School Years and Curriculum Levels

This diagram shows how curriculum levels typically relate to years at school. The NZ curriculum levels typically relate to years at school and learning progress. Within each of the curriculum subject areas, most students will progress through levels 1-5.

Within The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga, the level that each child is learning at will vary compared to the other children in the same year. Once your child has mastered most of the skills, knowledge and understanding of each learning stage within the level, they will move on to the next level.

Many students do not, however, fit this pattern. They include those with special learning needs, those who are gifted and those who come from non-English speaking backgrounds. Students learning an additional language are also unlikely to follow the suggested progression: Level 1 is the entry level for those with no prior knowledge of the language being learned, regardless of their school year.

Literacy and Numeracy are important foundation skills for children.

Primary and Intermediate schools focus on these because your child needs to have sound Reading, Writing and Maths skills to be able to do well in every area of learning at school and in life.

Teachers use many different ways to find out where your child is at. This includes a range of formal tests and assessments, watching your child working in the classroom, talking with your child about their learning and having your child assess their own and other’s work.