National events and The New Zealand Curriculum

February

Waitangi Day 6 February 2022
Waitangi Day provides an opportunity for students to examine social science concepts and values and develop key competencies. Schools can also consider how the Treaty of Waitangi principle is used as a foundation for curriculum decision-making.

Lunar New Year – Chinese New Year from 1 February 2022
By examining this celebration, students can explore values such as diversity and respect, and develop conceptual understandings about culture, identity, and customs.

March

Seaweek – Kaupapa Moana 5 – 13 March 2022 
Seaweek is New Zealand’s annual national week about the sea. Hosted by the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE), Seaweek is a time for to get to know more about the ocean, its habitats, characteristics, and inhabitants better.

Christchurch terror attacks – Three years after, 15 March 2022
15 March 2022 marks three years since acts of terror shook our nation to the core. On this day each year, many communities and schools will pause, reflect on what happened, and remember those lost and those who continue to be affected. Resources that support safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all students — and that celebrate the diversity of our nation — are available.

April

Earth Day 22 April 2022
Earth Day is a global event where people honour the natural environment and raise awareness of environmental issues that trouble the world. By taking part in Earth Day, students can learn about the current state of the planet and explore options for sustainability.

Anzac Day 25 April 2022
By examining this national event, students can develop key competencies, explore values such as respect and honour, and consider the social science concepts of identity, continuity, and change. 

May

New Zealand Music Month May 2022
New Zealand Music Month provides a useful context for students to develop understandings in the arts and social sciences. It is also a good time to explore the values of diversity and community and participation with your students. 

Rotuman Language Week Sunday 8 May – Saturday 14 May 2022
The overarching theme for the 2022 Pacific Language Weeks is sustainability. Celebrate the identity, language, and culture of people from Rotuma.

New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week 9 – 15 May 2022
The theme for 2022 is "NZSL is Essential". New Zealand Sign Language Week provides an opportunity for schools to increase awareness and understanding of NSL and the Deaf Community. Embrace inclusion principle and explore the values of diversity and respect.

Bullying-Free NZ Week 16 – 20 May 2022  
The 2022 theme is "He kōtuinga mahi iti, he hua pai-ā rau: Small ripples create big waves." This week, an annual nationwide event that the Bullying Prevention Advisory Group (BPAG) organises, is an opportunity for schools to raise awareness about bullying and to promote inclusion.

Techweek 2022 16 – 22 May 2022
Techweek celebrates New Zealand’s fast growing technology and innovation sectors and raises awareness of the need for greater ICT skills and a "tech-savvy" culture for everyone. 

Samoa Language Week Sunday 29 May – Saturday 4 June 2022
Samoa Language Week / Vaiaso o le gagana Samoa helps all New Zealanders journey towards shared cultural understandings. Learning a new language gives us insight into new ways of thinking, and to different beliefs and cultural practices. Everyone who learns Gagana Samoa helps to preserve it as a living and rich language.

International Languages Week 13 – 17 June (Week 7, Term 2) 2022
This week provides an opportunity to showcase and promote languages and cultures in your school and communities. Encourage the bi-lingual students in your school to be experts during International Languages Week and support them to share their language knowledge with others in the class. 

June

Schools Pride Week Monday 13 June – Friday 17 June 2022
Celebrating Pride in every school. Embrace inclusivity and increase a sense of belonging. Find useful resources and ways for incorporating rainbow issues in NCEA standards, the curriculum, and the school's kaupapa. InsideOUT developed Schools Pride Week.

Matariki celebrated 21 June – 29 June 2022
The pre-dawn rise of Matariki can be seen in June or July every year. By celebrating Matariki at your school, you can bring a range of NZC principles to life. Students can explore values, develop key competencies, and examine social science concepts.

Matariki Public Holiday Friday 24 June 2022
Matariki mā te pouako / Matariki for teachers – a range of Matariki education resources from Te Papa

July

Kiribati Language Week Sunday 10 July – Saturday 16 July 2022
Kiribati Language Week is organised by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples to maintain and promote the language and culture of Kiribati (pronounced KiriBASS). The Kiribati language is also known as Gilbertese. 

July

Commonwealth Games Birmingham 28 July – 8 August 2022
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth that is scheduled to be held in Birmingham, England. Approximatesly 4500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports.

August

Cook Islands Language Week Sunday 31 July – Saturday 6 August August 2022
Cook Islands Language Week / Te 'Epetoma o te Reo Kūki Airani celebrates the identity, languages, and culture of the Cook Islands. Participating in the week helps all New Zealanders journey towards shared cultural understandings.

Maths Week Monday 8 August – Friday 12 August 2022
Sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Association of Mathematics Teachers, a number of resources are written and made available to teachers and students in Y1–11. 

Money Week 8 – 14 August 2022
Money Week provides the opportunity to integrate numeracy with other learning areas, such as literacy, social sciences, learning languages, and the arts. It also offers the chance to engage parents, whānau, and local businesses with learning experiences and conversations.

September

Conservation Week (TBC) September 2022
Capture your students' natural curiosity about the world they live in and raise awareness about Aotearoa New Zealand as you involve them in this year’s Conservation Week. This week is all about getting out and discovering the conservation areas that are just outside your door.

Tonga Language Week Sunday 4 September – Saturday 10 September 2022
Tonga Language Week / Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga gives students of all ethnicities the chance to learn some basic Lea Faka-Tonga and gives your students of Tongan origin the chance to be experts in the classroom.

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 12 – 18 Mahuru/Hepetema (September) 2022
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori provides an opportunity to celebrate and learn te reo Māori, helping to secure its future as a dynamic and rich language.

New Zealand Chinese Language Week 25 September – 2 October 2022
New Zealand Chinese Language Week is a Kiwi-led initiative aimed at encouraging New Zealanders to discover Chinese language and culture. 

Tuvalu Language Week Sunday 25 September – Saturday 1 October
This special week gives speakers of the Tuvalu language the chance to be experts in the classroom and allows whānau and the wider Tuvalu community to see their language and culture being treasured in New Zealand schools.

October

Fijian Language Week Sunday 2 October – Saturday 8 October 2022
Fijian Language Week helps all New Zealanders journey towards shared cultural understandings. Learning a new language gives us insight into new ways of thinking, and into different beliefs and cultural practices.

Niue Language Week Sunday 16 October – Saturday 22 October 2022
This special week gives speakers of Vagahau Niue the chance to be experts in the classroom and allows whānau and the wider Niue community to see their language and culture being treasured in New Zealand schools.

Gagana Tokelau Language Week Sunday 23 October – Saturday 29 October 2022
Gagana Tokelau Week provides the opportunity to celebrate and nurture the language and culture of Tokelau in your classroom and school community.

Diwali from 24 October 2022
Diwali, also known as Deepavali, or the Festival of Lights, is a five day long Hindu celebration. Diwali is a great opportunity to engage with the local Indian Hindu community, especially those members who are families at school. 

America's Cup – The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron accepted the New York Yacht Club American Magic's challenge for the 37th America's Cup (to be held in 2024). Barcelona, Spain will host the Match, which will run September and October of 2024.

America's Cup from 15 January 2021
New Zealand hosted the America's Cup event during term one 2021. The ideas and resources on this page supported schools, kura, and early learning services to weave the America’s Cup into their local curriculum.

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 – The Olympic games will take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024. The Games are a popular, multicultural festival, a celebration to share with the rest of the world. 

2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (24 July to 9 August) and the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games (25 August to 6 September) provide unique and vast learning opportunities for your students. Here is a collection of teaching ideas to help you share the Olympic spirit with your school and community.

The next New Zealand general election – will be held no later than 13 January 2024. This election will determine the composition of the 54th Parliament of New Zealand, after the currently elected 53rd Parliament is dissolved or expires.

General Election 17 October 2020
The General Election provided a useful context to build students' understanding of Parliament and the voting process. This resource page provides ideas and resources to help you plan programmes of learning around this significant event.

2023 Census – planning is underway for the 2023 census of population and dwellings. Page will be updated as more information becomes available.

Census 2018 6 March 2018
Every five years, a census is run – the official count of how many people and dwellings there are in New Zealand. Asking everyone to complete a set of questions about themselves and their household yields a snapshot of who is living in, and visiting, New Zealand.