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Revised Curriculum Documents - English and Maths and Statistics 11/25
Revised Curriculum Documents - English and Maths and Statistics 11/25
Curriculum Implementation 2025 - 2028
Curriculum Implementation 2025 - 2028
Curriculum Roll Out Year 0-8
Implementation of the new learning areas started in 2025 and will continue through to 2028.
Years 0-10 English and Mathematics will be required for use from the start of 2026 for all state and state-integrated schools.
Years 0-8 content for Science, Social Sciences, Health & Physical Education will need to be used from Term 1, 2027.
Years 0-8 content for The Arts, Technology and Learning Languages will need to be used from Term 1, 2028.
At OPS...
OPS staff have been investigating and familiarising ourselves with the updated curriculum documents throughout 2024 and 2025.
The curriculum's focus on The Science of Learning' supports and enhances our current practices, and our OPS EPIC Learning Environments (Emotional, Physical, and Intellectually Challenging).
Our existing 'Structured Literacy' implementation (started 2022) strongly aligns with the updated English Curriculum.
By the end of 2025, all teachers will have completed both school-funded, and Ministry of Education-funded professional learning in Structured Literacy using the 'Ideal' approach (Learning Matters).
In 2026 all schools will be implementing the revised English and Mathematics and Statistics Curriculum - released Oct 2025.
Curriculum Changes
Curriculum Changes
Moving from "Levels" to "Phases"
Moving from "Levels" to "Phases"
New Structure: Instead of your child being taught and assessed against old "curriculum levels," progress is now grouped into Phases of Learning:
Phase 1: Years 0–3
Phase 2: Years 4–6
Phase 3: Years 7 & 8
The content in English and Maths & Statistics has increased and is more detailed year-by-year. Some concepts are now introduced earlier than the previous curriculum.
Knowledge and Practices
Knowledge and Practices
The curriculum is now organised into Knowledge and Practices.
Knowledge refers to the information, facts, concepts, and content that students must learn and retain in each subject. "What do students need to know?"
Practices refer to the skills, processes, and methods students use to engage with and apply that knowledge. "What do students need to do with what they know?"
At OPS...
In 2025, staff continued their professional learning by investigating the updated curriculum's Learning Phases and using the new year-level expectations (which align with the Science of Learning and Structured Literacy).
We are making changes to our Learning Community organisation in 2026 in recognition of Phase 1 and 2.
Moving from Key Competencies to 'Capabilities'
Moving from Key Competencies to 'Capabilities'
The following capabilities are common across all learning areas.
Communication which includes actively listening and participating, adapting self-expression to the audience and context, and confidently and safely using digital tools to access information and communicate with others.
Relating to others which includes, working productively together, acting with personal integrity and responsibility, respecting the views and opinions of others, and demonstrating ethical and cultural understanding and responsiveness.
Self-management and self-regulation which includes setting personal goals and reviewing them, managing behaviour in a range of situations, organising and planning how to go about a task, and adapting strategies for success.
Problem solving which includes identifying problems, justifying ideas, linking causes with consequences, critical thinking, and testing and evaluating solutions.
Creativity which includes experimenting to shape and explain thinking, demonstrating intellectual curiosity, and the ability to look at things from multiple perspectives, co-creating and refining ideas and encouraging imagination.
At OPS...
In previous curriculums we use the NZ Curriculum's Key Competencies throughout our learning.
From 2026 OPS staff will start using 'Capabilities' (above). These align very well with our OPS 'We CARE' and EPIC Environment - Emotional, Physical and Intellectually Challenging Environment
Assessment and Reporting
Assessment and Reporting
Reporting to Whānau
Reporting to Whānau
Reporting Using Phases: The way progress is reported will look different in 2026.
Reports to families about their child's learning will use new progress descriptions (Emerging, Developing, Consolidating, Proficient, Exceeding).
Emerging - Students require support to meet curriculum expectations for their year level and/or goals as described in their personalised learning plan.
Developing - Students are making some progress towards curriculum expectations for their year level.
Consolidating - Students are meeting many curriculum expectations for their year level and are steadily strengthening their understanding across learning areas.
Proficient - Students are meeting curriculum expectations for their year level.
Exceeding - Students are exceeding curriculum expectations for their year level.
At OPS...
In late November 2025 we are expecting from the Ministry of Education
information about SMART tool which we will add to our our 'kete' of assessment tools.
guidance about reporting to whānau in 2026
Once this information is published OPS Senior Leaders will plan professional learning for staff in January 2026.
In 2026 OPS staff make changes to our reporting and written report formats, incorporating expected common components and what we have heard from whānau feedback.
We plan to retain the face to face reporting events such as 'whānau connect'. Feedback from whānau tells us these are beneficial and valued by whānau.
Assessment Tools & Requirements
Assessment Tools & Requirements
From 2026 there are formal twice-yearly assessments (using new tools like SMART assessment tool ) for Years 3-8 in Reading, Writing, and Maths.
information about SMART to be shared by the MOE
From 2026 requirement to carry out and submit Phonics checks - submitted after 20 weeks at school and 40 weeks at school
At OPS...
OPS currently use a range of tools, a combination of teacher observation, learning conversations with ākonga, learning tasks, informal and formal assessments.
We are already submitting 'phonics checks' to the Ministry of Education in 2025
Starting in 2026, there will be a twice-yearly assessments new tool 'SMART'- (Student Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Tool) for Years 3-8 in Reading, Writing, and Maths.
From our newsletter Wk 3 Term 3 2025 - There is a compulsory NZ assessment tool coming, which all schools will be required to use for Year 3-6 in English and Maths and Year 2 for Maths from 2026. It’s called the ‘SMART Tool’ (Student Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Tool). “This tool aims to help whānau understand more about their child’s progress.”
What You Can Do at Home?
What You Can Do at Home?
Our OPS Website has a lot of information and videos about many different ways whānau can support their tamariki's learning. - Supporting Learning At Home
Have your say on further curriculum changes
Have your say on further curriculum changes
The remaining learning areas in Year 0-10 as well as Te Mātaiaho framework itself, are now open for consultation. Whānau are encouraged to share your thoughts.
Have your say on further curriculum changes
The remaining learning areas in Year 0-10 as well as Te Mātaiaho framework itself, are now open for consultation.
Te Mātaiaho is the part of the National Curriculum taught in English-medium state and state-integrated schools. Consultation closes: Friday 24 April 2026.
You can share your feedback on these areas:
Have your say on the draft Social Sciences curriculum content
Have your say on the draft Health and Physical Education curriculum content
Have your say on the draft Learning Languages curriculum content
For queries about Te Mātaiaho email: nationalcurriculum.refresh@education.govt.nz
New curriculum content for Years 0-10
The Ministry has confirmed updated curriculum content for Years 0-10 English, Te Reo Rangatira, Mathematics and Statistics, and Pāngarau.
These updates include the tools to help teachers understand how ākonga are progressing in their learning. For example:
Phonics checks in the first year of school.
Twice-yearly assessments for ākonga in Years 3-8 in reading, writing and maths.
Most state and state-integrated schools will begin teaching this updated curriculum from Term 1, 2026.
Find out more about the updated curriculum on the Tāhūrangi website:
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