NZHTA Pānui 5, 2026

NZHTA Pānui 5, 2026

Tēnā koutou katoa,

As always, the term races on. With another set of curriculum announcements from the Ministry during the week, we’re doing our best to keep you all updated as quick as possible. There is information in this pānui regarding relevant progress updates on the draft curriculum changes for Y9-13. We are excited to launch NZHTA ‘History Matters’ – a new series of online sessions on a wide range of relevant and interesting topics and ideas. These sessions will all be live and recorded and shared to fit in with your busy lives. Find out more about this and plenty of other items in this action-packed pānui.

In this pānui:

• Constitution voting reminder

• NZHTA ‘History Matters’ Series

• Curriculum updates

• History external exams info – 1.3, 2.3, 3.3

• Upcoming NZHTA workshop in Tauranga

• Conference resources

• New NZHTA resources

Take care and reach out to me as always with any help you need.

Ngā mihi

Nick Fitness, NZHTA Kaiārahi

nzhtaexec@gmail.com

Constitution voting reminder

The NZHTA Executive has completed a thorough review of our current constitution and propose changes to this. These changes reflect the commitment that NZHTA made at the 2023 Conference to ensure that we, as an organisation, are Te Tīriti honouring.

Here are the proposed constitution changes to view. Here is a recorded webinar to familiarise NZHTA members with the proposed changes to our constitution. This was also presented to members at the NZHTA Conference in April. Voting will close on 6 July 2026.

ONLINE VOTING FORM

NZHTA ‘History Matters’ Series

NZHTA is launching a new online live and recorded series called ‘History Matters’.

History Matters is a space for history teachers to explore the big ideas, tricky questions, and everyday realities of teaching history. Part professional learning, part conversation, and part collective problem-solving, it’s a chance to share practice, challenge thinking, and connect with others. They are on EVERY Thursday for the rest of this term, and we already have three booked in for next term too!

NZHTA ‘History Matters’ Term 2 Series

Thursday 21^st May, 3.30pm: Unpacking the vocab of history internals – Christina Nicolaas, NZQA National Moderator - ZOOM LINK

Thursday 28^th May, 3.30pm, What does 'giving effect to Te Tiriti' in 2026 look like for History Teachers? – NZHTA Exec members - ZOOM LINK

Thursday 4^th June, 3.30pm: TBC

Thursday 11^th June, 3.30pm: Teaching for the 2.5 and 3.5 external essays - Bronwyn Houliston, NZHTA Exec - ZOOM LINK

Thursday 18^th June, 3.30pm: Using the Kiwis in Korea textbook, Craig Thornhill, NZHTA Chair - ZOOM LINK

Thursday 25^th June, 3.30pm: Teaching for the 1.3 historical concepts external – Nick Fitness, NZHTA Kaiārahi - ZOOM LINK

Curriculum updates

Phase | Tūārere 4 Years 9 – 10 Social Studies:

The Ministry has still not given us a date for when the final version of this Y1-10 Social Sciences curriculum will be released. We have been told that they are currently working through the submission feedback and making refinements.

“Regarding feedback, we are in the process of analysing and considering all the consultation feedback. We are currently working to release the final National Curriculum in mid-2026. Alongside the release, we will share with the sector the “what you told us” report for each Learning Area summarising the feedback we received during the consultation, and how we responded to it.”

As soon as we know when this will be out, we will let you all know. There will be plenty of PLD in this space coming up! These workshops will help teachers to interrogate the curriculum and to understand the nature of the two different sections: 

Knowledge - The facts, concepts, principles, and theories to teach. 

Practices - The skills, strategies, and applications to teach.

Phase | Tūārere 5 Years 11-13 History:

History Update:

There have been quite a few queries already about 'Where is History?' in the Group 1 release of Social Sciences subjects. History is in Group 3, so we are going to be in the last group of subjects to be released for consultation. The Ministry once again hasn't yet provided us with a firm date, but we have been told it will be mid-July to mid-August.

NCEA Update:

The government has also confirmed that from 2028, NCEA will be replaced with 2 new national qualifications:

• New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) for Year 12

• New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) for Year 13

NZCE will roll out in 2029, followed by NZACE in 2030.

History external exams info – 1.3, 2.3, 3.3

AS92026 – History 1.3

The structure of this year’s paper has changed to one part source based and two parts on a studied context(s) which is outlined in the assessment specs. This is a change to the specs and highlights the importance of revision. We will make sure the upcoming NZHTA exam has two of the three questions based on a studied context then hopefully there will be no surprises in the end of year exam.

Read the 1.3 specs here.

AS91231 – 2.3, and AS91436 – 3.3

There have been a few queries recently re: paper copies of these exams even if the students are sitting these exams digitally. The NAF has informed me that for AS91231, and AS91436 the resource booklets will still be sent to schools.

Upcoming NZHTA workshop in Tauranga

Please REGISTER HERE to attend an upcoming NZHTA workshop. This workshop is tailored for history teachers who want to strengthen their practice, connect with colleagues, and maybe even a chance to share your expertise with others! A big focus for this PD will be the curriculum changes if they are out.

Where: Tauranga - Te Manawaroa, Level 1 University of Waikato Tauranga campus

When: Friday 19 June

Time: 9am-2.30pm

Conference resources

For those who may have missed the recent conference, here is the link to the NZHTA Conference resources folder. I’m still waiting on some, but there are six presentations here to get you started!

New NZHTA resources

Dropping of the Atomic Bombs 1945

L2 (2.2 and 2.4) or L3 (3.2 and 3.4) teaching resource. The teaching resources and assessments are intended to support the teaching of either a Level 2 or Level 3 unit on the decision to drop the atomic bombs in August 1945. They can be edited and adapted to suit your ākonga and kura. This unit leads to a combined perspectives and significance assessment. This is either

· Level 2 AS 91230 Examine an historical event or place that is of significance to New Zealanders (2.2) and AS 91232 Interpret different perspectives of people in an historical event that is of significance to New Zealanders (2.4)

OR

· Level 3 AS 91435 Analyse an historical event, or place, of significance to New Zealanders (3.2) and AS 91437 Analyse different perspectives of a contested event of significance to New Zealanders (3.4)

Y9 Dawn Raids

The sequence of lessons focuses on exemplifying a range of literacy strategies that could be incorporated in formative teaching and learning of the Dawn Raids. It makes up part of a wider exploration into cultural interactions and ākonga should already have a basic understanding of immigration and push and pull factors.

It includes techniques to develop vocabulary acquisition, reading for meaning, and structured paragraph writing to enable students at Year 9 to construct a narrative of cause and consequence.  Teachers could decide whether students then use these paragraphs for extended paragraph writing.

Missed a pānui?

You can find all our previous pānui on our website: https://nzhta.org.nz

Ā kō ake nei | Coming up soon

NZHTA Term 3-4 Workshop dates coming out soon!!!

Kōrero Mai | We'd love to hear from you!

At NZHTA, fostering connections with our history community is at the heart of what we do. Whether you have questions, feedback, or ideas to share, we’re here and ready to listen. Your input helps us continue to support educators, enhance our resources, and advocate for quality history education across Aotearoa New Zealand. Reach out to us and let’s keep building a strong, supportive network together.