Strengthening curriculum, progress and achievement for every child and young person
The Government’s vision for the future of New Zealand education reflects the overwhelming aspirations of New Zealanders, as expressed in the Kōrero Mātauranga, for a more inclusive, equitable, and connected New Zealand education and learning system.
The report of the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement Ministerial Advisory Group aligns with this vision and provides a clear direction for the future of curriculum, teaching and learning.
There are separate recommendations for Māori and English medium settings which provide a coherent direction, but reflect the differences there are in in the aspirations and contexts of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and The New Zealand Curriculum.
The Advisory Group’s advice makes it clear that to achieve our vision for education we need to change the way we use our national curriculum, so that:
- every student experiences opportunities to learn and progress through a curriculum that values their identity, language and culture, their strengths and aspirations, and those of their whānau
- students, parents, whānau and teachers have strong relationships focused on a holistic view of the progress students are making across a range of learning
- students, parents and whānau are active participants in their kura or school’s marau ā-kura or local curriculum
- teachers and school leaders are well supported through clear system leadership, strong networks and better access to resources, guidance and development opportunities
- high levels of trust allow information about student progress to be used and shared with confidence, to show what’s working for our children and young people, what needs to be improved and where more resources are needed.
The Ministry has already announced changes to make sure all children and young people learn about New Zealand’s histories. This is an important first step, but there are other aspects of the national curriculum that need a fresh look.
Including New Zealand history in the national curriculum
The Minister of Education has asked the Ministry to work in collaboration with you over the coming months on four initial actions to:
- develop a process for updating our national curriculum to make sure it’s fit for purpose, and reflects our aspirations for all children and young people
- develop resources that make it easier to recognise and respond to each student’s progress
- develop a common approach to holistic records of learning that travel with students throughout their learning journey – so that they, their parents, whānau and teachers can see, understand and support their progress
- create a trusted environment for using information about student progress that benefits all children and young people’s learning.
We’ll be working collaboratively with teachers, leaders, Māori, Pacific, students and their whānau over the coming months on these initial actions, alongside progressing the Advisory Group’s recommendations to strengthen leadership, networks and capability, and improving access to resources.
These changes will not be rushed.
We’ve also updated the national priorities for professional learning and development to support teachers and leaders, and align with our focus on curriculum, progress and achievement.
The new priorities are:
- English medium settings: cultural capability, local curriculum design, and assessment for learning
- Māori medium settings: Mātauranga and te reo Māori, marau ā-kura and aromatawai
- All: digital fluency.
Last reviewed: Has this been useful? Give us your feedback