Dear John,
As your kids head back to school for the 2026 year, they will be better prepared than they have ever been under National.
No matter where your primary or intermediate school is, parents will now easily see how their child is progressing with clearer, detailed reporting and regular assessments in reading, writing and maths that we have just rolled out.
They will also get help in their learning if they need it. This year, more than 100,000 Year 1-8 students across 474 schools will benefit from learning support coordinators ready to lend a hand. Literacy intervention teachers will be placed in 1,248 schools, and maths intervention teachers in 812 schools, to help children who need more support.
With one hour a day of maths, reading, and writing, and a ban on cell phones and open-plan classrooms, our kids are set up to excel.
And it’s already working, with 56 per cent of new entrants now meeting or exceeding expectations in phonics, up from 36 per cent, and 79 per cent of teachers report improvement in students’ ability to focus on schoolwork since the cell phone ban.
We have put ambition and achievement back at the heart of our education system, so Kiwi kids are set up for success.
It’s all about fixing the basics and building the future.
Please click here to view an example of the new report.
Erica Stanford
Spokesperson for Education
