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Student · Year 9 in 2026
You're Year 9 — and you'll be the first to graduate under the new system.
Year 11 in 2028 (new curriculum + Foundational Award), Year 12 in 2029 (NZCE), Year 13 in 2030 (NZACE).
Verdict
You're the first new-system cohort.
What this looks like, year by year
- 1Year 11 in 2028: new curriculum, compulsory English / Te Reo Rangatira + Maths + Science, sit the Foundational Award.
- 2Year 12 in 2029: sit NZCE — 5 subjects, pass 3, A+ to E grading.
- 3Year 13 in 2030: sit NZACE — the new top-of-school qualification.
What it actually means
You're the headline cohort. The whole reform is being timed around you. Your Year 11 in 2028 will look very different from your older siblings' Year 11 — Level 1 is gone, replaced by deeper curriculum work and the Foundational Award.
What to do now
- Focus on solid literacy and numeracy now — the Foundational Award builds on it.
- Read widely. The new Year 11 is curriculum-led, not credit-chase.
- Watch for subject-by-subject announcements through 2026–2027 — they'll shape what your Year 12 looks like.