll also be providing accelerated learning supports for maths and pāngarau in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more updates on Tāhūrangi and in future issues of this newsletter.  

Teacher-only days

Schools and kura will have an opportunity to consider the final learning area and wāhanga ako materials, alongside other resources focused on English, Maths, Te Reo Rangatira, and Pāngarau during their fourth curriculum and assessment teacher-only day (TOD). This day is scheduled to be held between Monday 21 October and Friday 15 November 2024. 

Alternatively, schools and kura can use this day to cover one of the required three days of structured literacy approaches or Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā PLD. 

New resources as well as resources developed for the TOD in May will be available through the links below:

• For the NZC: Teacher-only day resources – Tāhūrangi
• For Te Marautanga o Aotearoa: this will be available from 4 October 2024.

Further resources will be published in time for the November teacher-only day including finalised curriculum content for maths and pāngarau for Years 0-8 and English and Te Reo Rangatira for Years 0-6.  

Resources focused on the NCEA co-requisites will also be available here:
NCEA website

2025 maths and pāngarau curriculum days

The Minister of Education has approved two dedicated maths and pāngarau curriculum days for 2025 to support Years 0–8 teachers and kaiako as they start to embed new curriculum content from the start of next year. You won’t need to make up these days or add them to the school year.  

The purpose of the two maths and pāngarau curriculum days in 2025 is to: 

• provide Years 0–8 leaders and staff with protected time to participate in PLD focused on understanding the updated Year 0-8 maths or pāngarau curriculum and teaching practice expectations 
• grow their knowledge, capabilities and confidence using the curriculum.  

You will have flexibility over when in 2025 your school and kura closes for these days, with parents and caregivers to be given at least a term’s notice of the actual closure dates decided on. Because schools and kura are closed, it also means relief teachers can participate in PLD.  

Please think about how you can connect with and support relief teachers with whom you have a relationship to engage with this.  

Further information will be provided on how to access maths and pāngarau PLD and how to book facilitators to support the curriculum days. 

Local support from our Curriculum Advisory Service

Our recently expanded Curriculum Advisory Service works within regional teams to provide you with direct support. The service is made up of a range of people in our regional offices with diverse curriculum expertise. The teams are available to support you in implementing curriculum and assessment changes.    

If you’re looking for this kind of support, please reach out to your local Ministry office:  
Local Ministry offices

Kahu Pūtoi

Tūhono | Tūtaki | Tuari
Join | Collaborate | Share

Kahu Pūtoi is a peer-to-peer teaching network, providing support to kaiako who teach through te reo Māori. Through this network, kaiako have access to curriculum experts who can provide direct support through online forums, resource sharing, enquiry clusters and collaboration opportunities in implementing curriculum and assessment changes. 

If you are looking for this kind of support, visit the website here to register:
Kahu Pūtoi