Year 1 phonics · Years 3 to 8 twice a yearTwice-yearly tests and the phonics check: a guide for parents
Since 2026, schools must check every new entrant's phonics after 20 and 40 weeks at school, and test every child in Years 3 to 8 in reading, writing and maths twice a year. Schools choose one of the approved tools. The tests are short and line up with the mid-year and end-of-year reports, so you can see your child's progress against the curriculum.
The checks and the tools
All schools use the phonics check. For Years 3 to 8, each school picks one of the approved tools.
| Assessment | Who | What it checks | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phonics check | Hihira Weteoro | New entrants, after 20 and 40 weeks | Letter sounds and reading simple and made-up words aloud | Takes a few minutes with the teacher. There is a te reo Māori version. |
| SMART | Years 3 to 8 | Reading, writing and maths | The new Student Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Tool, available from 2026. |
| PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests) | Years 3 to 8 | Reading, maths and more | Long used in New Zealand schools. Reports scale scores and stanines. |
| e-asTTle | Years 3 to 8 | Reading, writing and maths | Approved for 2026 only. |
The government's goal is for 80% of Year 8 students to be at or above the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and maths by December 2030.
When do the tests happen?
Schools set the dates. Most test in Term 2 and Term 4, before the reports.
First phonics check
Shows which sounds your child knows so far.
Second phonics check
Shows progress and whether extra help is needed.
End-of-year tests
Years 3 to 8. Results go in the end-of-year report.
Mid-year tests
Years 3 to 8. Results go in the mid-year report.
What do the tests look like?
Reading
- Understanding stories and information texts
- Working out word meaning
- Finding evidence in the text
Maths
- Number and algebra
- Measurement and geometry
- Statistics and probability
Writing
- A short piece of writing
- Marked on ideas, structure, spelling and punctuation
What does a stanine mean?
PAT results include a stanine from 1 to 9. It compares your child with others in the same year level across New Zealand. Move the slider to see what each stanine means.
SMART and e-asTTle report results in their own way. Your child's report shows progress against the curriculum in plain language, whichever tool the school uses.
More test guides
Sources
- Tāhūrangi: reporting to parents and whānau guidance (opens in a new tab)
- The New Zealand Curriculum: reporting to parents and whānau (opens in a new tab)
- Beehive: new assessment tool for Years 3–10 (opens in a new tab)
Updated on 12 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.