There is a great deal of "new" happening in the world of education right now, and we want to keep you well-informed as we navigate these changes together.

As the New Zealand Curriculum undergoes a significant refresh, how we track, assess, and report on your child’s progress is also evolving to meet new national standards.

Reporting in Flux: Why Things Look Different

With the shift in the national curriculum, the "learning intentions" and "progress descriptors" we have used in the past are changing. Because the goalposts have moved, you may notice that student achievement data feels like it is in a "state of flux."

To ensure accuracy, we are essentially hitting the "reset" button on our progress graphs:

• Fresh Start: Progress graphs in Hero will start from this year’s data to align with the new curriculum requirements.

• Accessing the Past: Don't worry—your child’s historical data isn't gone! While old graphs will no longer be the primary view, this data will still be accessible within Hero, held in a different section for your reference.

Trialling New Assessment Tools

To give us the best possible picture of how our ākonga are doing, our teachers are trialling several new assessment tools throughout 2026. This includes:

• Refreshed PATs and the new SMART tool: we will be trialling these online assessment tools to see which fit best for our school.

• Maths Snapshots: A new assessment developed by Marie Hirst and Jo Knox to help assess student understanding in mathematics.

• Phonics Testing (Year 1) and Dibels (Year 2-6) for reading assessment.

The Roadmap Ahead

We understand that "significant change" can feel a bit unsettling. Please keep in mind that 2026 is our "Trial Year." Our staff will be learning and refining these tools behind the scenes with the goal of using them for formal reporting to parents in 2027.

We are committed to being "future-focused" while maintaining the strong relational ties that make our school special. Thank you for your patience and partnership as we ensure our students are equipped for the challenges of a changing world.

Our main focus will be on ensuring that the assessments we use are meaningful and designed to help students with their future learning. One leading education expert, Dylan Williams, said this, "It's not the test itself that matters; it's how you use the information it gives you."

Concerns & Feedback

As we move through these changes, we always welcome your questions. Whether you want to have an informal kōrero about these new tools or need help navigating Hero, our doors are open.