The New Zealand Curriculum and the Standards Review – how they fit together
The New Zealand Curriculum – the framework
The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) gives schools the direction for teaching and learning. It is a framework, rather than a detailed plan and schools develop their own curriculum and teaching programmes from it.
The NZC’s partner document, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, has the same purpose for Māori-medium schools.
School curriculum
Every school must teach a curriculum that includes the New Zealand Curriculum’s vision, principles and key competencies.
Schools teaching years 1-10 must use the learning area statements and achievement objectives set out in the New Zealand Curriculum.
Schools teaching years 11-13 (senior secondary level) have more flexibility in developing their curriculum and content for particular subjects. They can draw on a range of materials such as the New Zealand Curriculum, the Teaching and Learning Guidelines, industry-approved training and tertiary courses.
Teaching and Learning Guidelines
The Guidelines help schools design learning programmes that align with The New Zealand Curriculum.
The Ministry of Education is working with experienced secondary teachers, support services advisors, representatives of subject associations, other curriculum, learning and teaching experts, and interested sector organisations to develop the Guidelines.
The Standards
Standards describe specific skills and knowledge in a particular subject area and are designed to allow assessment against the achievement objectives set out in the New Zealand Curriculum.
NCEA – the qualification
NCEA is New Zealand’s senior secondary school qualification. Students can achieve standards at three NCEA levels to gain credits towards NCEA.
Because the New Zealand Curriculum is relatively new, a Standards Review is underway to ensure that the standards used for NCEA align to the curriculum’s achievement objectives.
The Standards Review is part of a package of improvements to the NCEA. Other adjustments include ensuring consistency in subject credits and grades across subjects and ensuring moderation of internal and external assessments is effective and fair.
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The Standards Review
The Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority have contracted subject associations (expert teachers that specialise in their subject areas) to consult with the education sector on proposed new standards.
Subject associations are developing a draft framework (called a matrix) of standards. Once these have been agreed, subject associations will then write drafts of individual standards. Wide consultation occurs at each of these stages. To view the draft work and provide feedback, go to www.tki.org.nz/e/community/ncea/alignment-standards.php.
Standards Review process
The following outlines the process and timelines.
1. Standards framework circulated
- Subject associations have developed draft frameworks (matrices) of proposed standards based on the achievement objectives in The New Zealand Curriculum.
- Teachers, principals, Boards of Trustees, and other interest groups are giving feedback on the draft framework to the Ministry of Education, via the subject associations.
Timeline: Completed by 24 April 2009 with opportunity for further consultation if or when required.
2. Standards approved and registered
Using the feedback received, the subject associations will:
- redevelop the overall framework, and
- develop draft individual standards for their respective subjects.
Timeline: Levels 1,2 and 3 resources published by the end of November 2010, 2011, and 2012 respectively.
3. Students assessed on new standards
- All students will be assessed against the new NCEA curriculum-aligned standards starting from 2011 for Level One, 2012 for Level Two, 2013 for Level Three.
- Teachers, principals, Boards of Trustees, and other interest groups feed back on the draft individual standards.
- Individual standards refined and approved by the Ministry of Education.