A sweeping overhaul of New Zealand’s education system over the past three years has affected almost every aspect of how schools operate.

It’s been guided by a stated rationale of “teaching the basics brilliantly” and giving each child the foundations to succeed, regardless of their background.

But the reforms have driven heated debate among academics, teachers, school leaders and parents over how – and what – our children should be taught.

With many of these changes now bedding in, the next government faces the hefty challenge of bridging these divides and trying to bring the education sector back together.

New rules, changing schools

Soon after the coalition government took charge three years ago, it began enacting its election pledge of requiring primary and intermediate schools to teach an hour each of reading, writing and maths daily.

It spelt the start of a much wider policy reset.

Mobile phones were banned in schools, structured literacy was expanded in primary classrooms and work began on rewriting the New Zealand Curriculum to place greater emphasis on knowledge.

Primary schools also faced new requirements for twice-yearly standardised testing, while plans were announced to replace NCEA with two new secondary qualifications.

Changes to school governance and oversight followed. The government removed the requirement for school boards to give effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi, reintroduced charter schools and changed how the Education Review Office........

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