About the national curriculum#

The national curriculum for schools is the foundation of our education system. It:

• sets out the expectations and requirements for teaching, learning and assessment
• describes what all students and ākonga will learn
• underpins everything principals and teachers do at school and in the classroom.

All state and state-integrated kura and schools must use the national curriculum.

The national curriculum for schools is made up of 2 parts.

• The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), which is used by schools.
• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA), used by kura teaching in te reo Māori.

Changes in the national curriculum#

Our national curriculum has been in place since 2007, and we need to make some changes.

We want a national curriculum that is relevant, fit for purpose, and prepares our young people for higher education, work, and life.

The updates to the curriculum content are:

• knowledge-rich: every child learns content that is purposeful, specific, clear, and connected between their years of learning and across learning areas and subjects
• well-sequenced: every child learns knowledge in a well-organised, logical order. Learners can connect, build on, and apply previous learning every step of the way
• clear about the learning that matters: every child is supported by a teacher or kaiako that knows what learning should be prioritised and when
• grounded in the science of learning: every child becomes a self-reflective and positive learner capable of mastering skills they can confidently recall and use in future.

What the changes mean for your child and mokopuna#

As teachers and kaiako introduce new structured approaches into their classrooms, fewer learners and ākonga will need additional support along the way. Help is still available for any child and mokopuna that needs it. We call this accelerated support.

If you want to know more about the accelerated supports available to your child or mokopuna, have a chat to your teacher or kaiako.

As part of implementing the new curriculum into schools, we’ll make sure you have visibility of your child’s and mokopuna’s progress through clear updates from their teachers and kaiako. Regular reporting to parents and whānau is a key part of the changes we’re making for assessment and aromatawai.

Why we’re changing the national curriculum#

We want learners and ākonga at the heart of the education system. We want their learning to be focused on supporting them to thrive.

What they learn in the classroom needs to be clear, consistent, and comparable with other countries. This will help them get an excellent, equitable education, no matter which school or kura they attend.

When we’re making changes#

Making the changes to our national curriculum is happening in stages over the next few years. The strengthened curriculum content is being developed in partnership with teachers before being used in classrooms.