National curriculum writing groups
13 June 2024
The Minister of Education has confirmed the next steps and timelines for the development of the national curriculum for schools.
Both The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa are being updated and will be available in phases, and schools and kura have until the beginning of 2027 to start using the fully refreshed national curriculum.
The English and Te Reo Rangatira curriculum areas for Years 0 to 6 are the first to be required in schools and kura in line with the requirement for schools and kura to implement structured approaches to literacy and te reo matatini from Term 1, 2025.
The Ministry has established curriculum writing groups for English and maths, and Te Reo Rangatira and Pāngarau. These writing groups are building on the previous versions of the updated learning areas and wāhanga ako, which had wide input from the education sector.
Group members include practising teachers and kaiako, academics, and other people from the education sector with experience and expertise. For English and maths the writing groups also include members of the Ministerial Advisory Group and the Ministry of Education.
A writing group has also been establish to define and describe the science of learning that informs the national curriculum development and its implementation.
The writing group for Pūtaiao me te Hangarau has been established, and the groups for groups for science and technology is currently being formed.
Click below to see each writing groups’ members:
Science of learning
The members of our Science of Learning writing group are:
Dr Michael Johnston, Senior Fellow, The New Zealand Initiative
Dr Nina Hood, Founder of the Education Hub
Dr Graeme Aitken, Professor of Education at the University of Auckland
Te Reo Rangatira
The members of our Te Reo Rangatira writing group are:
Hineihaea Murphy, te reo Māori and te reo matatini expert, Director, Haemata Ltd
Cath Rau, te reo Māori and te reo matatini expert, Director, Kia Ata Mai Educational Trust, and Tumuaki, Te Kōpuku High
Frances Goulton, te reo Māori and te reo matatini expert, Director, Aronui Ltd
Rauhina Cooper, te reo Māori and te reo matatini expert, Facilitator, Kia Ata Mai Educational Trust
Pāngarau
The members of our Pāngarau curriculum writing group are:
Associate Professor Pania Te Maro, Associate Professor and Associate Director Māori, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Massey University
Moko Cooper, Kaiako, Te Kura ā Iwi o Whakatupuranga Rua Mano
Ana Riiki, Facilitator, Tui Tuia | Learning Circle, University of Auckland
Rahera Filiata, Kaiako for Te Aho Tātairangi and Student Support Advisor in Te Pūtahi ā Toi, Massey University
Dr Brian Tweed, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Education, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Massey University
Professor Tony Trinick, Professor Te Puna Wānanga, Faculty of Education, University of Auckland
English Year 0 - 6
The members of our English Year 0 – 6 curriculum writing group are:
Professor Graeme Aitken, Professor of Education at the University of Auckland
Dr Helen Walls, Professional learning facilitator
Amelia Volkerling, Educational Psychologist
Melissa Carrere, Founder of Āwhina Education
Dr Jane Carroll, Consultant, oral language, literacy and effective literacy practice.
Emma Nahna, Literacy focused Speech Language Therapist
Felicity Fahey, Deputy Principal and Literacy Lead at Kaiapoi North School
Dr Amy Austin Contractor, curriculum writer
Marina Mounsey, Resource teacher, literacy
Caroline Morritt Resource teacher, literacy
Dr Melissa Derby, Senior Lecturer at the University of Waikato
Professor James Chapman, Emeritus Professor, Institute of Education Massey University.
English Year 7 – 13
The members of our English Year 7 – 13 curriculum writing group are:
Professor Elizabeth Rata, Professor of Education at the University of Auckland
Charles Lain, Head of English, Auckland Grammar School.
Charlotte Forster, Head of Professional Development and English teacher at Auckland Grammar School
Audrey Young, Teacher at St Cuthbert’s School
Callum Baird, Deputy Principal at Manurewa Intermediate School
Mathematics and Statistics
The members of our Mathematics and Statistics curriculum writing group are:
Julie Roberts, Project Lead for the Just-in-Time maths professional learning project, New Zealand Council for Educational Research
Cami Sawyer, Ministry of Education
Kylie Begg, Ministry of Education
Catherine Newsome, Ministry of Education
Mark Hooper, Ministry of Education
Phil Truesdale, Ministry of Education
Dr Audrey Tan, Mathmo Consulting is also reviewing the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Area