Adapting to the New Curriculum: Resource Timelines and Recommendations

We are all very aware of the recent and ongoing changes to the New Zealand curriculum by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the excitement, trepidation and concern they are causing to teachers and parents. There is much concern about the rate of change within the education system.

At LearnWell, we share these concerns and are actively planning how to best support learners, teachers, and parents as these changes continue to unfold. We are focused on ensuring our resources reflect the new curriculum and meet the needs of those teaching in 2027 and beyond.


What is the MOE Doing?

In October 2025, the MOE published the final versions of the English, and Mathematics and Statistics curricula for implementation from 2026. There were changes between the drafts and the final versions of these two documents.

Also in October, the draft curricula for the other subject areas were released. These are due in their final form from the MOE in mid-2026, with a view to implementing them in 2027. Very tight timelines.

What is LearnWell Doing?

At LearnWell, we are no different, and we are actively working on and planning how to best meet the needs of learners, teachers, and parents amid the rapid changes. This all takes time.

LearnWell Timeframes

Years 1-8

  • Start Right Mathematics for the new curriculum will be available from late Term 3, 2026 for Years 1-8.  (note: The available Years 7 and 8 are aligned to the draft Understand, Know, Do (UKD) model curriculum and will be replaced again this year).
  • Other Start Right subjects will follow this order of release: English, Science, then Social Studies.
  • Homework books will be updated last, following the completion of core subjects.
  • All newly updated books will be clearly labelled as “New Curriculum” on our website and in-store.

Years 9-10

  • Updates for Year 9 and 10 resources will follow similar priorities: beginning with English, and Mathematics and Statistics, followed by Science, Social Sciences, and other subjects.

What Resources Should I Use Now?

Rest assured, the current Start Right Workbooks are still very effective companion resources to reinforce classroom learning. They offer structured learning support and are suitable for both classroom reinforcement and home use, including homeschooling.

Learning Guides and Learning Workbooks are also excellent choices and continue to be used in many schools.

Updated: 11 March 2026

What is happening and when?

The refreshed New Zealand Curriculum is being introduced progressively. In 2026, the updated English and Mathematics and Statistics curriculum is required for Years 0-10, with other learning areas being introduced in stages from 2027.

The rollout of some learning areas for Years 0-8 has been delayed, with the remaining areas now required from 2029.

The senior secondary curriculum will follow from 2028, beginning with Year 11, followed by Year 12 in 2029 and Year 13 in 2030. These changes will take place alongside the phased replacement of NCEA with a new national qualification system.

The complete Years 0-10 curriculum is planned to be published on Tāhūrangi by September 2026, with Years 11-13 expected later in the year.

The Refreshed National Curriculum Timetable
Source: https://tahurangi.education.govt.nz/national-curriculum-writing-groups

What is LearnWell doing?

At LearnWell, we are actively reviewing the curriculum changes and planning how our resources can best support learners, teachers and parents throughout the transition.

Updating and developing quality educational resources takes time, particularly as the new curriculum continues to be introduced. We are working carefully to ensure our resources remain relevant, useful and appropriate for New Zealand learners.

As the changes roll out, we will continue to provide updates on our existing resources, new releases and other helpful information to support you along the way.

LearnWell Primary School Resources

Expected Timeframes

Our updated Years 0-8 Start Right Mathematics Workbooks are expected to be available from Term 4, 2026.

Other Start Right subjects will be updated progressively, in the following order: English, Science, then Social Studies.

Our Homework books will follow once the core subject resources have been completed.

All resources updated for the new curriculum will be clearly identified with a “New Curriculum” label on their covers, on our website and in stores, making it easy to identify the latest editions.

What should I use now?

Rest assured that our current Start Right Workbooks continue to be valuable companion resources for reinforcing classroom learning and building essential skills. Their structured approach makes them suitable for use both in the classroom and at home, including for home education.

We also offer the Lucy Pritchard Start Right Workbooks as part of our Learning Toolbox range. These resources are designed to help learners strengthen and consolidate the basics, provide additional support where needed, and encourage curiosity and independent learning.

View Our Start Right Range

LearnWell Secondary School Resources

Secondary teaching and learning under the refreshed curriculum will be divided into Phase 4 (Years 9–10) and Phase 5 (Years 11–13).

Phase 4: Years 9–10

Beginning with Year 9 Mathematics and Statistics Learning Workbook in Term 3, 2026, LearnWell is progressively introducing new resources for the refreshed curriculum.

Mathematics and Statistics, Science and English will lead the rollout, followed by Social Sciences and other learning areas as the refreshed curriculum is finalised.

All new resources developed for the refreshed curriculum will be clearly identified on their covers, on our website and in stores.

Phase 5: Years 11–13

Year 11: 2028

LearnWell is actively reviewing our full range of Year 11 resources in preparation for the new senior secondary curriculum.

Development of new Mathematics and Statistics, Science, Commerce and English Learning Workbooks will lead the way.

Our future publishing programme will also include resources to support literacy and numeracy for the new Foundational Award. Our current Numeracy Matters Workbook will continue to support the existing numeracy co-requisite through the transition period.

Year 12: 2029

LearnWell plans to introduce a new range of Learning Workbooks to support Year 12 and the introduction of the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE).

Year 13: 2030

A new range of Learning Workbooks is planned to support Year 13 and the introduction of the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE).

What should I use now?

LearnWell will continue to provide our current range of NCEA resources throughout the transition to the new qualification system.

For NCEA Level 1, we offer a selection of workbooks and digital resources developed for the current standards introduced from 2023. Many of our earlier resources also remain useful for building and reinforcing key subject knowledge and skills, including for schools offering their own Year 11 programme as an alternative to NCEA Level 1.

View Year 11 Resources

Our current NCEA Level 2 and Level 3 resources remain relevant and suitable for use while the existing NCEA qualifications and achievement standards remain in place. Teachers and students can continue to use these resources with confidence for classroom learning, independent study, revision and assessment preparation throughout the transition to the new qualification system.

View our Year 12 and 13 Resources

Our popular revision AME Workbooks will also continue to support students throughout the remaining years of NCEA. As NCEA is phased out, the current AME range will follow. We will consider future revision resources once the assessment and examination requirements for the new qualifications are confirmed.

View Our AME Workbooks
Last updated: 12 August 2026