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Parent · Year 9 in 2026
Your Year 9 is the first cohort to graduate fully under the new system.
Year 11 in 2028 (new curriculum + Foundational Award), Year 12 in 2029 (NZCE), Year 13 in 2030 (NZACE).
Verdict
Your kid is the first new-system cohort.
What this looks like, year by year
- 1Year 11 in 2028: new curriculum, compulsory English / Te Reo Rangatira, Maths, and Science, plus the Foundational Award (literacy + numeracy).
- 2Year 12 in 2029: sits NZCE — 5 subjects, pass 3, A+ to E grading.
- 3Year 13 in 2030: sits NZACE — the new senior secondary qualification.
What it actually means
This reform is being timed around their cohort. Their senior years will look very different from older siblings' — fewer per-standard credits, more whole-subject grades, an exam in every subject, and a Year 11 focused on foundations rather than credit-chasing.
What to do now
- Reinforce reading, writing, and basic maths at home — the Foundational Award is built on these.
- Talk to their school about how they're preparing for the new curriculum from 2027.
- Bookmark this site — we'll update as subject-by-subject details land.