Kia ora koutou,
As we begin a new term, we acknowledge the significant progress across kura and schools as updated curriculum, assessment, and teaching supports move into everyday practice.
This update brings together recent announcements, newly available resources, and key updates to support your planning and practice for the term ahead.
Below you’ll find key highlights and links to Tāhūrangi to help you focus on what matters most for ākonga.
Ngā mihi nui,
Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education
Key updates#
Years 0 to 10 curriculum release dates announced#
Last month, we announced that the final frameworks and Years 0 to 10 content for the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA) will be published by Wednesday 9 September 2026.
The considerable participation in the Years 0 to 10 curriculum consultation led to nearly 3,900 submissions on the drafts, so we’ve taken some extra time to make sure all feedback is considered carefully.
At the same time, we will publish “What you told us and how we responded” reports, which will summarise the feedback we received during the consultation and explain how we responded to it. We did this for English, Mathematics and Statistics, Te Reo Rangatira and Pāngarau.
We are also releasing some content earlier – Science and Social Sciences (12 August), and Pūtaiao and Pūmanawa Tangata (26 August) – to help schools and kura get ready to start using it from the start of 2027.
Tāhūrangi has more information.
Years 0 to 10 curriculum release dates – Tāhūrangi
You can direct queries to either of the below.
Email for NZC: [email protected]
Email for TMoA: [email protected]
Phonics Checks – corrections to students records and assessment materials#
Earlier this year, the Phonics Checks tool was updated so that all checks are stopped after 5 consecutive word errors, in keeping with administration guidance. For previously completed checks that continued past this point, the results were recalculated and corrected in student records on 21 May. The student results now showing in the tool are the correct and final record.
Additionally, we recently updated Phonics Checks student materials for Terms 2, 3 and 4. These updates include corrections to minor errors such as the incorrect labelling of ‘real’ words and ‘pseudo’ words. The errors did not affect the accuracy of any assessments previously completed, and do not need to be redone.
You can access the latest materials for upcoming Phonics Checks on Tāhūrangi.
Supports and resources#
Updated resources: Tāhūrangi improvements#
We've made some changes to the NZC and TMoA homepages on Tāhūrangi. The new page layouts have been designed based on your feedback and make it easier for you to find the resources you need.
We’ve recently updated the leadership resources section on Tāhūrangi – NZC with new resource categories. We’ve also relocated all resources from the implementation supports section to these new categories. For example, 2025 and 2026 roadshow resources can now be found under 'Change Leadership and Implementation Resources'.
If you have any questions or feedback about these changes, contact us.
Email: [email protected]
Opening soon: Year 7 and 8 Maths Acceleration Programme and Hāpai Pāngarau Tau 7 and 8#
Applications for Cohorts 1, 2, and 3 of the Maths and Pāngarau Acceleration Programmes in 2027 will open on 10 August. Applications will close on 4 September, and outcomes will be notified by 18 September.
More information about the programmes, funding, and process is available on Tāhūrangi.
Maths and Pāngarau Years 7 and 8 intervention – Tāhūrangi
Register now: professional learning and development opportunities#
A range of professional learning and development (PLD) opportunities are currently available to support teachers, kaiako, leaders and tumuaki as they implement the refreshed curriculum and strengthen teaching, learning and assessment practice.
We encourage early registration where applicable, as places may be limited.
Assessment and Aromatawai Targeted PLD
Applications for the second round open on 3 August and close on 21 August. This PLD is designed to strengthen the assessment and aromatawai capabilities of teachers, kaiako, leaders and tumuaki.
Assessment and Aromatawai Targeted PLD
Workshops and webinars
Curriculum workshops and webinars support implementation across learning areas.
Mathematics and Statistics Years 9 to 10
Maths Knowledge Building Years 7 to 8
English Learning Area Years 9 to 10
Te Poipoi Kaiako | Mentor Support Programme workshops
These are available both online and across Aotearoa New Zealand, supporting Mentor Teachers and Provisionally Certificated Teachers.
Te Poipoi Kaiako | Mentor Support Programme workshops – Core Education
Coming soon: Teacher Support Materials for Wharekura#
From week 3 in Term 3, the following will be available on Tāhūrangi:
- Tāwhaki nui Tangata
- Te Taniwha o Tuarā
- Matariki Te Whetū o te Tau
- Living by the Moon
- Ngā Hapa Reo
- He Iti te Kupu.
These curated te reo Māori texts integrate mātauranga Māori and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, supporting the teaching of Te Reo Rangatira and Pūtaiao in wharekura. The new support materials will help kaiako use these high-quality secondary curriculum resources in their teaching programmes.
Coming soon: 3 new School Journals #
Three new School Journals are being sent to schools and kura at the beginning of August.
Each journal includes engaging stories, articles, plays, and poems designed to support literacy learning and reflect the lives of New Zealand students. The themes for these journals are space exploration (Year 4), future proofing (Years 5 and 6), and wellbeing (Years 7 and 8).
New Teacher Support Materials (TSMs) will be available on Tāhūrangi. The TSMs have a new structure and content designed to align with the refreshed English learning area and structured literacy approaches.
Teaching resources to support structured literacy approaches – Tāhūrangi
Assessment, reporting and insights#
What’s coming up for SMART Assessment Window 2#
We're continuing to improve SMART ahead of Assessment Window 2, informed by feedback from schools and kura. We will share more detail closer to the opening of Assessment Window 2, but the changes include:
- new self-service options that enable teachers to manage key tasks within SMART
- an improved scanning process for all paper-based assessments
- further development of reporting, including comparison of a student’s results between Assessment 1 and Assessment 2, and reporting to support combined classes (for example, Year 3 and Year 4 in 1 classroom).
If you have feedback on your experience during SMART Assessment Window 1, we'd love to hear from you.
Fill out a short survey here.
SMART Assessment Window 1: Your feedback
Your feedback will help shape future guidance, assessment content, reporting, and platform improvements. We’re particularly interested in hearing about:
- the guidance, training, and support that would help your school or kura get the most value from SMART
- which parts of SMART reporting you found most useful
- what additional information or insights would support teaching and learning.
As always, if you have any questions, email us.
Email: [email protected]
