Key competencies

New Zealand curriculum – draft 2006–2007

Read about the key competencies on pages 11–12:

• The New Zealand curriculum: Draft for consultation 2006 (PDF, 2.24 MB)

The draft New Zealand curriculum identified five key competencies for learning and life. These are:

• managing self
• relating to others
• participating and contributing
• thinking
• using language, symbols, and text.

Background to the development of key competencies

The Curriculum Stocktake Report (2002) recommended that five sets of skills and attitudes replace the essential skills. As a result of consultation, feedback about the proposed skills and attitudes, publication of a critique of key competencies by the OECD, and ongoing Ministry of Education work around key competencies, the five draft key competencies have been proposed.

A newsletter (PDF, 248.42 kB) outlining the key competencies was sent to all schools in March 2005. It invited schools to engage in discussions and contribute to the development of key competencies. Responses overwhelmingly supported the proposed changes.

The writing group was set up within the Curriculum Marautanga Project to prepare the key competencies section of the draft. They drafted a revised statement, taking into account the original work of the OECD DeSeCo project, along with position papers and comments provided from various interest groups, and feedback from the school consultation. An advisory group consisting of cross-curricular and cross-sector representatives met with the writers to provide feedback.

Focus groups of teachers and parents provided feedback on the draft statement. A report (August 2005) on qualitative research, exploring teachers' and parents' perceptions and understanding of the draft statement of key competencies in the New Zealand curriculum, included the following conclusions.

• Teachers and parents understand the concept of key competencies to be an underpinning philosophy for day-to-day learning, and for the development of overarching school charters and culture.
• The ideas and concepts behind the key competencies statement are supported as values that they can recognise and identify with as having value and importance.
• Teachers and parents believe that key competencies are already implemented into everyday teaching and learning, and teachers can provide examples of this implementation. In this regard, the draft statement is perceived as a 'restating' and 'refocusing' of current practice, rather than as a new initiative.
• Parent and community involvement needs to be enhanced and valued. For example, people perceive the competencies of 'belonging', 'relating to others', and 'managing self' as joint responsibilities of parents, schools, and communities.
• The most effective communication with parents will be through school newsletters and/or parent evenings. These can be used to explain what key competencies are, why their importance is being highlighted, and what they mean for teaching and learning.
• Teachers' engagement with the concept and (further) implementation of key competencies will be led by school management, principals, and school heads of department.

Key competencies exploratory studies 2006

The first findings from the 2006 exploratory studies have been published online. Last year a number of schools investigated what the implementation of key competencies might mean for teaching, learning, and school leadership in a range of school settings.

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