New Zealand sees gains in maths, reading skills
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Researchers in New Zealand analysed over three million test results and found that primary school children improved in maths and reading vocabulary, though reading comprehension showed a decline.
The New Zealand Council for Educational Research studied 15 years of Progressive Achievement Tests (PATs) from Years 4-8, revealing that children are now better at reading words than at any point in that period.
Maths scores began to fall in 2019, reaching a low in 2022 before increasing, and reading vocabulary scores rose starting in 2021. However, reading comprehension scores decreased from 2015, hitting a low in 2024. The study noted changes to the tests in 2024 and 2025 made direct comparisons to earlier years difficult, but improvements continued to show gains of up to a third of a year’s learning in maths and a fifth of a year’s learning in reading vocabulary.
Researchers cautioned that it is too early to determine if these gains will last. Education Minister Erica Stanford attributed the improvements to the government’s reforms and teachers’ implementation of them. Researcher David Coblentz suggested that increased access to digital devices might be influencing reading scores, and better attendance could be helping maths scores.
The study also revealed shifting gender differences, with boys benefitting more from recent improvements in maths and reading vocabulary, while girls experienced a larger decline in reading comprehension.
