​​Education (The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa) National Curriculum Statement 2026​ #

​​This national curriculum statement is made under ​​section 90(1)(a)​ of the ​Education and Training Act 2020​​ by the ​Minister of Education.​​

1. Title#

​This is the ​Education (The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa) National Curriculum Statement 2026​.

2. ​Commencement#

​This national curriculum statement comes into force on ​1 January 2027​.

3. ​Interpretation#

​In this national curriculum statement, unless the context otherwise requires,-

• ​Act means the Education and Training Act 2020.
• ​affiliates with Ngā Kura ā-Iwi o Aotearoa means a school recognised by Ngā Kura ā-Iwi o Aotearoa as a current official member kura.
• ​Curriculum Framework means the overarching requirements for teaching and learning programmes that underpin State schools’ delivery of the learning areas, wāhanga ako, and subjects within the National Curriculum.
• ​learning areas mean–
  (a) ​structures that organise the Year 0-10 curriculum content into broad domains of learning based on related disciplines and subjects, organised into year-by-year cumulative sequences of knowledge and practices; and
  (b) ​as specified in The New Zealand Curriculum: English; Mathematics and Statistics; Science; Social Sciences; Health and Physical Education; Technology; The Arts; and Learning Languages.
  ​National Curriculum means the statement of official policy relating to the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of teaching and learning programmes (including assessment and aromatawai) in New Zealand State schools comprised of two pathways: The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
  ​revoked curriculum statement means a foundational curriculum policy statement or national curriculum statement made under section 90 of the Act revoked by clause 10 that is replaced by Schedule 2 or Schedule 3.
  ​State school with a special character means:​a designated character school;
  • a. ​a Kura Kaupapa Māori; or 
  • b. ​a State-integrated school. 
• ​Subjects mean structures that organise the Year 11-13 curriculum content into specialised areas of study, building on the learning areas and wāhanga ako, with each subject providing a coherent set of knowledge and practices for each year level.
• ​Te Anga Marautanga o Aotearoa means the curriculum framework for Te Marautanga o Aotearoa pathway.
• ​Te Marautanga o Aotearoa means the pathway within the National Curriculum set out in Schedule 3 which is designed to enable delivery of the knowledge, practices, and capabilities of the National Curriculum through teaching and learning programmes that are culturally grounded in te ao Māori and focussed on developing students as confident and effective communicators in te reo Māori.
• ​Te Mātaiaho means the curriculum framework for The New Zealand Curriculum pathway.
• ​The New Zealand Curriculum means the pathway within the National Curriculum set out in Schedule 2 which is designed to enable delivery of the knowledge, practices, and capabilities of the National Curriculum in a wide range of education settings.
• ​Wāhanga ako mean
  a. – ​Te Marautanga o Aotearoa equivalent to learning areas; and
  b. ​as specified in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa: Te Reo Rangatira; Te Pāngarau; Te Pūtaiao; Te Pūmanawa Tangata; Te Waiora; Te Hangarau; Te Toi Ihiihi; Te Reo Pākehā; and Ngā Reo.

4. ​Transitional, savings, and related provisions#

​The transitional, savings, and related provisions set out in Schedule 1 have effect according to their terms.

5. ​Schools must adopt a National Curriculum pathway#

1. ​The board of a State school must adopt one of the National Curriculum pathways, either:​
   1. The New Zealand Curriculum set out in Schedule 2; or
   2. ​Te Marautanga o Aotearoa set out in Schedule 3.
2. ​The board of a State school must ensure that the school through its principal and staff give effect to the National Curriculum pathway it has adopted.

​6. Circumstances where some schools may use more than one National Curriculum pathway#

1. ​Despite clause 5, the board of a State school may use more than one National Curriculum pathway where the circumstances set out in this clause are met.
2. ​The board of a State school with a bilingual class, or classes, where te reo Māori is one of the primary languages of instruction may adopt Te Marautanga o Aotearoa for those classes and The New Zealand Curriculum for the rest of the school.
3. The board of a State school which has adopted Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and offers opportunities for its students to learn an additional language must use the relevant content set out in Schedule 2 for the teaching of languages set out in that Schedule.
4. ​Despite clause 6(3), Te Reo Māori in Schedule 2 should not be used by the board of a State school which has adopted Te Marautanga o Aotearoa except where necessary to support a student who is not yet ready for Te Reo Rangatira.
5. ​The board of a State school may offer its students one or more Year 11-13 subjects from the National Curriculum pathway not adopted where that will best meet the needs of a particular student or group of students so long as any such subject is delivered in accordance with the requirements for that subject set out in the relevant Schedule.

​7. Language of instruction#

1. ​There are no restrictions on the languages that the National Curriculum can be delivered through (including New Zealand Sign Language and Pacific languages).
2. ​However, a State school offering bilingual or immersion education must give effect to the National Curriculum pathway its board has adopted for the purposes of clauses 5 and 6.
3. ​Despite clause 7(2), a State school that offers bilingual and immersion education programmes at levels 1 or 2 of the Language Programme Immersion scale can adapt teaching and assessment to support development of literacy (including oral language) in the target language before explicitly teaching and assessing English.

8. ​Special character#

1. ​A State school with a special character can continue to reflect, through its teaching and learning programmes, the education with a special character provided for it under the Act.
2. ​A State school with a special character must still give effect to the National Curriculum pathway adopted by its board under clause 5(1).

9. ​Modified arrangements for some specified school boards#

1. ​A requirement in Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 to undertake twice-yearly assessments or aromatawai for students in Years 3 to 8 do not apply to the board of a State school that affiliates with Ngā Kura ā-Iwi o Aotearoa.
2. ​Instead, the board must ensure that its students in Years 4, 6, and 8 are assessed at least once in each school year using the Student Monitoring, Assessment, and Reporting Tool (SMART) provided by the Ministry of Education for the purpose of monitoring progress in–
   1. reading or pānui; and
   2. ​writing or tuhituhi; and
   3. ​mathematics or pāngarau.
3. ​This clause applies regardless of whether the school has adopted–
   1. ​The New Zealand Curriculum pathway; or
   2. Te Marautanga o Aotearoa pathway; or
   3. ​both pathways.

​10. Revocation#

1. ​This national curriculum statement revokes and replaces the following:
   1. ​Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements published in “The National Curriculum: Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements” (29 October 2009) 157 New Zealand Gazette 3787 at 3811;
   2. ​National Curriculum Statements for Years 0-10 only (Years 11-13 remain in force) published in “National Curriculum: The National Curriculum Statements” (29 October 2009) 157 New Zealand Gazette 3787 at 3813;
   3. ​National Curriculum Statements for Years 0-10 only (Years 11-13 remain in force) published in “National Curriculum: The National Curriculum Statement for Technology and Hangarau” (8 December 2017) New Zealand Gazette No 2017-go6474;
   4. ​National Curriculum Statements for Years 0-10 only (Years 11-13 remain in force) published in “Ngā tauāki Marautanga ā-Motu / National Curriculum Statements” (27 October 2022) New Zealand Gazette No 2022-go4492;
   5. Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements and amended National Curriculum Statements published in “Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements and National Curriculum Statements / Ngā Kaupapa Here Tauākī Tūāpapa Marautanga me ngā Tauāki Marautanga ā-Motu” (21 December 2023) New Zealand Gazette No 2023-go5904;
   6. ​Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements and National Curriculum Statements published in “Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements and National Curriculum Statements / Ngā Tauākī Herenga Marautanga Taketake me ngā Tauākī Marautanga ā-Motu” 31 October 2024) New Zealand Gazette No 2024-sl5500; and 
   7. ​Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements and National Curriculum Statements published in “Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements and National Curriculum Statements / Ngā Tauākī Herenga Marautanga Taketake me ngā Tauākī Marautanga ā-Motu” (11 December 2025) New Zealand Gazette No 2025-sl17165.

11. ​The New Zealand Curriculum#

​Schedule 2 sets out The New Zealand Curriculum that applies to State schools that have adopted this National Curriculum pathway.

12. ​Te Marautanga o Aotearoa#

​Schedule 3 sets out Te Marautanga o Aotearoa that applies to State schools that have adopted this National Curriculum pathway.

​Schedule 1 ​Transitional, savings, and related provisions #

1. ​Transitional implementation of Schedule 2 (The New Zealand Curriculum pathway)#

1. ​This clause applies to the board of a State school that adopts The New Zealand Curriculum pathway.
2. ​The board must implement the following components of Schedule 2 from 1 January 2027:
   1. ​Te Mātaiaho:
      1. ​minimum teaching and learning time requirements for reading, writing, and mathematics;
      2. ​nationally consistent assessment requirements;
   2. ​English (Years 0-10);
   3. ​Mathematics and Statistics (Years 0-10).
3. ​The board must prepare and implement a transition plan that ensures full implementation of all other requirements of Schedule 2 in accordance with this clause.
4. ​In relation to Te Mātaiaho (other than the components referred to in subclause (2)(a)), the board must ensure the school starts progressive implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030, having regard to the implementation timeframes applying to the relevant learning areas and subjects.
5. ​The board must ensure that for Science (Years 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2028.
6. ​The board must ensure that for Social Sciences (Years 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2028.
7. ​The board must ensure that for Health and Physical Education (Years 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.
8. ​The board must ensure that for Technology (Years 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.
9. ​The board must ensure that for The Arts (Year 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.
10. ​If the school teaches one or more additional languages included in Schedule 2, the board must ensure that for Learning Languages and the relevant language content–
    1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
    2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.

2. ​Transitional implementation of Schedule 3 (Te Marautanga o Aotearoa pathway)#

1. ​This clause applies to the board of a State school that adopts Te Marautanga o Aotearoa pathway.
2. ​The board must implement the following components of Schedule 3 from 1 January 2027:
   1. ​Te Anga Marautanga o Aotearoa:
      1. ​minimum teaching and learning time requirements for pānui, tuhituhi, and pāngarau;
      2. ​nationally consistent aromatawai requirements;
   2. ​Te Reo Rangatira (Tau 0-10);
   3. ​Te Pāngarau (Tau 0-10).
3. ​The board must prepare and implement a transition plan that ensures full implementation of all other requirements of Schedule 3 in accordance with this clause.
4. ​In relation to Te Anga o Marautanga o Aotearoa (other than the components referred to in subclause (2)(a)), the board must ensure the school starts progressive implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030, having regard to the implementation timeframes applying to the relevant wāhanga ako and subjects.
5. ​The board must ensure full implementation of Te Pūtaiao (Tau 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2028.
6. ​The board must ensure that for Te Pūmanawa Tangata (Tau 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from r 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, as soon as practicable after 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2028.
7. ​The board must ensure that for Te Waiora (Tau 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.
8. ​The board must ensure that for Te Hangarau (Tau 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.
9. ​The board must ensure that for Te Toi Ihiihi (Tau 0-10)–
   1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
   2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.
10. ​The board must ensure that for Te Reo Pākehā (Tau 0-10)–
    1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
    2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.
11. ​If the school teaches one or more additional languages included in Schedule 2, the board must ensure that for Ngā Reo and the relevant language content–
    1. ​for Years 9 and 10, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2027 and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2027; and
    2. ​for Years 0 to 8, the school starts implementation from 1 January 2029, or earlier if the board so determines, and achieves full implementation as soon as practicable and by no later than 31 December 2030.

3. ​Additional transitional implementation arrangements for some specified school boards  #

1. ​This clause applies despite clauses 1 and 2.
2. ​The board of a State school that affiliates with Ngā Kura ā-Iwi o Aotearoa may defer until 1 January 2030 implementation of any requirement in Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 relating to all Year 11 students being taught Science or Pūtaiao.  
3. ​The board of a school designated as a Kura Kaupapa Māori may defer:
   1. ​until 1 January 2029 implementation of any requirement in Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 relating to nationally consistent assessment or aromatawai;
   2. ​until 1 January 2030 implementation of any requirement in Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 relating to all Year 11 students being taught Science or Pūtaiao.
4. ​This clause applies regardless of whether the school has adopted–  
   1. ​The New Zealand Curriculum pathway; or  
   2. ​Te Marautanga o Aotearoa pathway; or
   3. ​both pathways.

4. ​Savings and transitional use of revoked curriculum statements during implementation#

1. ​Despite the revocation of any curriculum statement by this national curriculum statement, the board of a State school may continue to use the revoked curriculum statements for the purposes of developing and delivering their teaching and learning programmes during the applicable transition period.
2. ​For the purposes of subclause (1), the applicable transition period ends on the date by which the board achieves full implementation of the corresponding learning area, wāhanga ako, subject, or curriculum component in Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 in accordance with the requirements set out in clauses 1, 2 or 3.
3. ​During the applicable transition period, a board may use–
   1. ​a revoked curriculum statement; or
   2. ​a corresponding learning area, wāhanga ako, subject, or curriculum component in Schedule 2 or Schedule 3; or
   3. ​both.​ 

Schedule 2 The New Zealand Curriculum#

1. The New Zealand Curriculum framework | Te Mātaiaho – Tāhūrangi 
2. English (Years 0 to 10) – Tāhūrangi
3. Mathematics and Statistics (Years 0 to 10) – Tāhūrangi 
4. Science (Years 0 to 10) – Tāhūrangi  
5. Social Sciences (Years 0 to 10) – Tāhūrangi
6. Health and Physical Education (Years 0 to 10) – Tāhūrangi 
7. Technology (Years 0-10) – Tāhūrangi
8. The Arts Years 0-10 – Tāhūrangi
9. Learning Languages Years 0 to 10 – Tāhūrangi
   1. Te Reo Māori Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi
   2. New Zealand Sign Language Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi  
   3. Gagana Sāmoa (Sāmoan) Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi
   4. Gagana Tokelau (Tokelauan) Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi  
   5. Lea Faka-Tonga (Tongan) Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi
   6. Te Reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi
   7. Vagahau Niue (Niuean) Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi
   8. Chinese (Mandarin) Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi 
   9. Japanese Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi
   10. Korean Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi
   11. French Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi  
   12. German Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi  
   13. Spanish Novice Stages – Tāhūrangi

Schedule 3 Te Marautanga o Aotearoa#

1. Te Anga Marautanga o Aotearoa – Tāhūrangi  
2. Te Reo Rangatira (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi
3. Te Pāngarau (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi
4. Te Pūtaiao (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi 
5. Te Pūmanawa Tangata (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi 
6. Te Waiora (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi
7. Te Hangarau (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi
8. Te Toi Ihiihi (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi
9. Te Reo Pākehā (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi 
10. Ngā Reo (Tau 0-10) – Tāhūrangi

​​Explanatory note#

​This national curriculum statement sets the official policy in relation to teaching and learning in State schools under section 90 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act) and gives direction to each school’s curriculum, assessment, and aromatawai obligations (section 127 of the Act), teaching and learning programmes (section 164 of the Act), and monitoring and reporting of student performance (section 165 of the Act and associated Regulations). School boards must ensure that they and their principal and staff give effect to this statement and the schedule for the National Curriculum pathway(s) that the School board has adopted.

​There are two pathways in the National Curriculum, The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. Clause 5 sets the requirement for schools to adopt one pathway for regulatory purposes, and clause 6 sets out specific circumstances in which some schools may use more than one pathway.

​There are some requirements in this national curriculum statement that only apply to schools that affiliate with Ngā Kura ā-Iwi o Aotearoa (NKAI) and some that only apply for schools that are designated as Kura Kaupapa Māori. These reflect ongoing discussions between the Crown and NKAI and Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa as the representative bodies of these kura.  

​Consistency with principles of responsible regulation#

​The Ministry of Education provided the following documents relating to its review of this secondary legislation, and its process for developing it, for consistency with the principles of responsible regulation under the Regulatory Standards Act 2025:

• ​a consistency accountability statement:
• ​a summary of underpinning analysis.

​Copies of those documents can be found at—

Regulatory analysis summaries and consistency accountability statements

​The Ministry of Education considers that a statement from the maker under section 14(1)(b) of the Regulatory Standards Act 2025 is not required for this secondary legislation.  

​The Ministry of Education prepared a regulatory analysis summary to help inform the main policy decisions taken by the Minister relating to the contents of this secondary legislation.

​Copies of the regulatory analysis summary can be found at— 

Regulatory analysis summaries and consistency accountability statements

This is secondary legislation issued under the authority of the Legislation Act 2019.

Legislation Act 2019

​

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