Refreshed social sciences
Social sciences is the first learning area to be refreshed as part of the wider refresh of The New Zealand Curriculum, and has been released ready for you to explore.
See – Refreshed social sciences learning area
Social sciences is structured in the Understand, Know, Do elements and progress outcomes for each phase of learning.
A range of guidance and resources are being developed to support the implementation of the refreshed te ao tangata | social sciences learning area. These resources complement the ANZH resources available at Aotearoa NZ's Histories – Resources.
Keep an eye on this page for updates and additional resources!
Social sciences and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories
The new Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories (ANZH) content (released earlier this year) is integrated into the refreshed social sciences learning area.
There is a requirement for schools and kura to implement the ANZH content at the beginning of 2023. However, the requirement for implementation of the rest of the refreshed curriculum is the beginning of 2026. This means the social sciences content is available for you to explore in the meantime.
Together, Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories within the refreshed social sciences learning area encourage ākonga to be critical citizens – learning about the past to understand the present and prepare for the future.

Social sciences and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories (PDF, 361 kB)
Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and social sciences 2007
The diagram below helps you understand, embed, and sustain Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories, alongside the existing social sciences national curriculum statement.
