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This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Official Information request 'Education: emails and correspondence sent between the Ministry of Education and Erica Stanford and the ministerial advisory group on the Arts curriculum and Arts subjects in phase 5 of the curriculum.'.





[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 
 
 
9/03/2026 
Annette Thomson 
[FYI request #32247 email] 
Tēnā koe Annette 
OIA: 1353357 - Correspondence sent between the Ministry and Minister Stanford and/or the 
ministerial advisory group on the Arts curriculum 0-13 and Arts subjects in phase 5 of the 
curriculum 
Thank you for your email transferred to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) on 17 September 
2025 requesting the following information:  
Whakaari Aotearoa Drama NZ is requesting emails and correspondence sent between the 
Ministry and Erica Stanford and/or the ministerial advisory group on the Arts curriculum 0-
13 and Arts subjects in phase 5 of the curriculum: Drama, Dance, Music, Visual Arts, and 
Te Ao Haka in 2025. 
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). 
We once again apologise for the delay in providing you with the four documents identified in our 
response to you of 27 November 2025. We have not delivered this information to you in a timely 
manner and acknowledge that in not doing so, we have failed to meet our obligations under the 
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).   
I have identified 23 emails in scope of your request, these are outlined in the Appendix A 
Document table below, along with my decision on their release. The documents are being 
released to you are attached as Appendix A. 
Some information has been refused in full under section 18(d) of the Act as the information 
requested is publicly available.  
Some information has been withheld in part, or in full, under the following sections of the Act:  
•  9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of natural persons,  
•  9(2)(f)(iv), to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect the 
confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials,  
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011 
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000  
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[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 
 
•  9(2)(g)(i), maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank 
expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an 
organisation or officers and employees of any public service agency or organisation in the 
course of their duty. 
Please note that the content of several of the emails identified as being in scope of this request do 
not contain explicit reference to the Arts curriculum for Years 0-13, nor Arts subjects in Phase | 
Tūārere 5 (Years | Tau 11-13) of the draft curriculum. However, these topics are touched upon in 
the attachments. Several of the attachments in these in-scope emails are draft iterations of Reports 
to the Minister and have been withheld under section 9(2)(g)(i) of the Act as indicated above. The 
final version of these reports can be found at:  
education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/issue-specific-information-releases/phase-
tuarere-5-curriculum-subjects.  
Please also note that several attachments to the email noted in the Document table as document 
three are out of scope of this request and therefore have not been included in the document table.  
As required under section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in releasing the 
information withheld. I do not consider that the public interest considerations favouring the release 
of this information are sufficient to outweigh the need to withhold it at this time. 
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 
 
 
Pauline Cleaver 
Hautū | Deputy Secretary 
Te Poutāhū (Curriculum Centre) 
 
 
 
OIA: 1353357   
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Appendix A Document table 
# 
Date 
From 
To 
Subject 
Decision on release 
1 
31 Jan 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
IU 1350512 - 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
National 
Information has been 
Curriculum 
withheld under section 
External Review  9(2)(a) of the Act. 
Groups 
1a 
 
Information 
Released in part. 
Update: 
Information has been 
National 
withheld under section 
Curriculum 
9(2)(a) and 9(2)(f)(iv) of the 
External Review  Act. 
Groups 
2 
27 Feb 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
Education 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Report - 
Information has been 
Curriculum 
withheld under section 
design and 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
teaching and 
learning 
programme 
requirements 
2a 
 
Report: 
Released in part.  
1343551 - Key 
Information relevant to the 
design choices 
request has been released 
and high-level 
as extracts of the document 
requirements 
in accordance with section 
16(1)(e) of the Act.  
3 
30 Apr 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
IU 1346869 - 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Knowledge 
Information has been 
Summaries 
withheld under section 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
3a 
 
IU 1346869 - 
Released in part. 
Knowledge 
Information has been 
Summaries 
withheld under section 
9(2)(a), of the Act. 
 
 
3b 
 
2025-04-28 – 
Withheld in full. Information 
Knowledge 
has been withheld in full 
Summary – The  under sections 9(2)(f)(iv) 
Arts 
and 9(2)(g)(i) of the Act.  
OIA: 1353357   
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4 
31 Jan 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
IU 1341637 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Contributing 
Information has been 
group members  withheld under section 
for the 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
remaining New 
Zealand 
Curriculum 
learning areas 
4a 
 
Information 
Released in part. 
Update: 
Information has been 
Contributing 
withheld under section 
group members  9(2)(a) of the Act. 
for the 
remaining 
New Zealand 
Curriculum 
learning areas 
5 
28 Mar 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
ER 1345245 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Curriculum – 
Information has been 
Phase 5 
withheld under section 
subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
5a 
 
ER 1345245 
Withheld in full. Information 
Curriculum – 
has been withheld in full 
Phase 5 
under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
subjects 
the Act. 
6 
22 Apr 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
IU 1345245 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Curriculum – 
Information has been 
Phase 5 
withheld under section 
subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
6a 
 
IU 1345245 
Refused.  
Curriculum – 
Information has been 
Phase 5 
refused under section 18(d) 
subjects 
of the Act.  
The published report can be 
found at the below weblink:  
https://www.education.govt.
nz/our-work/information-
releases/issue-specific-
information-releases/phase-
tuarere-5-curriculum-
subjects 
7 
27 May 2025  The Ministry 
Minister 
ER 1346674 
Released in part. 
 
of Education 
Stanford 
Mandatory and 
Information has been 
core Phase 5 
withheld under section 
 
subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
 
OIA: 1353357   
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7a 
 
Report 1346674  Withheld in full. Information 
Mandatory and 
has been withheld in full 
core Phase 5 
under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
subjects 
the Act. 
8 
3 Jun 2025 
Minister 
The Ministry 
Minister signed 
Released in part. 
Stanford 
of Education 
1346674 Report  Information has been 
curriculum 
withheld under section 
mandatory and 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
core phase 5 
subjects 
8a 
 
Report 1346674  Refused.  
Curriculum – 
Information has been 
Mandatory and 
refused under section 18(d) 
core phase 5 
of the Act.  
subjects 
The published report can be 
found at the below weblink:  
https://www.education.govt.
nz/our-work/information-
releases/issue-specific-
information-releases/phase-
tuarere-5-curriculum-
subjects 
9 
19 Jun 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
RE: ER 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
1348233 
Information has been 
Curriculum 
withheld under section 
Subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
9a 
 
ER 1348233 
Withheld in full. Information 
Curriculum 
has been withheld in full 
Subjects 
under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
the Act. 
10 
19 Jun 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
RE: ER 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
1348233 
Information has been 
Curriculum 
withheld under section 
Subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
10a 
 
ER 1348233 
Refused.  
Curriculum 
Information has been 
Subjects 
refused under section 18(d) 
of the Act.  
The published report can be 
found at the below weblink:  
https://www.education.govt.
nz/our-work/information-
releases/issue-specific-
information-releases/phase-
tuarere-5-curriculum-
subjects 
OIA: 1353357   
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[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 
 
10b 
 
Annex 1 
Refused.  
Subjects to be 
Information has been 
developed as 
refused under section 18(d) 
part of the 
of the Act.  
curriculum 
The published report can be 
refresh 
found at the below weblink:  
https://www.education.govt.
nz/our-work/information-
releases/issue-specific-
information-releases/phase-
tuarere-5-curriculum-
subjects 
11 
30 Jun 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
RE: Feedback 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Report 
Information has been 
Curriculum 
withheld under section 
Subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
1348233 
12 
16 Jul 2025 
Minister 
The Ministry 
Signed Report 
Released in part. 
Stanford 
of Education 
1348233 
Information has been 
Curriculum 
withheld under section 
Subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
12a 
 
 
 
 
Refused.  
Information has been 
refused under section 18(d) 
of the Act.  
The published report can be 
found at the below weblink:  
https://www.education.govt.
nz/our-work/information-
releases/issue-specific-
information-releases/phase-
tuarere-5-curriculum-
subjects 
13 
31 Jul 2025  
The Ministry 
Minister 
ER 1351506 
Released in full.  
of Education 
Stanford 
Curriculum 
Subjects 
Update 
13a 
 
Report 1351506  Withheld in full. Information 
Curriculum 
has been withheld in full 
Subjects 
under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
Update 
the Act. 
14 
19 Aug 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
Withdraw- 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Report 1351506  Information has been 
Curriculum 
withheld under section 
Subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
Update 
OIA: 1353357   
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[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 
 
14a 
Document  
Report 1351506  Refer to document 13a. 
Curriculum 
Subjects 
Update 
15 
19 Aug 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
ER 1351506 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Curriculum 
Information has been 
Subjects 
withheld under section 
Update 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
15a 
 
 
Withheld in full. Information 
has been withheld in full 
under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
the Act. 
16 
20 Aug 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
Report 1351506  Release in full.  
of Education 
Stanford 
Curriculum 
Subjects 
Update 
16a 
 
Report 1351506  Refer to document 17a. 
Curriculum 
Subjects 
Update 
17 
22 Aug 2025 
Minister 
The Ministry 
Signed Report 
Released in part. 
Stanford 
of Education 
Curriculum 
Information has been 
Subjects 
withheld under section 
Update 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
17a 
 
Report 1351506  Refused.  
Curriculum 
Information has been 
Subjects 
refused under section 18(d) 
Update 
of the Act.  
The published report can be 
found at the below weblink:  
https://www.education.govt.
nz/our-work/information-
releases/issue-specific-
information-releases/phase-
tuarere-5-curriculum-
subjects 
18 
29 Aug 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
Report 1352737  Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
- Curriculum 
Information has been 
subjects release  withheld under section 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
18a 
 
Report 1352737  Withheld in full. Information 
- Curriculum 
has been withheld in full 
subjects release  under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
the Act. 
OIA: 1353357   
[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 

[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 
 
19 
29 Aug 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
Report 1352737  Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
- Curriculum 
Information has been 
subjects release  withheld under section 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
19a 
 
Report 1352737  Withheld in full. Information 
- Curriculum 
has been withheld in full 
subjects release  under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
the Act. 
20 
4 Sep 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
Report 1352737  Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
- Curriculum 
Information has been 
subjects release  withheld under section 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
20a 
 
 
Withheld in full. Information 
has been withheld in full 
under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
the Act. 
21 
5 Sep 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
REVISED R 
Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
1352737 - 
Information has been 
Release of the 
withheld under section 
years 11- 13 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
subjects 
21a 
 
Report 1352737  Withheld in full. Information 
Release of the 
has been withheld in full 
Years 11- 13 
under section 9(2)(g)(i) of 
subjects 
the Act. 
22 
10 Sep 2025 
The Ministry 
Minister 
Report 1352737  Released in part. 
of Education 
Stanford 
Release of the 
Information has been 
Years 11- 13 
withheld under section 
subjects 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
22a 
 
Report 1352737  Refer to document 23a 
Release of the 
Years 11- 13 
subjects 
23 
10 Sep 2025 
Minister 
The Ministry 
Minister Signed 
Released in part. 
Stanford 
of Education 
Report 1352737  Information has been 
Release of the 
withheld under section 
Years 11 - 13 
9(2)(a) of the Act. 
subjects 
OIA: 1353357   
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[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 
 
23a 
 
Report 1352737  Refused.  
Release of the 
Information has been 
Years 11 - 13 
refused under section 18(d) 
subjects 
of the Act.  
The published report can be 
found at the below weblink:  
https://www.education.govt.
nz/our-work/information-
releases/issue-specific-
information-releases/phase-
tuarere-5-curriculum-
subjects 
 
 
OIA: 1353357   
[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL]