What is the Year 2 Maths Check?

The Year 2 Maths Check is a short assessment that gives teachers a snapshot of how learners are progressing in number concepts by the end of Year 2. It is designed to be administered one-on-one and will take about 15 – 20 minutes per learner. 

The Check focuses on the Number strand of the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Area in the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum.

For kura using Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, see He Tirohanga Aronga Tau – Tau 2.

What does the Year 2 Maths Check assess?

The Check is designed to assess the essential knowledge and skills needed or Year 2 learner progression in the Number strand of the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum.

The Check helps teachers to identify strengths, and where more support may be needed for learners to access learning in Year 3. 

The Check includes the following sections:

• Section 1: Number Structure: Numbers to 120
• Section 2: Number Structure: Subitising and Number Facts
• Section 3: Number Operations: Addition and subtraction
• Section 4: Number Operations: Multiplication and division
• Section 5: Rational Numbers: Fractions

The aim of the Year 2 Maths Check is to help teachers identify learners early who may need additional support. The Check aims to provide insights into learners’ foundational maths understanding, especially in the Number Strand. This will show where support is needed, and where adaptations to explicit teaching may be needed. 

Early identification of learners who are struggling with maths can significantly reduce long-term underachievement.

The Year 2 Maths Check was developed by engaging external design experts in Maths and Pāngarau along with psychometricians to design, develop, trial and implement a purpose build Year 2 Maths Check and He Tirohanga Aronga Tau – Tau 2. 

This Check was first piloted with a small number of schools in Oct- Nov 2025. Pilot results were used to refine the check for Trial 1 to be held in March 2026. Trial 1 results from around 100 schools and kura were used to refine the check for Trial 2, with the results of Trial 2 being used to make any final tweaks required for the final versions of the Year 2 Maths Check.

The Year 2 Maths Check will be administered at the end of Year 2 for both schools and kura. 

The design of Year 2 Maths Check is for it to be a 1:1 interview, aiming for 15 minutes per learner. Learners will use manipulatives or other materials, provided in the resource kit, to demonstrate their understanding of foundational maths and pāngarau knowledge.  

The resource kit will include a student booklet, teacher booklet, and the hands-on materials needed to administer the Year 2 Maths Check. Online guidance material will provide details of the Year 2 Maths Check and step-by-step instructions to support teachers administer the Check effectively.

Effective administration of the Year 2 Maths Check requires careful consideration of timing and environment, creating a calm supportive space that is free from distractions. Teachers should ensure they’re familiar with the guidance and the resource kit, and confirm that all necessary materials are available. 

The teacher booklet includes instructions for the teacher on what to say and do when administering the check and guidance for determining the result to be recorded. 

Learners and mokopuna identified through the Year 2 Maths Check and He Tirohanga Aronga Tau – Tau 2 as needing accelerated learning support and intervention should then receive targeted support from the start of Year 3. This gives four terms for learners and mokopuna to accelerate learning and meet the Year 3 curriculum expectations. 

The Maths Check is a short assessment to assess a student’s understanding of foundational number concepts. It is aligned with the refreshed curriculum and focuses on the Number strand of Mathematics and Statistics. It covers number concepts and skills such as numbers to 120, subitising and number facts, number operations and early fractions. The Maths Check is administered one-to-one, with the teacher following a script and the learner using hands‑on materials from the Ministry resource kit. The data will be used to inform teaching and school-level planning, as well as system-level analysis through anonymised submission. 

The Maths Check aims to identify students who may need extra help in the early years. Research shows that early identification of learners struggling with mathematics reduce long-term underachievement. This allows identified learners the support they need for their future success in Mathematics and Statistics. 

The Maths Check was developed with help from maths and pāngarau experts, along with psychometricians. Year 2 Maths Check and He Tirohanga Aronga Tau – Tau 2 are developed and trialed together. Both the Checks were first piloted with a small number of schools in Oct – Nov 2025. Pilot results were used to refine the Checks for Trial 1 to be held in March 2026. Trial 1 results from around 100 schools were used to refine the Checks for Trial 2, with the results of Trial 2 being used to make any final tweaks required for the final versions of the Checks. 

For roll-out, the Maths Check will move to a digital format for teachers, but learners will still use hands-on materials. This means the Maths Check itself cannot be administered entirely online; rather, the teacher interface will be digital while the learner experience remains practical and interactive.  

The Maths Check and He Tirohanga Aronga Tau – Tau 2 (Pāngarau Check) are very similar in terms of concept coverage, design, and administration. Both focus on the same foundational number concepts and use a one-to-one, low-stakes approach with hands-on materials.  

The Maths Check is for English-medium settings and aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), while the He Tirohanga Aronga Tau is for Māori-medium settings and aligns with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA). The Pāngarau Check uses te reo Māori and addresses language-related complexities and cultural considerations. These differences ensure that each Check is appropriate and meaningful for its learning context. 

Year 2 learners will complete the Maths Check or He Tirohanga Aronga Tau in Term 4. This provides a clear snapshot of foundational knowledge before entry into Year 3, enabling early, targeted support in Term 1 of Year 3. The Maths Check prioritises core number knowledge and skills, as this aligns with the broader set of Year 2 curriculum of the Number Strand. 

Some learners may be exempt or have modified administration where the check is not appropriate (e.g., illness, significant learning needs, emergencies). Decisions rely on teacher judgment and existing support plans. 

Once the Maths Check is fully implemented the data will be used in the following ways.  

Classroom level: To identify each learner’s strengths and areas that requires additional support across foundational number concepts (number structure, operations, rational numbers/fractions). Teachers use results alongside other classroom evidence to plan targeted teaching and supports. 

School level: Aggregated patterns help leaders with planning, resourcing, professional learning, and monitoring progress across cohorts. 

System level: Anonymised, securely submitted data informs refinement of the Maths Check and a national picture of progression and resourcing needs. No individual learner or school is publicly identified. 

Classroom assessments are essential and remain central to teaching and learning. The Maths Check provides a universal, brief snapshot of critical foundational concepts and skills. This helps triangulate evidence and identify patterns across learners. It complements—not replaces—ongoing formative assessment. The Check also contributes to a national picture of early learning, enabling the system to take informed steps to provide targeted support where it is most needed. 

Trial 1 tested  the Maths Check design, validated the content and tested the resource kit logistics. Trial 2 will help establish scoring bands, an indicative national baseline and confirm the approach works well in a range of settings.

The Maths Check will usually be administered in Term 4, as learners complete Year 2. However, because the second trial is being conducted in Term 3, 2026, it needs a balance of Year 2 and 3 learners. This will help to determine expected progress, and achievement trends and patterns. This information will inform the development of scoring bands in reports from the Check. These bands will allow teachers to use results from the Check to inform their next steps and determine whether or not additional support may be needed.

For Trial 1 and 2, teachers will use a paper-based script and recording sheet, with a secure SharePoint list for submitting results. The learner tasks rely on hands-on materials, so the interaction is face-to-face and not a self-completed online test.

For Trial 2, the administration window will be three weeks in Term 3, 2026. Schools can schedule the Maths Check within their usual programs and release arrangements. Because the Maths Check is one-to-one, schools typically plan a dedicated window for administration (and teacher release where needed). Each Check takes approximately 15–20 minutes per learner, so planning is essential to complete the Maths Check in time. 

For the full roll-out, the Maths Check will move to a digital format for teachers, but learners will still use hands-on materials. This means the Maths Check itself cannot be administered entirely online; rather, the teacher interface will be digital while the learner experience remains practical and interactive.

For the trial phase, there is no requirement to share results with whānau, as the purpose of the trial is to refine the check. However, teachers may use the results to understand and respond to the strengths and needs of their learners and share insights with parents and whānau where appropriate.  

Once the Maths Check is implemented it is intended that schools share results with parents and whānau in a strength-based, plain-language way, combining these check results with their ongoing classroom formative assessments. Using the reporting to parents’ guidance, this involves outlining what the learner can do, the next steps, and how whānau can support learning at home. More detailed guidance on this will be provided for full implementation.  

Yes. The Ministry will fund teacher release for the trial. 

To support participation in the trial, the Ministry will provide: 

• one day of teacher release time for 1–10 learners participating 
• two days of teacher release time for 11–20 learners participating. 

Schools can claim funding for teachers participating in the trial at a maximum amount of $408 per day (including holiday pay) + GST.

Claims are to be submitted via invoice. To ensure the Ministry can process your claim, please make sure to include the following information: 

• Invoice from “School name and address” 
• Invoice to “Ministry of Education” 
• Invoice to be a “Tax Invoice” with school GST number included – Note that “Draft Invoice” or “Pro Forma Invoice” are not accepted 
• School bank account number 
• Invoice reference: 1-6176-2564-4134 
• Full name of the teacher(s) 
• The date(s) the Maths Check was carried out 

The Ministry would like to receive the teacher release funding claims by 04 September 2026 and may not be able to process any claims submitted after this date. Email invoices to EarlyMaths.PāngarauCheck@education.govt.nz