1329877 Response.pdf

3/09/2024
Tristan
[FYI request #27070 email]
Tēnā koe Tristan
OIA: 1329877 – Communication with Auckland Grammar and St Cuthberts School regarding
the review of Achievement Standards and NZ Curriculum Refresh
Thank you for your email of 30 May 2024 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) requesting the
following information:
I am requesting communications you have on record with Auckland Grammar and St
Cuthbert's schools or their employed staff. In particular, all communications related to
NCEA and curriculum reviews.
On 19 June 2024, we received a response to our request for clarification as below:
Thanks for your response. I would like to limit the query to the last 12 months, and limit it
exclusively to communications related to curriculum and assessment reviews.
On 30 June 2024, we received a response to our further request for clarification as below:
As the Review of Achievement Standards and NZ Curriculum Refresh are discrete projects
within the Ministry with specific intended outcomes, I don't think it's too broad. I am looking
for substantive communications that might reasonably be expected to have shaped the
outcomes/direction/content for these projects.
I am not seeking communications sent to all schools and am happy for you to exclude that.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The Ministry has identified 11 documents in scope of your request. I am releasing eight documents
to you in part as Appendix A, and withholding three in full. I provide my decision on the release of
these documents in the Appendix A document table below.

8 Gilmer Terrace, Levels Ground floor, 1, 2, and 6-14, Wellington
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140 Phone: +64 4 463 8000

Some information has been withheld under the following sections of the Act:
9(2)(a) of the Act, to protect the privacy of natural persons.
9(2)(ba)(ii) of the Act, to protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence
or which any person has been or could be compelled to provide under the authority of any
enactment, where the making available of the information would be likely otherwise to
damage the public interest.
9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act, to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which
protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials.
As required under section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in releasing the
information withheld. I do not consider the public interest considerations favouring the release of
this information are sufficient to outweigh the need to withhold it at this time.
Of the information provided by St Cuthbert’s School, please note that some information has been
provided to the Ministry where surveys have been informally conducted by a member of
St Cuthbert’s School. We note that these surveys are not indicative of any outcome related to the
Review of Achievement Standards and NZ Curriculum Refresh. On 5 April 2024, the Minister
announced that the NCEA Change Programme would be paused for two years. Once work on
NCEA Level 2 and 3 development is taken up again, the Ministry wil  assess the data provided to
see what is appropriate to include moving forward.
The Ministry has identified emails with Auckland Grammar School and St Cuthbert’s in relation to
individuals’ roles in the English Curriculum Writing Groups. These emails have been determined to
be out of scope, as they are administrative in nature and do not include substantive
communications that might reasonably be expected to have shaped the outcomes/direction/content
for these projects.
Please note, we may publish this response on our website after five working days. Your name and
contact details wil  be removed.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision
on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā

El en MacGregor-Reid
Hautū | Deputy Secretary
Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre
OIA: 1329877

Appendix A Document Table
#
Date
From
To
Subject
Decision on release
1
7 May  Mike
Christina
Feedback on DPS
Release in part.
2023
Young
Webster
Information has been withheld
under section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
2
7 Dec  Marc
Evan
FW: Commissioned  Release in part.
2023
Clement
Sutherland,  work from the June  Information has been withheld
Henry
hui
under sections 9(2)(a), 9(2)(ba)(ii)
Collette
and 9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act.
2.1  Attachment: Thoughts post June 6-8 Phy SEG / MoE
Withheld in full.
session
Information has been withheld
under sections 9(2)(ba)(i ) and
9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act.
3
29 Jan  Mike
Christina
Re: Better Now
Release in part.
2024
Young
Webster
Activity
Information has been withheld
under sections 9(2)(a), 9(2)(ba)(i )
and 9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act.
3.1  Attachment: Document 2.2AAb Assessment Schedule
Withheld in full.
edit 2.docx
Information has been withheld
under sections 9(2)(ba)(i ) and
9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act.
4
16
Evan
David
RE: RAS L2
Release in part.
Feb
Sutherland  Thrasher
Physics - new LSA  Information has been withheld
2024
under section 9(2)(a) 9(2)(ba)(ii)
and 9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act.
4.1  Attachment: Thoughts post June 6-8 Phy SEG / MoE
Withheld in full.
session
Information has been withheld
under sections 9(2)(ba)(i ) and
9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act.
5
19
David
Evan
RE: Thanks Evan!
Release in part.
Feb
Thrasher
Sutherland
Information has been withheld
2024
under section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
6
8 Apr
Evan
David
RE: Level 2 Physics  Release in part.
2024
Sutherland  Thrasher
Learning Matrix
Information has been withheld
initial draft
under sections 9(2)(a), 9(2)(ba)(i )
and 9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act.
6.1  Attachment: Learning Matrix
Withheld in full.
OIA: 1329877

Information has been withheld
under sections 9(2)(ba)(i ) and
9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act.
7
1 Jul
Evan
David
Survey summary of  Release in part.
2024
Sutherland  Thrasher
how Yr13 and Yr12  Information has been withheld
physics is
under section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
happening - that

hopefully
flavours the future
of NCEA
8
11 Jul  David
Rob Mil ;
FW: 2 things: 1
Release in part.
2024
Thrasher
Matthias
thing to pass onto
Information has been withheld
Sauberlich;  sci curriculum panel  under section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
National
& 1 question for

Curriculum  MoE

Refresh;
Henry
Collette;
RAS
Review

OIA: 1329877