Six priorities to improve achievement#

The Minister of Education has outlined 6 priorities to lift achievement across the system.

Education priorities focused on lifting achievement – Beehive website

These priorities guide our programmes of work and the support we provide to schools and kura. Together, they focus on:

• providing a clear, knowledge-rich curriculum so teachers know what to teach and when
• making sure all students are taught literacy and mathematics using approaches that are known to work
• improving assessment and reporting, so teachers understand student progress and parents and whānau are well informed
• strengthening the teaching workforce, from initial teacher education through to leadership
• targeted and effective learning support
• making better use of data, assessment, and evidence to identify needs and invest in what works.

Work programmes underway#

Strengthening the National Curriculum#

We have updated the following key learning areas to provide clearer year-by-year expectations:

• English and Mathematics and Statistics (New Zealand Curriculum)
• Te Reo Rangatira and Pāngarau (Te Marautanga o Aotearoa).

Drafts of all other learning areas and wāhanga ako were released in Term 4, 2025 for feedback. This supports a more coherent and consistent curriculum across the system.

Structured Literacy and Rangaranga Reo ā Tā#

We are supporting schools and kura to implement structured teaching approaches based on the science of how children learn.

Support includes:

• professional learning and development
• teaching resources
• targeted staffing support for Years 0 to 6 (New Zealand Curriculum settings).

These approaches are designed to make teaching more consistent and improve early literacy outcomes.

Foundational learning#

Strong foundations in reading, writing, and maths are at the heart of improving achievement. These core skills support learning across the curriculum and are essential for success at school, further study and work.

The Foundational Learning programme focuses on strengthening foundational learning and creating a more consistent approach to assessment and aromatawai across the education system.

This includes:

• the use of structured teaching approaches
• the use of Phonics Checks and Hihira Weteoro for Years 1 and 2
• the introduction of Maths and Pāngarau checks in Year 2
• the introduction of the Student Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Tool (SMART).

The tools in SMART support more consistent monitoring of progress and earlier identification of learners who need additional support.

Progress towards target

To track progress, the Government has set a clear target.

By December 2030, 80% of Year 8 students will be at or above the expected curriculum level in reading, writing, and maths.

Quarterly progress report#

The latest Curriculum Insights results were released in May 2026. They give a stronger national picture of how students across state and state-integrated schools are progressing in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Reports and resources – Curriculum Insights and Progress Study – University of Otago

For the first time, all 3 foundation areas – reading, writing and mathematics – have been assessed in 2025. This provides a consistent snapshot of student achievement at Years 3, 6 and 8. It allows emerging trends to be interpreted with greater confidence as the study continues.

The latest results show that student achievement has largely stabilised, with early upwards shifts in maths and writing.

These results are encouraging. But gaps in achievement remain. Concerns about student achievement are greater for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, Pacific students, and ākonga Māori. These gaps are especially noticeable in maths.

Curriculum Insights data and other system data help identify where these challenges are concentrated and support earlier, more targeted responses.

Government targets – Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)

Percentage of students at or above the expected curriculum level, by subject#

Source: Data windows - Curriculum Insights and Progress Study – University of Otago

Bringing this work together#

Improving achievement requires a connected approach. Strengthening foundational skills, providing a clearer curriculum, supporting high-quality teaching, and improving assessment and monitoring are all designed to work together.

We’re strengthening early identification and intervention through consistent progress checks. So schools can spot learning needs sooner and provide the right support to lift progress and achievement.

By focusing first on what matters most, strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, we are building a more consistent, equitable, and effective education system for every learner.