Focus on English and Maths

As you may already know, the New Zealand Ministry of Education has implemented refreshed curriculum documents for English and Mathematics. These updated curriculums are now structured around phases of learning, rather than traditional year levels, which brings with it some significant changes. This year, we are beginning the process of aligning our teaching practices to these new expectations.

At the primary school level, the three phases of learning are:

• Phase 1 – Years 0-3

• Phase 2 – Years 4-6

• Phase 3 – Years 7 & 8

This year, we reorganised most of our classes to take this change into account and align with the new curriculum structure. Within each phase, the Progress Outcomes describe what students are expected to understand, know, and do by the end of each phase.

One key element in the new approach is the Understand–Know–Do (UKD) model. This ensures that students don’t just acquire knowledge, but develop a deep understanding and can apply their learning in real-world contexts.

For example, in Phase 2 Maths (Years 4-6), a student may be learning about fractions:

• Understand: the concept that fractions represent equal parts of a whole.

• Know: unit fractions (e.g., ½, ⅓, ¼) and understanding their notation.

• Do: fractions in real-world contexts, such as dividing a pizza or sharing objects equally.

Similarly, for Phase 1 English (Writing) expectations (Years 0-3), a student may be writing about their weekend:

• Understand: that writing allows us to share thoughts, ideas, and experiences with others.

• Know: how to form letters, leave spaces between words, start sentences with a capital letter, and use familiar words.

• Do: write a simple sentence like “I went to the park” using phonetic spelling, with teacher support.

While the refreshed curriculum provides clear guidelines, it’s important to note that there will be some discrepancy between previous expectations and the new curriculum. The updated requirements are more rigorous, and the learning expectations are now set higher than under the old curriculum.

To support teachers through this transition, the Ministry of Education is providing PLD (Professional Learning and Development) curriculum days. We have not yet received the exact dates for these PLD days, but we know there will be two this year and two next year. We will need to adhere to these scheduled sessions so when I do know when they are, I will inform you.

The literacy PLD days were held during the teacher holiday break, so these won't impact school closure. These days are an essential part of the process, as they ensure that our educators are equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively implement the new curriculum.

I also want to address the journey our teachers are on as they work through the implementation of these refreshed expectations. We are actively working to deepen our understanding of the new curriculum and ensure that we’re providing the best possible learning experiences for our tamariki.

For further details, you can take a closer look at the refreshed curriculum documents:

• Refreshed English Curriculum (Years 0-6) (Please note, the section for Years 7 & 8 is still in draft)

• Refreshed Mathematics and Statistics Curriculum (Years 0-8)

If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to reach out. We are committed to working collaboratively as a kura to navigate this transition successfully.