24/11/2025
Ken Roberston
[FYI request #32654 email]
Tēnā koe Ken
OIA: GEMS-45301 – Experts consulted in curriculum writing
Thank you for your email of 24 October 2025 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) requesting
the following information:
Please release the list of all the experts who were consulted regarding any changes made
to the English and maths curricula which had been communicated as the 'final' versions,
and the ones released in October 2025 which had significant changes.
Please include the details of New Zealand and/or international curriculum, English and/or
maths experts as well as any private providers or school leaders who were involved in the
consultation for this, and explain what their consultation entailed, what advice they gave
and how this advice was utilised.
Your request has been considered under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The Ministry regularly engages sector advice on curriculum content to support the development
process through our established groups of sector representatives. Advice and input are shared
through facilitated discussion and is considered by the Ministry and actioned where appropriate.
I am refusing your request under section 18(a) of the Act, since, by virtue of section 9(2)(a) of the
Act, there is good reason to withhold the information requested to protect the privacy of natural
persons. In reaching this decision, I have had particular regard to the potential for these individuals
to receive unsolicited online attention arising from their involvement in these issues.
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.
Notwithstanding the above, the list of members for the New Zealand Curriculum Coherence Group
is available on the Ministry’s Tāhūrangi website here:
tahurangi.education.govt.nz/our-story. This
group is made up of external sector experts who provide regular guidance to ensure coherence
across and within the updated New Zealand Curriculum, including the English and Mathematics &
Statistics learning areas.
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wel ington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
While we are unable to release a list of experts to you, the Ministry recognises the public interest in
the changes to the New Zealand Curriculum, so I have set out some additional information below
that may be of interest to you.
In October 2024, the Ministry released the English Years 0-6 and Mathematics & Statistics Years
0-8 learning areas for use in schools from the beginning of 2025.
Updated curriculum content for Years 0-10 English and Mathematics & Statistics was released on
19 October 2025 for planned implementation from the beginning of 2026.
We consulted on the draft Mathematics & Statistics learning area for Years 9-13 between
27 January 2025 and 28 April 2025, and the draft English learning area for Years 7-13 between
31 March 2025 and 13 June 2025. Valuable feedback from the education sector received during
consultation helped to shape the updated curriculum content for Years 7-10 English and Years 9 &
10 Mathematics & Statistics.
Following wider sector feedback, and in line with the approach to subject development, we updated
expectations for Years 11-13 to create a phased roll-out of senior secondary subjects. Due to
feedback from English and Maths Associations as well as representative principal groups, we have
included Years 11-13 English, Maths, Te Reo Rangatira and Pāngarau in this rephased roll-out.
This means that changes to the Year 11-13 curriculum wil not be required until 2028, creating
more time for quality implementation, and was therefore not released with the updated English and
Mathematics & Statistics learning areas across Years 0-10.
Subject associations such as the New Zealand Association of Teachers of English, the
New Zealand Association of Mathematics Teachers and the New Zealand Association of
Intermediate Middle Schooling were given the opportunity to review draft curriculum content for
English Years 7-13 and Mathematics & Statistics Years 9-13 in November 2024. These were
earlier drafts to those released for consultation in early 2025.
New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) reports outlining the feedback on the
draft Years 7-13 English learning area and the Years 9-13 Mathematics & Statistics learning area
received through public consultation are available on the Ministry’s Tāhūrangi website as set out
below. These reports also provide a high-level breakdown of respondents by category.
Also available on the Ministry’s Tāhūrangi website are the “What you told us and how we
responded” reports that summarise what we heard, and the actions we took to respond to that
feedback for English Years 7-10 and Mathematics & Statistics Years 9 & 10. We are considering
feedback we received on Years 11-13 as we develop Phase 5 curriculum content, which will be
released in draft in Term 1, 2026.
You can find these reports here:
English Years 7-13
NZCER feedback report
https://files-au-
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GEMS-45301
What you told us and how we
https://files-au-
responded report (Years 7-10
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only)
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Mathematics &
NZCER feedback report
https://files-au-
Statistics Years 9-13
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What you told us and how we
https://files-au-
responded report (Years 9 & 10
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only)
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As part of reviewing and finalising the learning areas through to Year 10, changes were made to
the pre-existing Years 0–8 content to ensure strong alignment and a well-sequenced progression
across the entire learning pathway. Concurrently, work on other learning areas introduced changes
in how sequenced, disciplinary knowledge is made explicit, and these adjustments have been
applied to improve clarity and strengthen coherence across all learning areas.
In this development period, the Ministry also undertook further work to benchmark the curriculum
so that the education our students get in New Zealand is comparable to the best systems in the
world. To support this process, the Ministry engaged Learning First, an
Australian-based education consultancy, to contribute to development across the strengthened
national curriculum.
By broadening our engagement, we are making sure the Curriculum Change Programme is
informed by the highest standards of educational design and remains responsive to the diverse
needs of learners and educators across Aotearoa.
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
Derek Lyons
Programme Director
Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre
GEMS-45301
