The National Curriculum

The National Curriculum sets out what students should learn and how their learning is structured.

Understanding the National Curriculum helps your board focus on what matters most – supporting high-quality teaching and improving outcomes for all students.

Through the Ministry of Education, the Government is updating the National Curriculum, including its content, delivery, and assessment methods.

As part of its governance responsibilities, your board plays a key role in supporting staff as they implement these changes.

Note: the New Zealand Curriculum is also called “Te Mātaiaho.”

What are the two versions of the National Curriculum?

The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) for English-medium schools
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA) for Māori-medium schools and kura

Each provides a framework of learning areas, knowledge, and skills that students are expected to develop over time. Schools use this framework to design teaching and learning programmes that reflect their local context and the needs of their students.

How is the National Curriculum structured?

Both versions of the National Curriculum are divided into eight learning areas (subjects).

The New Zealand Curriculum:

English
Mathematics and Statistics
Science
Technology
Health and Physical Education
Learning Languages
The Arts
Social Sciences

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa:

Te Reo Rangatira + Te Reo Pākehā
Waiora
Pāngarau
Pūtaiao
Te Au Māori
Hangarau
Toi Ihiihi
Ngā Reo

What shapes the National Curriculum?

The National Curriculum is shaped by government priorities and updated over time to reflect new expectations for teaching, learning, and assessment.

As mentioned before, the Government is currently updating the curriculum.

These changes are guided by Foundation Curriculum Policy Statements and National Curriculum Statements, which set the direction for what schools must implement.

Updates are being introduced in stages, and schools and kura may be working with a mix of existing and updated curriculum content during the transition period.

During periods of change, reporting may look different across learning areas or year levels. Your principal should help your board understand what is happening and what it means for students.

What is your board’s role?

Your board is accountable for ensuring that the National Curriculum is effectively implemented. This responsibility sits with your board, but is delegated to the principal to manage.

In practice, this means your board is responsible for:

Providing policies and resources that support the principal and staff to develop, implement, and monitor teaching and learning programmes.
Setting a budget that allows for professional development, classroom release time, and appropriate teaching materials.
Monitoring student progress and achievement (through the principal’s reporting), and using this information to inform decision-making.
Ensuring student achievement information is shared with the Ministry of Education, parents, caregivers, and the wider community in a clear and timely way.
Meeting your good employer obligations by ensuring staff are supported to implement changes effectively.

Your role is to set direction, resource appropriately, and monitor outcomes.

What is the principal’s role?

The principal, as your board’s chief executive officer (CEO), is delegated the responsibility for leading the teaching and learning programmes in your school or kura.

It is the principal’s responsibility to ensure that staff are implementing the National Curriculum.

The principal will report to your board on the school’s compliance with all legislative requirements.

For example, as part of your board’s curriculum review process, the principal should be reporting on how the teaching and learning programme for every subject or learning area:

Meets the curriculum delivery and assessment requirements
Incorporates your school’s special character, your local school context, and New Zealand’s cultural diversity
Supports every student to develop and succeed to their highest potential.

Where can you find out more about the changes?

The principal should keep your board updated on any changes.

The Ministry of Education’s Tāhūrangiopen_in_new website has all the curriculum information in one place, including updates, implementation timelines, and guidance to support school leaders and teachers.

Stay up to date with what’s happening by reading the Ministry’s regular School Leaders Bulletinopen_in_new, which often includes a section on key information and actions for boards.

We also keep you updated in our Term Task Checklistsopen_in_new and Board Matters publication. Check your registered email address!

If you’re not receiving these emails, ring our Advisory and Support Centre.

Questions your board could ask

Do we understand our role in implementing and monitoring the National Curriculum?
Do we have a teaching and learning policy (or statement)?
Have we updated our strategic planning to reflect the curriculum changes?
How are changes affecting teaching, learning, and assessment in our school?
Are there any areas of the curriculum that need our support through additional resourcing and staff professional development?
Have we discussed with the principal what their reports will cover and how the information will be presented?
Are we keeping our community informed about curriculum changes?

Templates, resources, and references

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