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New maths curriculum begins in primary schools

Published

2 years ago

February 10, 2025

Primary schools are starting the year with a new maths curriculum and it’s a lot harder than the old one.

Testing shows 42 percent of children in their final year of primary school were doing maths at the level expected in the old curriculum, but only 20 percent would meet the new curriculum’s expectations.

Plateau School principal Nigel Frater said pupils, and their teachers, could lose heart if they could not reach the expected level for their age group.

“We do like the fact that the goal posts are very clear for us in terms of teaching. But for example, understanding of equivalent fractions at a Year 2 to 3 level, I think kids at that age are still really trying to get to grips with what a concept of a fraction is at that age,” he said.

“There’s a bit of a concern that those kids could get behind quite quickly.”

Frater said the workbooks and resources that accompanied the curriculum had been pitched as a solution to some of the problems around maths teaching, but he hoped teachers did not rely on them too heavily.

“I’d be really concerned if schools started to lose sight of the curriculum and replaced it with the resource, and the resource became the curriculum as it were. I know it’s aligned with the curriculum, but I think pedagogy is really important here and teachers need to teach the curriculum and not just use the resource to teach the curriculum,” Frater said.

Whangārei Intermediate principal Hayley Read said it received books and resources to support the curriculum, but they were pitched at what Year 7-8 children would be expected to know and do, with nothing for the sizeable number of the school’s students who were behind.

“There’s an assumption that our kids will be able to access that level of learning, and unfortunately that’s just not the reality,” she said.

“The students that can’t access the curriculum because they’re six or seven years behind their chronological age in learning are expected to have the same book as a child who’s at that level, and so we don’t have those books and those resources to support those learners.”

Read said ensuring all schools used the same approach to maths could help address some of the inequities that had dogged the school system.

However, she said it might be time to introduce specialist maths teachers at primary and intermediate schools.

Gareth Sinton from Douglas Park School in Masterton said his school performed well in maths, but the new curriculum would be a challenge.

“It’s not like you can say ‘now the kids have to do better’ and they start doing better. So it may take time to lift achievement back up where it is needing to be, now,” he said.

“But in saying that, it’s probably not a bad thing. I think there’s a body of evidence that our curriculum, the previous one, maybe wasn’t as rigourous as some other international comparable curriculums.”

Sinton said there was clearly an expectation that students in the same year group would all work from the same textbook.

“Which sounds lovely in theory, but the reality is that any Year 5 – there’ll be a continuum in terms of ability. There’ll be kids operating lower than that and higher than that, so the thought of having a Year 5 kid working out of a Year 5 book, it’s a load of nonsense.”

Sinton said his school was unlikely to use the student workbooks that accompanied the curriculum because they did not fit the group-based approach to maths teaching that his school used.

Massey University professor Gaven Martin headed a Royal Society-convened panel that called for an overhaul of the maths curriculum in 2021 and was more recently a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group that reviewed the primary school maths curriculum.

Read more: Panel calls for sweeping changes to maths teaching

He said he was happy with the new approach.

“I think back to basics is almost an accurate description of what it’s about. Most children – I hope all – but most children will have the skills to do most of the basic requirements of modern-day numeracy,” he said.

Some teachers were worried the curriculum’s introduction had been rushed.

Professor Martin said there was no time to waste.

“Getting things moving along as quickly as possible is probably the right approach. I mean one of the big problems we have in the system at the moment is this slow pace. Every year children get three months behind, roughly. After five years of education they’re a full year behind.”

He said the new curriculum’s structured teaching approach should ensure children learned more, earlier, and were not held back by slower peers.

“In poor schools where there are talented kids… those talented kids don’t get to see half the curriculum because we’re working to the pace of the… people who are not moving forward as quickly as possible, so everyone gets disadvantaged,” he said.

“The pace and the method of instruction are really important things here that need to be got across to teachers. Everyone deserves an opportunity to see the curriculum.”

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Latest News

Police say person who fired gun at officers still at large

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2026

News Staff

Police say a person who fired a gun at officers in Napier is still at large.

Eastern District Commander Superintendent Joel Lamb said Police tried to stop a vehicle in the Pirimai Area at about 10pm on Tuesday.

He said someone in the back seat pointed what was presumed to be a firearm at officers pursuing the vehicle.

“Staff have then heard two distinct gunshots as the firearm was discharged.

“Fortunately, neither of our officers were injured, and the patrol vehicle did not sustain any damage.”

He said hours later, the vehicle was seen travelling north on the Waikato Expressway towards Auckland.

Police seized the vehicle at an address in Manurewa, but they had not found the alleged offender.

Lamb said people who lived at the Manurewa address were engaging with Police.

He said Eastern District and Counties Manukau Police were making enquiries.

“Presenting a firearm at a Police officer is a serious escalation that puts our staff and the wider community at risk. This behaviour is entirely unacceptable.

“We are taking this incident extremely seriously and will be pursuing all lines of enquiry to locate the offender and hold them accountable.”

Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Police on 105 or online using the reference number 261111/3764.

Information could also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Latest News

New Zealand sides named for RLWC finals

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2026

News Staff

The players tasked with ending Australia’s Rugby League World Cup dominance have been named.

The Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns have announced their squads for this Sunday’s World Cup finals in Brisbane.

Both sides are chasing their first titles since 2008, and both are looking to end their opponents run of three crowns in a row.

“Our Kiwi Ferns have been so dominant in years gone by, and we want to bring dominance back to this jersey, so I think it will be a case of who wants it more,” said co-captain Georgia Hale of the impending clash.

The Kiwis get a major boost for the final as they welcome back Ronaldo Mulitalo after he served a one-match ban for a high tackle against Fiji Bati.

Mulitalo replaces Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who moves to the six-man bench, which again includes utility Te Maire Martin, middle forwards Naufahu Whyte, Erin Clark and Xavier Willison plus fullback Keano Kini.

Loose forward Joseph Tapine will make his 30th Test appearance in a familiar pack again, including second-rowers Isaiah Papali’i and Briton Nikora, and props James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota.

Winger Jamayne Isaako is on the cusp of claiming the New Zealand record for most Test points.

His five goals against Tonga lifted his career points tally to 225 – level with Shaun Johnson – while centre Casey McLean goes into the final with 16 tries in just eight Tests.

Fisher-Harris will again captain the team.

Fullback Ponga said the goal of the group was clear.

“We have high expectations around what we want to achieve, and obviously winning a world Cup is one of them.”

Meanwhile, Ricky Henry has selected a settled side to take on the Jillaroos, led by their lethal centre combination of Stacey Waaka and Mele Hufanga.

Veteran Apii Nicholls takes the number one jersey, Leianne Tufuga and Mackenzie Wiki on the wings.

Henry has stuck with his halves pairing of Chantay Kiria-Ratu and Raecene McGregor with Alexis Tauaneai, Georgia Hale and Otesa Pule up front.

Rounding out the starting pack is Shaniece Monschau, Kaiyah Atai, and Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

“We have been building well throughout the tournament; we understand the Jillaroos side, and will give it our all to make New Zealand proud this weekend,” said Henry.

RLWC Finals:

Kiwi Ferns vs Jillaroos- 6.10pm

Kiwis vs Kangaroos – 9.35pm

Sunday November 15

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Live blog updates on RNZ

Kiwi Ferns:

1. Apii Nicholls 2. Leianne Tufuga 3. Mele Hufanga 4. Stacey Waaka 5. Mackenzie Wiki 6. Chantay Kiria-Ratu 7. Raecene McGregor 8. Alexis Tauaneai 9. Georgia Hale 10. Otesa Pule 11. Shaniece Monschau 12. Kaiyah Atai 13. Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

Interchange: 14. Ashleigh Quinlan 15. Annessa Biddle 16. Shannon Mato 17. Ivana Lauitiiti.

Reserves: 18. Brooke Anderson 19. Zahara Temara 20. Brianna Clark 21. Abigail Roache 22. Tenika Willison.

Kiwis:

1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Casey McLean, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. James Fisher-Harris (c), 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Moses Leota, 11. Isaiah Papali’i, 12. Briton Nikora, 13. Joseph Tapine (v/c).

Interchange: 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Naufahu Whyte, 16. Erin Clark, 17. Xavier Willison.

Reserves: 18. Keano Kini, 19. Phoenix Crossland, 20. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 21. Scott Sorensen, 22. Leo Thompson.

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Latest News

Parliamentary Service working on extra chairs and offices for increased number of MPs

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2026

News Staff

The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.

On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.

Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.

In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.

“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.

“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”

Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service Rafael Gonzalez-Montero appears before select committee. — Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero.

VNP / Phil Smith

Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.

That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.

“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.

Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.

Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.

The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.

Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.

Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.

“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”

Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.

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