New Zealand Sees Four-Month Gain in Primary Maths Achievement, Signals Turnaround

An independent review of the Progressive Achievement Test (PAT) shows primary and intermediate students in New Zealand made the equivalent of four months of additional progress in mathematics between 2024 and 2026. The same assessment also recorded statistically significant gains in reading comprehension and vocabulary, roughly one month of progress in each area over the past year. The results come after a series of evidence‑based reforms announced by Education Minister Erica Stanford, including a new knowledge‑rich maths curriculum, daily hour‑long maths lessons, and training for more than 22,000 teachers in structured maths instruction. Parallel literacy initiatives—structured literacy training for over 30,000 teachers and phonics checks—have lifted phonics attainment from 36 % to 58 % of students in two terms, with Māori and disadvantaged schools showing notable improvements. Early data from the Curriculum Insights study and the latest OECD PISA results also point to a narrowing socio‑economic gap, with lower‑income students gaining a full year of learning in science and three terms in maths. Together, these findings suggest New Zealand’s comprehensive education reforms are beginning to reverse a long‑standing decline in achievement and are building a stronger foundation for all students.