Refreshed social sciences

The New Zealand Curriculum is being updated and made available in phases, and schools and kura have until the beginning of 2027 to start using the fully refreshed national curriculum. 

The draft of the refreshed te ao tangata | social sciences learning area on this page is for reference only. It was developed before the 2024 reset of the refresh and further updates will be made during 2025 and 2026. An updated draft will be made available for review during that time.

For now, schools and kura should continue to teach  social sciences (including Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories) aligned to the  currently required New Zealand Curriculum. Existing requirements for the wider social sciences curriculum are broad and enabling, so the draft refreshed te ao tangata | social sciences learning area can be used to inform how teaching and learning programmes are designed.

Once finalised, schools and kura will need to teach the updated social sciences learning area from Term 1, 2027.

Guidance and resources

A range of guidance and resources support the implementation of the draft refreshed te ao tangata | social sciences learning area. These resources complement the ANZH resources available at Tāhūrangi - Aotearoa NZ's Histories.

• Ata and Oho within Social sciences | Te ao tangata
  This resource provides guidance and suggested activities for using the Ata and Oho resources for exploring social and emotional learning through the refreshed te ao tangata | social sciences learning area.
• Exploring Our Place – Painting Stories
  This colourful and engaging big book is for sharing with ākonga in years 1–3. Teacher support materials include activities to help ākonga find out more and make connections with people, events, and changes in their own rohe.
• Understanding Muslim identity in Aotearoa
  These resources (years 1–10) unpack the Know context (Ngā ahurea me ngā tuakiri kiritōpū | Cultures and collective identities) in relation to two videos – Anzar's Story and Nurah and Hamza's Story – that tell about their experiences growing up as Muslims in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Keep an eye on this page for updates and additional resources!

Social sciences and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories

The  Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories (ANZH) content is integrated into the  social sciences learning area.

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.   

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.