Overview#

The updated English and Mathematics & Statistics learning areas for Years 0 to 10 is changing the way schools report on your child’s progress.

New Zealand Curriculum guide (Years 0 to 8)

New Zealand Curriculum guide (Years 9 to 10)

New reporting has been designed to align to the new curriculum, and to support clear and consistent reporting so you can understand how your child is progressing each year, regardless of which school they attend.

This change means there will be 1 of 5 progress descriptors used to describe your child’s progress in Reading, Writing, and Maths. At the end of the year, children who are proficient or above show they are ready for the next year of learning.

The new assessment results also include a narrative about why the overall progress descriptor was chosen, alongside information about how you can support your child’s next learning steps at home and a visual representation of your child’s progress over time.

In recognition of the important link between attendance and learning, attendance data will also be included.

Attendance

Progress descriptors#

Progress descriptors are clear, nuanced, and positive, and help identify where a child is achieving, and what is needed to support further progress.

At the end of the year, children who are proficient or above show they are ready for the next year of learning.

The table below explains each of the progress descriptors you may see on your child’s report.

Is my child on track#

The diagram below shows how progress descriptors show your child’s progress in their mid-year and end-of-year reports and their level of readiness to engage in the next year of learning.

If at mid-year a teacher considers your child to be:

• emerging or developing, they are still working towards meeting expectations, and their progress is not yet on track to meet end-of-year expectations for their year level. In this situation your child’s school may provide additional learning support.
• consolidating, proficient or exceeding, their progress is on track. In this situation your child’s school may provide extended learning opportunities and enrichment activities.

If at the end of a year, a teacher considers your child be:

• proficient or exceeding, their progress and achievement has met curriculum expectations
• emerging, developing, or consolidating, they have made progress towards expectations and are still working towards achieving the expected outcomes for their year level. They have not met curriculum expectations for their year level. In this situation, your child's school may offer additional support to your child, and their current teacher should discuss a learning plan for next year with their new teacher.

For students with diverse learning needs, or who have individualised progress goals and assessments outlined in their IEP, the descriptors will still be used.

How teachers will select progress descriptors#

Selecting the right descriptor involves professional judgement, evidence from multiple sources, and a well-rounded understanding of your child’s knowledge and capabilities.

No single piece of evidence can provide a teacher with the full picture of your child’s learning progress. A teacher will bring together multiple sources of information, to gain a clearer, more reliable understanding of your child’s progress and achievement.

This includes information from throughout the year from observations, conversations with students, tasks, and data from assessment tools (Phonics Check, e-asTTle, PATs, SMART).

It is important as parents and whānau that you can access these results if you want them. Schools may include this information in your child’s report, attach the results to the report, or provide you with access in another way such as during parent-teacher interviews or via a school information portal.

Your child’s report#

At least twice a year, schools are required to provide a written report to you, in plain language, on your child’s progress and achievement across the curriculum. From 2026, schools will be required to include the following 5 elements. This will be in addition to other information the school currently includes in its reports.

The elements are:

1. progress descriptors for each of Reading, Writing, and Maths
2. a visual representation of a student’s progress over time
3. information about how progress descriptors were selected, and about how you can support next learning steps
4. assessment results
5. an attendance record.

These components are not designed to replace current reports, but they need to be included in some way in all reports from the start of 2026 onwards.

Example#

Below is an example of how these elements may appear in your child’s report. Existing reports can still be used by schools as long as these elements are included.

Progress over time visual

A graph of progress over time allows you to understand the progress and achievement of your child, not only within their current year of learning but also across multiple years throughout their schooling.

The example above shows what this could look like for a mid-year report in Year 4. This example image has been designed to show progress against the curriculum expectations for your child’s current year level, rather than comparing to years below or above. This ensures a focus on whether your child is meeting, exceeding, or still progressing toward the expectations for their current year, rather than comparisons across and between years.

Children with complex learning needs#

The 5 components described above will appear in reports for all children in New Zealand, including those with complex learning needs. The progress descriptors chosen by teachers will show how your child is moving toward the curriculum goals, and the teacher’s narrative will explain this progress in more detail recognising your child’s individual needs and learning plan.

If your child has complex learning needs and requires tailored support for their learning, this does not mean that they are not proficient in the curriculum. They should not be automatically assessed as ‘Emerging’, or ‘Developing’.

For children with additional learning needs, who have individualised progress goals and assessments outlined in their Individual Education Support Plans, reporting should reflect progress toward those personalised goals, alongside curriculum expectations.

Discussing reports with your child#

You might like to talk with your child about what’s in their school report. Here are some tips that might help you with that conversation.

1. Choose a calm, positive moment. Pick a time when neither of you is rushed or stressed.
2. Start with strengths. Begin by highlighting what your child is doing well. This builds confidence and sets a supportive tone.
3. Ask open-ended questions. Instead of telling them how to feel, gently ask things like “What do you think about this part?”, “Did anything here surprise you?” and “What are you most proud of?”
4. Focus on effort, not just results. Celebrate the hard work they’ve put in, even if the progress descriptors shown are not what you expected.
5. Talk about challenges as opportunities. If there are areas that need improvement, frame them as things you can work on together. For example, “It looks like reading is tricky right now, what do you think might help?”
6. Set simple, achievable goals. Make 1 or 2 small goals together so your child feels empowered rather than overwhelmed.
7. Reassure and support. End the conversation by reinforcing that you’re proud of them and you’re there to help.