School children are expected to be able to read, write and compare fractions, add and subtract decimals, solve linear equations, and find the perimeter and areas of shapes by the time they reach Year 8. 

According to the Refreshed New Zealand Curriculum, students should know how to recognise, read, write, represent, compare, order, and convert between fractions, decimals, and percentages. 

Students should also be able to add and subtract decimals to three places, add and subtract fractions with related denominators and write fractions in their simplest form. 

The curriculum also states students should know how to solve linear equations through trial and error as well as be able to find the perimeter and area of shapes composed of triangles and rectangles, show these findings and describe how they reached these results. 

University of Auckland mathematics education senior lecturer Lisa Darragh told the Herald there were broadly six content areas in mathematics education for Year 8 students: “numbers, algebra, geometry, measurements, statistics and probability”. 

“Interwoven with that, you have a greater or lesser emphasis on processes - things like problem-solving, logic and reasoning or communicating your mathematical thinking,” she said. 

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he rushed through plans to fast-track changes to the maths curriculum after seeing “appalling” results last week that showed four out of five Year 8 students were behind in their learning. 

The move to introduce structural maths for year 0-8 students from term one in 2025 – a year earlier than planned – was the big announcement in Luxon’s speech to the National Party conference on Sunday. 

Luxon revealed afterwards the announcement was pulled together in a few days, prompted by the new achievement data from the Curriculum Insights and Progress Study (Cips) that slightly over a fifth of Year 8 students in New Zealand had reached the benchmark for mathematics. 

That study showed 22% were at or above the curriculum level, 15% were less than one year below the level and a 63% were more than one year below it. 

Among Māori students, 12% were where they should be, 10% were less than a year behind and 77% were more than a year behind. 

Luxon – who has frequently said education was a big priority for him – said it would make it harder to hit National’s target for 80% of students to be at or above their curriculum levels by 2030. 

Could you answer these questions? 

Question 1 

a) 1/2 +1/4 = ?

b) Explain why you think this.

Question 2 - The shaded circle task 

An example of the kinds of questions maths students are expected to know by the time they reach year 8. Photo / NZCER 

Question 3 - The chocolate bar task 

The chocolate bar task 

Question 4 - The fractions task 

The fractions task 

Question 5 - Coloured counters 

There are some coloured counters in a bowl. 

1/4 are black. 

1/5 are green.

a) Are there more black or more green counters in the bowl?

More Black / More Green (Tick response) 

b) Show how you got your answer. You can use words and pictures.

Question 6 - Closest to 3/5 

a) Which of these is closest to 3/5

A. 0

B. 1/2

C. 1

D. 3

E. 5

F. 8

b) Explain why you think this. You can use words and pictures.