Senior Secondary Curriculum and Qualification Changes
Updated 10th June, 2026
This page includes a summary from our recent Curriculum update newsletter and also our webinar on June 3rd, focused on the changes in senior secondary schools.
- Key Points for Phase 5 Curriculum feedback (Group 1 subjects)
- Overview of Phase 5 curriculum consultation released from May - August
- Updated timeframes for changes
- Qualification changes and implications for EfS
Watch the webinar recording here
Key Points for Phase 5 Curriculum Feedback
To help guide your feedback on the Yr 11 - 13 subject drafts, please watch the recorded webinar above, read the full overview about the process in the section below and use the key points in this section to help you get started.
Feedback is currently open for the Group 1 subjects and closes on June 15th. *UPDATE: Group 2 subjects have also been released on June 10th and close on July 8th.
You can access the Phase 5 curriculum drafts and feedback survey here.
Click here for Science subjects consultation (closes June 15th)
Click here for Social Sciences subjects consultation (closes June 15th)
Click here for Health consultation page (closes June 15th) and Physical Education (closes July 8th)
Click here for The Arts consultation plage (closes July 8th)
Click here for Technology consultation plage (closes July 8th)
NZAEE's review of Group 1 subject drafts has included keyword searches and further analysis of content, practices, and contexts / examples, to help assess whether these subjects have meaningfully included Education for Sustainability.
Download PDF summary of Group 1 subject keyword analysis
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi, mātauranga Māori, te ao Māori and connections with iwi, hapū, mana whenua are strongest in the shared Social Sciences subjects. However, we are very concerned by the lack of inclusion of te ao Māori within the Science subjects and Health Education. Te ao Māori incorporates many key aspects of Education for Sustainability, including the interconnectedness of people and te taiao, along with reciprocal and respectful relationships. Mātauranga Māori provides vital solutions to the environmental and social issues we currently face.
- Action competence is completely missing or very weak in these drafts. This is a key aspect of Education for Sustainability, including opportunities for students to plan, carry out and evaluate real actions in their school and community. We did not find meaningful opportunities for action or participation in any of the Group 1 subject drafts, apart from one opportunity in Yr 12 Business Studies | Te Mātai Pakihi.
- Sustainability and links to the environment are only included meaningfully in some subjects. There are some positive contexts and case studies in Geography | Matawhenua, Business Studies | Te Mātai Pakihi, Economics | Te Mātai Ōhanga, and Agricultural & Horticultural Science | Mātai Whenua me te Ahumara. However, sustainability concepts and practices are not integrated within most of the Science subjects, or within Civics, Sociology or Health Education.
- Climate change education is not integrated meaningfully across all subjects and mostly includes learning about the science, causes and impacts, without opportunities for students to apply and take action to mitigate and adapt to a climate-changed future. This is not a future-focused approach and does not acknowledge the reality that climate change, and other key issues such as biodiversity loss, will have an impact across all aspects of society and should therefore be included in all senior subjects.
Tips for Feedback
- Just start with one subject draft and don't get overwhelmed by the number of subjects and short timeframe. Remember there are two more groups coming out in June and July (see the section below), so you can also give feedback on those.
- Your feedback can be submitted through the form using the questions or by uploading your own document, if you want to use a different format.
- Make your feedback personalised, clear and based on specific information. Use page numbers and refer to specific knowledge, practices or aspects of the introduction, where possible. Factual statements and keywords will be picked up by the analysis (likely AI).
- Secondary teachers: if you think these drafts will not allow you to continue with some of the courses or learning opportunities you currently offer students, then make this really clear in your feedback. Explain how these rich learning contexts, projects, inquiries, case studies, projects, field trips etc. are engaging and relevant for your students, and the impact the changes will have on you and your students.
- Environmental education providers: if you're not currently teaching in a secondary school, we recommend choosing either Yr 11 Science or Yr 11 -13 Health Education, unless you already have experience or expertise in another senior subject.
You can access the Phase 5 curriculum drafts and feedback survey here.
Overview of Phase 5 Curriculum Consultation Yr 11 - 13
The Phase 5 (Yr 11 - 13) curriculum drafts are being released in three groups between May - August, with each open for feedback for four weeks. They are roughly grouped by subject area. Below we have included the subjects we think are most relevant to Education for Sustainability (EfS) / environmental education.
A reminder that EfS was not included as a subject, so we need to give feedback across multiple subjects to assess whether or not the content, skills and opportunities for student action are incorporated.
Open for consultation now, closing June 15th:
Click here for the Science subjects consultation page.
- Science Yr 11
- Biology | Mātai Koiora Yr 12 - 13
- Chemistry | Mātai Matū Yr 12 - 13
- Earth and Space Science | Ao ā-nuku Ao ātea Yr 12 - 13
- Agricultural & Horticultural Science | Mātai Whenua me te Ahumara Yr 12 - 13
Click here for Social Sciences subjects consultation page.
- Geography | Matawhenua Yr 11 - 13
- Civics, Politics & Philosophy Yr 12 - 13
- Business and Economics | Te Mātai Pakihi me te Ōhanga Yr 11 2
- Economics | Te Mātai Ōhanga Yr 12 - 13 3
- Business Studies | Te Mātai Pakihi Yr 12 - 13
- Sociology Yr 11 - 13
Click here for Health & PE subject consultation page
- Health Education Yr 11 - 13
Note: Physical Education is coming out in the next group.
Between these subjects there are more than 400 pages to read! This is a huge amount of work to complete in the timeframe provided, which is why we have taken a high level approach and used keyword searches for our initial analysis:
Download PDF summary of Group 1 subject keyword analysis.
If you work in one of these subject areas and have time to review the content and provide feedback, then we encourage you to do so. The consultation feedback survey is one big survey for all subjects, and you can also just attach a copy of your written feedback at the end of the form. Link to Phase 5 Survey.
The next two groups of subjects will be released for consultation as follows:
Group Two subjects: June 10 - July 8 *UPDATED timeframe
These drafts have been pulled forward and just released on June 10 - see here.
Subjects include: The Arts, Technology, Physical Education
Group Three subjects: July 15 - August 15
Remaining subjects, which will included: Languages, Pacific Studies (new subject), History
Updated Timeframes
2026: Phase 5 (Yr 11 - 13) consultation from May - August (4 weeks for each group), with final documents available by October.
Final Phase 1 - 4 curriculum documents due for release in early Term Three (July).
2027: Yr 9 - 10 must use the new curriculum for all learning areas.
Yr 11 - 13 continue to use NZC and NCEA (including EfS standards).
Consultation on the new Industry-led subjects (drafts released for feedback).
2028: Yr 11 must use new curriculum for all learning areas.
New Foundational Certificate (English and maths) replaces NCEA.
Yr 12 - 13 NCEA standards can still be used.
2029: Yr 12 must use new curriculum and new qualification: NZCE
2030: Yr 13 must use new curriculum and new qualification: NZACE
Qualification Changes
Read the latest MoE update with the full details on Tāhūrangi here: New senior secondary qualifications.
Implications for Education for Sustainability and environmental education integration across senior secondary:
- Everything will be subject based, requiring students to complete the full subject curriculum and assessments within one school year. This includes the new Industry-led subjects (details still to come about these, with consultation next year).
- Schools and providers will not be able to create integrated or 'short' courses using a range of standards from different subjects. There won't be standards anymore, just complete subjects. This is why the current consultation on the Phase 5 drafts is so important, because these will be the subjects that are mandated from 2028 onwards.
- All senior subjects for Yr 12 and 13 will include at least one exam, along with internal assessments. This includes the Arts subjects, Industry-led subjects and other areas that currently use portfolios for external assessments.
