New Zealand Curriculum

Understanding the Child-Oriented Assumptions in the Curriculum

The New Zealand Curriculum sets out a clear, defined pathway for students' learning, year on year, so that by the time they reach Year 13, they have the knowledge and skills to succeed in their chosen field.

To get a year's worth of learning in a school year, the New Zealand Curriculum has some deep-down, inbuilt assumptions:

Assumption One: As a five-year-old, the child is ready for school on day one. That is why wonderful preschool experiences, lots of talking to develop oral language skills, and a loving, stable home with strong routines are so good for children. They can then come ready for success.
Assumption Two: The child attends school daily, which is why attendance is essential. Strong attendance gives a child the best possible chance of receiving everything taught.
Assumption Three: The child's positive behaviour enables them and their peers to make the most of a teacher's lessons. That is why our school values and key competencies are so important. We have positive values to enable learning to occur.
Assumption Four: Enrolment is stable at the same school. Teachers who know students and their families, and students who know teachers and their peers, are very grounding and secure for children. Staying at the same school, year on year, helps learning progress as fast as possible.
Assumption Five: The child's home is aligned with the school. We love seeing whānau come in for events and student interviews. When children know that mum and dad are on the same page as the teacher, they know they have a substantial collection of loving individuals supporting them to grow. Setting goals at the start of the year and working hard on the Learning Partnership work are all part of this alignment.

When these five assumptions are met, we see children progress with a year's worth (or even more) of progress in a year. They move through the key curriculum milestones set out below, achieving everything they need.

First 6 months at schoolThe first few months at school are an exciting and challenging time for children. Find out what they'll be learning and how you can support them at home.

Year 1 New Zealand CurriculumUnderstand what your child will have learned by the end of their first year of school. See suggestions for simple things you can do at home to help them learn.

Year 2 New Zealand CurriculumUnderstand what your child will have learned by the end of their second year at school, and how you can support this learning at home.

Year 3 New Zealand CurriculumInformation to help you understand what your child learns in Year 3 at school, and ideas for helping them with their learning at home.

Year 4 New Zealand CurriculumInformation to help you understand what your child will have learned by the end of their fourth year at school, and ideas or activities to help support their learning at home.

Year 5 New Zealand CurriculumInformation to help you understand what your child will have learned by the end of their fifth year at school, and guidance on how you can support this learning at home.

Year 6 New Zealand CurriculumInformation to help you understand what your child will have learned by the end of their sixth year at school, and ideas for activities to help them with their learning at home.