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Aotearoa New Zealand is becoming more ethnically diverse, and this is changing quickly. It is critical that education meets the needs of all our children. This report finds that many learners from ethnic communities are succeeding in education but encounter racism, isolation, and lack of cultural understanding. We must achieve significant change if Aotearoa New Zealand is to be a great place to learn for children and young people from ethnic communities.

This is a companion report to Developing Key Competencies in Students Years 1 to 8. It explores current thinking about the importance of building the capabilities of young people. It outlines what the Key Competencies (KCs) are, why they are important, New Zealand’s journey with thinking about the nature and potential uses of KCs, and where this development fits in the international context.

This report gives a snapshot of the current provision of te reo Māori teaching and learning in a representative sample of English-medium primary and secondary schools. The education sector is seen as an important lever in the Government’s Maihi Karauna strategy for language revitalisation.

ERO is undertaking a programme of work to learn the lessons from the lockdown and to support the education system, schools and early childhood centres to respond to the disruption to education caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a first stage of this work, ERO surveyed a sample of students and teachers in primary and secondary schools. This report sets out what we found about their wellbeing and experiences of learning and teaching during the lockdown.

All of the participants in this evaluation modify their teaching and learning programmes to better suit the needs of their learners. They intentionally focus on the integration of the NCEA standards through their te marau ā-kura. Leaders, professionals, kaiako and kaimahi are extremely effective in developing and using innovative tools and resources to support student progression.

Since 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to schools, their staff, learners, and whānau. Three years on from the start of the pandemic, this report has found significant and concerning ongoing impacts on learners’ progress, particularly for learners in poorer communities, and on teachers and principals.

As New Zealand’s schools become more diverse, there is an exciting opportunity to look again at what we teach and how we teach. Many schools are already changing to embrace diverse ethnicities, but more change will be needed. This report includes options for change to make Aotearoa New Zealand a great place to learn for our children and young people from ethnic communities.