One hour a day – Resources for parents, caregivers, and whānau

Starting from Term 1 2024, children in years 0–8 will be taught reading, writing, and maths for an average of one hour a day in each skill. Daily teaching, along with a quality curriculum and good teaching practices, has been shown to improve children’s progress and achievement.

What does this change mean for my child? 

Many schools already spend an hour a day on reading, writing, and maths, so this will not be a big change. The ‘one hour a day’ requirement has been designed to be practical and flexible. Schools will still be able to hold events like athletics days and school camps since the requirement is for an average amount of time each week.

What will the lessons look like?

The National Curriculum outlines what your child should be able to understand, know, and do as they progress through their school years. Teachers will continue to use the curriculum and teach in ways that best suit their students’ learning. This includes using things like active learning opportunities, group work, investigations, practice, and consolidation activities. The ‘one hour a day’ requirement can be broken up into small blocks throughout the day. Your child’s teacher will manage these to fit the needs of your child.

Working with your school

It can be helpful to share your child’s interests, languages spoken at home, and cultural practices with their teachers, so they can be included in your child’s learning. You can also talk with your child or their teacher about their progress in reading, writing, and maths, and discuss with their teacher ways you can support your child at home.

See Materials that come with this resource to download:

• Advice to whānau on 60 minutes a day (.pdf)