A short synthesis of findings from our large education studies Publications
Publication Details
This report provides a short synthesis of the six large scale sample-based research projects that monitor the performance of the New Zealand education system – PISA, PIRLS, TIMSS, TALIS, Curriculum Insights and Progress Study (replacing NMSSA) and PIAAC.
Author(s): Educational Measurement and Assessment, Ministry of Education
Date Published: May 2023
Date Updated: August 2025
Summary
- In aiming for a system that delivers a world class education to all learners these studies are our most credible evidence. They tell us how our system is performing against both our own curriculum and relative to education systems of other countries and over time.
- In addition to giving achievement measures of learners, they collect contextual background information from students, teachers, principals, and parents. Student wellbeing and their schooling experiences, attitudes and beliefs are also included in surveys.
Figure 1: shows the year levels and domains each project covers. TALIS is the only study which does not have an assessment component.
Study | NZ Operation | Frequency | Current sample size | Who is measured | What is measured | Started |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CURRICULUM INSIGHTS Curriculum Insights and Progress Study | Otago University and NZCER | Annual |
1.Learning Areas - 1200 per Year level 2.Foundational Areas - 1200 3.Rapid Research Panel - 40 Schools | Year 3, 6 and 8 |
1.Learning Areas– All 8 areas of the NZ Curriculum over 4 years 2.Foundational Areas – Literacy and Numeracy every year 3.School Panel – qualitative feedback about curriculum and assessment matters. | 2023 |
NMSSA National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement | Otago University and NZCER | Annual | 2,000 per level | Year 4 and | All 8 areas of NZ Curriculum over a 5-year cycle | 2012-2022 |
PIAAC Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies | GAVC, MOE | 10 years | 7,000 | 16-65 year-olds | Adult literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills | 2014 |
PIRLS Progress in International Reading Literacy Study | Educational Measurement and Assessment, MOE | 5 years | 5,000 | Year 5 | Reading literacy | 2001 |
PISA Programme for International Student Assessment | Educational Measurement and Assessment, MOE | 3 years Moving to 4 years after 2025 | 6,200 190 schools | 15-year-olds | Reading, Mathematics and Science One innovative domain each cycle eg. Creative thinking in 2022 Student and principal questionnaire | 2000 |
TALIS Teaching and Learning International Survey | Educational Measurement and Assessment, MOE | 6 years | 2,200 teachers | Teachers and Principals of Years 7-10 In 2024 expanded to ECE - Years 10. | Working conditions, job satisfaction, teaching/ learning environment. | 2013 |
TIMSS Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study | Educational Measurement and Assessment, MOE | 4 years | 5,000 Y5 | Year 5 and | Mathematics and Science Student, parent, teacher and principal questionnaires. | 1994 |
Latest results & trends
| Reading | Writing | Maths | Science | Social Studies | Health | The Arts | Technology |
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YEAR 3 CURRICULUM INSIGHTS % achieving at |
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YEAR 4 % achieving at |
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YEAR 5 % at Intermediate International Benchmark |
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YEAR 6 % achieving at | 52% | 33%i | 30%i | |||||
YEAR 8 % achieving at |
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YEAR 9 % at Intermediate International Benchmark |
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AGE 15 % at or above |
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NOTE
i. The 2024 figures are reported against the
curriculum benchmarks established for the 2023 assessment.
Next release
- August 2025 Writing, Mathematics
(Curriculum Insights and Progress Study) - December 2026 (PISA 2025)
- December 2027 (PIRLS 2026)
- December 2028 (TIMSS 2027)
Excellence story
Some students are doing very well in the system, while other students are being left behind.
International measures are also relatively low and in decline over the long term.
There is still work for the system to do to improve learning outcomes for many learners.
Equity story
NZ has one of the largest gaps between the highest and lowest-scoring students, who generally come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and this has not improved over time. This extends to Pacific and ākonga Māori being impacted the most.
Well-being story
The percentage of New Zealand students that experience bullying is greater than most international peers.
Sense of belonging and feelings of safety at school, while similar to international averages, has declined over the years.
PISA ranking
Note: Luxembourg, the 38th OECD country, did not participate in PISA 2022. | ||||||
| OECD countries/economies (37) | All participating countries/economies (81) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subject | Range of ranks | Simple rank | Range of ranks | Simple rank | ||
| Mathematics | 7th to 28th | 19th | 11th to 33rd | 23rd | ||
| Reading | 3rd to 12th | 7th | 3rd to 17th | 10th | ||
| Science | 4th to 20th | 7th | 8th to 25th | 11th | ||
Notes about ranking:
- ‘Simple Rank’ is the rank order of each country’s average score in either Reading, Maths or Science.
- However, a country’s PISA score is actually the mid-point within a range. The range comes from the margin of error allowed for due to the study being sample based.
- Where countries are close in score so that their ranges actually overlap, we cannot say (without perfect measurement) that they scored differently or in order of the simple rank.
- The range of ranks are calculated using simulation methods and a 97.5% confidence level.
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