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The Briefing | Issue No. 32 - Bay Science Newsletter

3 hours ago
11 min read

Aotearoa NZ's home of science education news.

Rātapu, te 8 o Noema 2026


The Briefing Issue 32 Bay Science newsletter cover showing the Tarawera River framed by native bush in the Bay of Plenty.
With the final Years 0–10 Science curriculum officially gazetted and a standalone Year 11 Agriculture and Horticultural Science subject announced, this week's issue unpacks what has changed since the August draft alongside our Bay Science Cluster Workshop tomorrow afternoon (Monday 9 November, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM) at Pāpāmoa College. Pictured: Crystal-clear emerald waters of the Tarawera River (Te Awa o Tarawera) flowing through native ngahere in the eastern Bay of Plenty.

Kia ora koutou


Welcome to Issue 32 of The Briefing, our weekly Bay Science newsletter bringing together science education news, classroom resources, and professional learning across Aotearoa New Zealand.


It has been a massive week for science curriculum and senior subject policy across the motu. With the 2026 National Curriculum Statement officially gazetted on Tāhūrangi and a standalone Year 11 Agriculture and Horticultural Science subject announced, we have put together a detailed breakdown comparing the final November Years 0–10 Science curriculum against the August release.


Alongside those curriculum updates, we are looking forward to seeing local kaiako tomorrow afternoon (Monday 9 November) at Pāpāmoa College for our Bay Science Cluster Workshop. Registered attendees will receive an email shortly.


Kia kaha,

Lian and Vicki info@bayscience.nz

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  • Live from ChemEd BioLive 2026 in Ōtautahi (18, 19 & 20 Nov) Andrea Soanes and Greta Dromgool will be coming live from the ChemEd BioLive 2026 conference in Christchurch inside the Lux Space on Schoolkits to share daily highlights: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/events/highlights-from-chemed-biolive-conference-2026

  • New Te Mātaiaho Section on the Science Learning Hub (Tue 24 Nov) Join Andrea Soanes in the Lux Space as she walks through the Hub's brand-new Te Mātaiaho section: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/events/revealing-the-slhs-new-section-te-mataiaho

  • New Zealand Geographic Launches "Subs for Schools" 

    Twenty years ago, more than 800 New Zealand school libraries received New Zealand Geographic; today, only 112 do. While teen readership has grown, school library budgets come out of the same pot as power bills and sports gear, making magazines among the first items cut. Through the new Subs for Schools initiative, community members and supporters can pick a local or rural school and sponsor six issues a year for its library for $89, with their name printed on the carrier sheet. https://www.nzgeo.com/school-sub/

  • Rotorua Museum Open Day — Be Among the First to See Inside (Sat 21 Nov) 

    Hosted by Rotorua Lakes Council and Friends of Rotorua Museum, the community is invited to be among the first to step back inside the iconic Bath House building on Saturday 21 November from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  https://events.humanitix.com/rotorua-museum-open-day-presentations

  • Call for Ideas Open Now — New Zealand International Science Festival 2027 (9–18 July 2027) 

    Applications are now open to be part of Aotearoa New Zealand's biggest celebration of science, returning to Ōtepoti Dunedin from 9–18 July 2027. Educators, communicators, and organisations with event ideas can apply online now.  https://scifest.org.nz/

  • Save the Date: First-Ever New Zealand Biosecurity Conference 2027 (9–11 June 2027) 

    Hosted at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre and supported by silver sponsor Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital, the inaugural New Zealand Biosecurity Conference will run from 9–11 June 2027. The conference spans animal, aquatic, environmental, and plant biosecurity, focusing on preventing the arrival and establishment of harmful pests and diseases—from offshore risk and pathways through to surveillance, diagnostics, readiness, response, and pest eradication.  https://www.biosecurity.org.nz/


Our full calendar is available here. Let us know how we can help promote your event.

Noema 09

Noema 10

Noema 11

Noema 12

Noema 13

Noema 14

Noema 15

Noema 16

Noema 17

Noema 18

Noema 19

Noema 20

Noema 21

Noema 22

Noema 23



CONFERENCE WATCHLIST (CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)



The following have been added to our Experiences page and Resources directory. While we may share resources here, directory only saves items which are free and which do not require a login.


  • Bring the Ocean into Your Classroom - RŪNĀ & The Ocean Race Learning Modules

    With The Ocean Race stopping in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in 2027, RŪNĀ is helping bring its free, cross-curricular, hands-on learning programme to Aotearoa classrooms:

    • Champions for the Sea (ages 6–12): Worksheets, student booklets, a teacher's guide, and a quiz on ocean plastic, upcycling, and more.

    • Our Ocean, Our Hero (ages 6–12): A short film plus a 60-minute lesson plan.

    • Generation Ocean (ages 12+): A booklet and educator's guide for student-led ocean projects.

    https://www.runa-yachtingnz.org.nz/the-ocean-race/the-ocean-race

  • Pōkaiwhenua: Explore Aotearoa Browser Game (Pūnaha Reo) 

    An interactive browser game designed to teach tamariki and ākonga about Aotearoa through play, bringing the motu's places, landscapes, and te reo Māori place names to life as players fly across the country. https://www.pokai.co.nz/ YouTube preview of the game: https://www.youtube.com/@punahareo-games



  • [Closing Tomorrow] 2027 UNESCO Aotearoa Youth Leader Applications (Close Mon 9 Nov, 5:00 PM) 

    A final reminder for rangatahi and school leavers aged 18–25 with an interest in deepening connections between Aotearoa Youth and UNESCO: applications for the 2027 UNESCO Aotearoa Youth Leader team close this Monday 9 November at 5:00 PM. https://unesco.org.nz/news/are-you-interested-in-becoming-a-unesco-aotearoa-youth-leader2027

  • AIA Healthiest Schools Competition (Closes 3 December 2026) 

    Work together with ākonga to create and share a project that makes your kura happier, healthier, and more sustainable for a chance to win up to NZ$80,000 worth of prizes for your school. Submissions close on 3 December 2026. https://ahs.aia.com/nz/en/

  • Ask the Experts: Space, STEM & Beyond — Free Interactive Q&A Webinar Hosted by Haka Educational Tours, this free 45-minute webinar gives kaiako the opportunity to put questions directly to Miranda Satterthwaite (CEO, Aotearoa Aerospace Academy) alongside astrobiology experts Haritina Mogoşanu and Samuel Leske (Milky-Way.Kiwi). From real-world STEM learning to space career pathways, educators can submit questions when registering to help shape the kōrero. Free to attend, with a recording available afterwards. Wed 11, 12:30 pm. https://events.humanitix.com/ask-the-experts-space-stem-and-beyond



REMINDERS:


  • BoP Science Cluster 2026 (Mon 9 Nov) Bay Science is organising the science-arm of an upcoming super cluster where a range of local associations will convene in the afternoon of November 9th. Science teachers of all year levels and specialities can register their interest here:

    https://www.bayscience.nz/post/cluster-3-2026-bay-science




  • Earth and Space Science Educators NZ (ESSENZ):


  • New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE)

    • Exploring the EfS Possibilities in the Phase 4 Curriculum (Tue 10 Nov, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM):  A free online session sharing ideas and discussion on how to support education for sustainability learning in Years 9–10 across climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable design contexts: https://www.nzaee.org.nz/events



  • New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF) & Te Akapūmau




  • Standalone Year 11 Agriculture and Horticultural Science Subject Announced

    Education Minister Erica Stanford has announced that Agriculture and Horticultural Science will be established as a standalone optional subject from Year 11 alongside compulsory Science, creating a clear pathway into Years 12 and 13 Agriculture and Horticultural Science as well as the new industry-led Years 12–13 Food and Fibre subject. Public consultation on the new Year 11 subject is expected to begin in the coming weeks. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/year-11-agriculture-and-horticultural-science-subject-announced 


  • Planned maintenance period and fee changes for International Qualifications Assessments (IQAs) NZQA's online application portal for overseas qualifications recognition will be closed to new submissions for planned maintenance from 20 December 2026 until 12:00 PM on 11 January 2027, with updated IQA fees taking effect from 1 January 2027. https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/news/iqa-maintenance-fee-changes/

Whakaaro which may be relevant to us as science educators.


  • NEW BOOK: Education policy in Aotearoa New Zealand Releasing in print on 12 November (with digital editions available 20 November), this new volume brings together nearly 50 tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti contributors—including Mere Berryman, Sally Birdsall, Claire Amos, Fiona Ell, Joanna Higgins, Jenny Ritchie, Rae Si‘ilata, and Bronwyn Wood—to examine the cultural, social, and political forces driving education change in Aotearoa. https://www.nzcer.org.nz/product/1468

  • NEW BOOK: Kia tika ai te hoe i te waka nei: Steering the waka of early childhood teacher education through choppy seas Publishing on 11 November (with digital versions available 15 November), this collection traces early childhood initial teacher education in Aotearoa New Zealand from the mid-20th century to the present through historical accounts, research, personal narratives, and reflections. https://www.nzcer.org.nz/nzcerpress/Kia_tika_ai_te_hoe_i_te_waka_nei

  • Symposia @ NZARE Conference 2026 – Part 1 (Ipu Kererū / NZARE) Ahead of the NZARE 2026 Conference (16–18 November), the first instalment in this Ipu Kererū preview series introduces two upcoming research symposia: (1) Do I belong here? An Investigation of Student Wellbeing Among Marginalised Groups at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland; and (2) Enhancing the learning of refugee and migrant children as they transition to education settings in Aotearoa New Zealand. https://nzareblog.wordpress.com/2026/11/05/nzare-conference-2026-symposia/


Bay Science is an unincorporated national teachers association standing for progressive and inclusive science education. Our channels serve as the most comprehensive noticeboard of science education news and events across Aotearoa New Zealand. The Briefing is the free weekly Bay Science newsletter for members. Sign up below. If your organisation has a kaupapa, event, or opportunity to share with the science education community, we’ll happily share it here.


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© 2025-2026 Lian Soh and Vicki Alderson-Wallace

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