Understanding the shift from Levels to Phases of Learning

🔄 What's Changing?

New Zealand's curriculum is being refreshed with a new name: Te Mātaiaho. The biggest change for parents to understand is that the traditional "Curriculum Levels 1-8" are being replaced with "Phases of Learning" that better align with your child's school years.

📚 Old System: Curriculum Levels

Level 1: Years 1-3 (mostly)

Level 2: Years 3-5 (mostly)

Level 3: Years 5-7 (mostly)

Level 4: Years 7-9 (mostly)

Levels 5-8: Years 9-13

Levels were confusing because they didn't match school years clearly

✨ New System: Learning Phases

Phase 1:

Years 0-3 (New Entrants to Year 3)

Phase 2:

Years 4-6 (Middle School)

Phase 3:

Years 7-10 (Intermediate/Junior Secondary)

Phase 4:

Years 11-13 (Senior Secondary/NCEA)

Phases clearly match your child's school years!

📅 When Are These Changes Happening?

2025

Term 1: English (Years 0-6) and Maths (Years 0-8) start using the new curriculum

2026

Term 1: English (Years 7-13) and remaining Maths years begin

2027+

Other subjects (Science, Technology, etc.) will be updated progressively

🎯 Why This Change Benefits Your Child

Clearer Expectations

You'll know exactly what your child should be learning in their specific school year

Better Conversations

Easier discussions with teachers about your child's progress using familiar year levels

Deeper Learning

New "Understand-Know-Do" model connects what students learn to real understanding

Cultural Connection

Stronger focus on Aotearoa New Zealand's histories and diverse perspectives

🧠 Understanding the "Understand-Know-Do" Model

Te Mātaiaho organizes learning around three connected components that work together:

🎯

UNDERSTAND

The Big Ideas

What your child will truly understand and remember long after school. These are the deep concepts that connect to everything else they learn.

Example: "Patterns help us predict and solve problems" (instead of just memorizing times tables)

📚

KNOW

Essential Knowledge

The important facts, vocabulary, and information your child needs to support their understanding of the big ideas.

Example: Knowing multiplication facts, math vocabulary, and number relationships

⚡

DO

Skills & Actions

What your child can actually do with their learning - the skills and abilities they can demonstrate and apply.

Example: Solve real-world problems, explain their thinking, use different strategies

🔄 How They Work Together

Instead of learning isolated facts, your child will KNOW essential information, DO meaningful activities, all leading to deep UNDERSTANDING they can use in new situations. This creates lasting, connected learning rather than memorisation that's quickly forgotten.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What Can Parents Do?

• 💬 Talk to your child's teacher about how these changes will look in their classroom

• 📖 Ask about learning goals for your child's specific phase of learning

• 🏠 Support at home by understanding the new focus on connected, deeper learning

• 🤝 Stay engaged with school communications about curriculum updates

• 📚 Be patient as schools adjust to the new system over the coming years