Source: Radio New Zealand
In some cases average scores in the subjects edged up, but in others they dropped lower by statistically insignificant amounts. RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The first national results show new English and maths curriculums have had little effect on children’s achievement so far.
In some cases average scores edged up, but in others they dropped lower by statistically insignificant amounts.
The government says that is to be expected from assessments conducted less than a year after the two primary school curriculums became mandatory.
The Curriculum Insights study found no statistically significant changes in children’s average scores for reading at Years 3, 6, and 8 and no statistically significant changes for most year levels in maths or writing.
The exceptions were small increases in Year 3 students’ maths scores between 2023 and 2025, and Year 6 students’ writing scores.
The proportions of students at Years 3 and 8 meeting or exceeding the provisional benchmarks in 2025 were broadly similar to those in 2024. Supplied / Curriculum Insights
As a result there was little change in the percentages of students meeting curriculum expectations.
However, though the average maths score for Year 6 students improved by a statistically insignificant amount, enough students improved just enough to lift the percentage meeting curriculum expectations by six percentage points to 36 percent.
The government wants 80 percent of children achieving at the curriculum expected of them by 2030.
One of the study’s lead researchers, Dr Charles Darr said the figures showed a steady state where results were similar to the previous year (2024).
“But… what we’ve noticed is that at a couple of year levels we’re seeing some signs of growth that are probably more than just the randomness you might see when you’re using a sample-based study from year to year,” he said.
Darr said the figures showed the percentage of Year 6 students achieving at or above the curriculum level expected of them in maths “has probably increased” even though the average score for that year group barely changed.
“There is an increase in the average scores at Year 6 last year to this year, but it’s not big enough to say it’s statistically significant. But it’s close enough to students who are near that line for quite a few of them to pass over it and for us to say… there’s more students that have managed to reach that benchmark.”
For reading, 53 percent of Year 3 students, 52 percent of Year 6 students, and 45 percent of Year 8 students met or exceeded curriculum expectations. Supplied / Curriculum Insights
The results followed the publication of the first year of Phonics Check results which showed less than half of five-year-olds passed the test in term four last year after 40 weeks of schooling.
Darr said sustained change would take time.
“It takes effort to move a whole population,” he said.
“You won’t necessarily see big jumps and what we should be interested in is continual improvement and trend lines that emerge over time. I think if we look at other jurisdictions around the world, that’s the kind of pattern we see – not quick fixes, but sustained effort.”
The Curriculum Insights and Progress Study made regular assessments of nationally-representative samples of students each year.
Last year it assessed 1500-1600 students at each of three year levels in maths, reading and writing.
The number of children meeting curriculum expectations in maths improved at all year levels since 2024 from 23 to 24 percent at Year 8, 30 to 36 percent at Year 6 and 22 to 25 percent at Year 3.
In reading, 52 percent of Year 6 children met expectations, the same percentage as in 2023, but at Year 3 the figure dropped from 54 to 53 percent and Year 8 from 47 to 45 percent.
In writing, the percentage of Year 8s meeting curriculum expectations rose from 24 to 28 percent and Year 6s improved from 33 to 38 percent while Year 3s remained unchanged on 41 percent.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand