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The New Zealand Curriculum: Social sciences

What are the social sciences about?

Unuhia te rito o te harakeke kei whea te kōmako e kō?
Whakatairangitia – rere ki uta, rere ki tai;
Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao,
Māku e kī atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata!

Remove the heart of the flax bush, and where will the kōmako sing?
Proclaim it to the land, proclaim it to the sea;
Ask me, "What is the greatest thing in the world?"
I will reply, "It is people, people, people!"

 

The social sciences learning area examines how societies work and how people can participate as critical, active, informed, and responsible citizens. Contexts are drawn from the past, present, and future, and from places within and beyond New Zealand.

 

NZ Curriculum Level 6: Year 11

Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

  • Understand how the causes and consequences of past events that are of significance to New Zealanders shape the lives of people and society
  • Understand how people’s perspectives on past events that are of significance to New Zealanders differ

NZ Curriculum Level 7: Year 12 
Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

  • Understand how historical forces and movements have influenced the causes and consequences of events of significance to New Zealanders
  • Understand how people’s interpretations of events that are of significance to New Zealanders differ

NZ Curriculum Level 8: Year 13 
Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experience to:

  • Understand that the causes, consequences and explanations of historical events that are of significance to New Zealanders are complex and how and why they are contested
  • Understand how trends over time reflect social, economic, and political forces

Further information on this can be found at the Ministry site.

 

Curriculum timeline changes

If you are finding it hard to keep track of all of these changes and updates, the Ministry of Education has released this new timeline for the national curriculum. The draft Social Sciences curriculum is set to made available from 2026 and will be phased in over the next four years.