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Term 2 has fewer new items than Term 1. This is because Term 2 2025 is about embedding and continuing to build on the changes from Term 1 – for example, changes to achievement and attendance.
Achievement and curriculum#
Primary schools#
Primary schools are:
- required to report to whānau | families about how ākonga | students are progressing against the new Years 0 to 6 English and Te Reo Rangatira, and Years 0 to 8 maths and Pāngarau curricula
- continuing to embed the updated English and Te Reo Rangatira (Years 0 to 6), and updated mathematics and statistics and Pāngarau (Years 0 to 8) curriculum content
- encouraged to continue with their current assessment, aromatawai and reporting practices in 2025
- encouraged to implement 20- and 40-week phonics checks or Hihira Weteoro for Year 1 students and share phonics data with us.
Secondary schools#
Secondary schools are continuing to use the updated Achievement Standards and support materials for NCEA assessments.
Resources#
Te Poutāhū Curriculum Centre school update – 9 April 2025
Reporting to parents#
Schools and kura must report progress against the new English Years 0 to 6 and mathematics and statistics Years 0 to 8 learning areas, and Te Reo Rangatira Years 0 to 6 and Pāngarau Years 0 to 8 wāhanga ako.
The use of specific tools for reporting on learner progress is not required in 2025. Schools and kura are encouraged to continue using available standardised assessment tools.
For schools and kura using e-asTTle, the content and scoring within this tool will not change. Interim supports will be provided so schools can use the results to make informed decisions about student progress and achievement against refreshed learning areas and wāhanga ako.
These supports are planned to be available by May in time for mid-year reporting.
2025 curriculum days#
Two curriculum days have been provided for 2025. They are intended to give leaders and teachers time to participate in professional learning focused on the updated curriculum areas and teaching practice expectations. This is to grow leaders’ and teachers’ knowledge, capability and confidence using the new curriculum.
Schools and kura have flexibility over when they close for their 2 curriculum days, provided parents and caregivers are given at least 6 weeks’ notice of the dates.
For Years 0 to 8, schools and kura are encouraged to use these days to support participation in maths and Pāngarau professional learning development (PLD).
Ministry-funded resources (Years 0 to 8)#
More Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā and Pāngarau resources are arriving this term for schools and kura using Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
The new resources build on what was provided in the sample packs delivered in Term 1. Guidance, lesson plans, activities, and classroom-ready resources are there to help kaiako | teachers hit the ground running with structured approaches to teaching and learning.
We’ll be sending these resources directly to kura during Term 2, with the goal to provide kaiako with 1 pack each.
Additional copies can be ordered from Down the Back of the Chair. Digital versions of the latest resources are now available on Tāhūrangi.
Te Ara Tohu: Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā – Tāhūrangi
Attendance#
Schools continue to make sure teachers are recording the correct new attendance codes and that daily attendance data is checked to remove all unknown codes or errors.
Schools start or continue using the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) and adapt it to their needs. Schools align policies and procedures to the new attendance rules and codes.
Daily attendance dashboard – Education Counts
Stepped attendance response (STAR)
School attendance regulations – New Zealand Legislation
Open for instruction#
Schools continue to comply with the 2024 Open and Closing regulations. Updated guidance outlining what we consider open for instruction to mean, the closing for instruction settings, and regulatory requirements will be available on this website from 6 May 2025.
Understanding and minimising the use of physical restraint#
School employers must now make sure all new, beginning, and overseas teachers complete the compulsory module 'Physical Restraint - Understanding the Rules and Guidelines' within 10 weeks of starting at the school. Support staff in a team supporting a student with restraint as part of their support plan must also complete the compulsory online module.
There are new modules to support school boards to meet their legal requirement for supporting teachers on recognising and responding to student distress.
Minimising physical restraint in schools – rules and guidelines
All training modules, including the compulsory module, are listed here.
Training resources – minimising the use of physical restraint
School planning and reporting#
From 1 May 2025, schools and kura are required to use the new school planning and reporting application to submit their 2024 annual reports to us. These need to be submitted by 31 May 2025.
Further information about the school planning and reporting application is below.
Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi: The school planning and reporting framework
