Numicon 2026
All schools receive full access to Numicon Online NZ, hands-on manipulatives, student problem-solving books for Years 3-8, and PLD support to get started.
Numicon Fulfils Te Mataiaho and NZC
2026 is an interim year while new books for Years 5-8 are being written for 2027. From 2027 onwards, Year 5 and Year 6 will use the new Numicon 6 NZ edition, Year 7 will use Numicon 7 NZ edition, and Year 8 will use Numicon 8 NZ edition.
- Full-school online platform access written for Aotearoa NZ
- Hands-on manipulatives and structured teaching resources
- Student problem-solving books with Practice and Going Deeper
- PLD support options from webinars to in-school facilitation
The Numicon Approach
A conversational, structured, mastery approach that develops reasoning, language, and pattern recognition across all maths strands.
Being clever at maths includes understanding all strands, not just number.
Numicon supports children to broaden understanding, go deeper, and think mathematically from Year 0.
It is designed for rich classroom talk and collaborative reasoning, where children investigate, explain, justify, and connect ideas.
The low-threshold/high-ceiling lesson design gives every learner a point of access while still stretching more able students.
Students record discoveries in books and solve rich tasks together. There are no worksheets as the core mode of learning.
You Will Receive
Online Resources
- Teaching ebooks and implementation guides
- Teaching progressions and NZC links
- Lesson plans with clear curriculum alignment
- Te Reo language resources
- Assessment cards, prompts, and trackers
- Teacher support videos and digital representations
Hands-on Manipulatives
Student Books (Years 3-8)
Problem-solving books with Practice and Going Deeper sections for follow-up and extension.
Supporting PLD to Get Started
Online and in person support is available. View recordings and upcoming events on the Edushop website.
Further paid PLD is recommended to ensure deep embedding of maths and the programme in your school.
Evidence and Research
Key Features
- A spiral teaching sequence that revisits and strengthens concepts across strands.
- Explicit teaching with support and extension opportunities.
- Rich tasks that connect maths ideas to everyday contexts.
- Built-in formative assessment and milestone tracking.
- Reduced teacher workload through structured planning and resources.
- Inclusive design for all learners with strong support for more able students.
Reference Documents
Intervention and acceleration programmes are available through Edushop.
More from Choose Numicon
Candy Hollier, Whangamata Area School
Year 4/P5 Mata Area School
FAQs
How does Numicon prepare Year 8's for high school?
Numicon totally supports Year 8 learners. The new curriculum has extended the learning expectations for this level, so more material has been written.
Students enjoy the learning and challenges, especially with problem-solving in Numicon. Feedback from schools using Numicon at this level indicates students go into top classes at high school.
Numicon 6 aims to consolidate and maintain students' fluency with ideas met previously, and to gain mastery of new mathematical ideas. This supports confidence in formal testing and readiness for the next stage of mathematical learning.
New concepts include increased reading of algebraic symbols, sequences for solving problems (GEMA), and independent inquiry through investigations. An additional chapter on preparing for formal testing/exams builds valuable exam skills.
What teaching support is available online?
Clear planning and supporting documents are provided online and in ebooks (NZ version - August 2025).
Home NZ Index and opening choices
Overview of the week's teaching/learning with quicklinks to lessons
Starter images for conversation to introduce the learning
TAB - Introduction to the learning to show and discuss with students
TAB - Quicklinks to resources for the week
TAB - Lesson steps with illustrations that can be enlarged for teaching and sharing
Student Book opening question for conversation and paired problem-solving
Explore More activities for practice and optional home learning
Whole class reflections at the end of lesson periods
Digital representations for teaching, creating slides/activities, and student access
Assessment cards for conversation, reflection, and formative/summative assessment
Explorer Progress pages for formative or summative assessment (recall and generalising)
Assessment Tracking file to record progress in learning
Join one of our free Zooms. Watch the recorded webinars on the Edushop website.
- Follow the Home NZ Index - the links are easy to find.
- The year's sequence (Teaching Progressions) includes hyperlinks to planning, teaching resources, and NZC links.
- Mixed-Year Level planning shows how to integrate teaching across two year levels in one class.
- Teacher support videos are available at Numicon Online.
- Join our Facebook group - Numicon Users NZ - for fast support from consultants.
How does Numicon support children of different abilities while exposing them to year-level demand?
- Each year starts with a Getting Started week to familiarise teachers and students with manipulatives, lesson flow, and assessment opportunities.
- Each week's Educational Context explains how current learning builds from earlier learning.
- Focus Activities 1 and 2 are always introductory, giving all learners a low-threshold entry point.
- Through the week, students reach year-level expectations and beyond using rich tasks and open-ended problems (high ceiling).
- Mixed-level plans allow teachers to draw on previous-year teaching to support this year's learners.
- Curriculum links are clearly mapped and available below.
How does Numicon provide follow-up, extension, and assessment?
Numicon has comprehensive follow-up through independent and paired activities where students use equipment to solve problems, practise learning, and record discoveries. Student Books (Years 4-8) include Practice and Going Deeper problem-solving.
The Numicon lesson flow follows the new curriculum:
- Getting Started - teach using Focus Activities.
- Working - practise using + activities and Student Books for Going Deeper and extension (Phases 2 and 3).
- Connecting and Reflecting - whole-class practice and discussion.
Numicon follows an explicit teaching approach. Read all samples at this link.
The spiral design gives repeated opportunities to reinforce learning and connect across strands. Scope and sequence by year is available here.
Assessment is mainly formative:
- Teachers look and listen for understanding and address misconceptions immediately.
- Assessment cards support student self-assessment and teacher summative assessment.
- Explorer Progress books allow weekly demonstration and application in new contexts.
- Student learning is recorded in a Student Tracker spreadsheet.
Does Numicon have clear curriculum links in planning and teaching files?
The Mapping Tool shows all links. You can view it here.
Planning documents begin with curriculum requirements, then map Numicon teaching and assessment links. See the Numicon 2 - Year 3 example below.
- The purple column is NZC.
- Sequence of teaching through the year (calculations/operations).
- Teaching sequence through the week.
- Space for teacher comments.
- Adaptations for students.
- Milestone assessment link.
A complete rewrite of the online platform is being delivered progressively through July and August in NZ context.
Ebooks, tabs, and weekly overviews will show direct curriculum links.
Are there any extras available for purchase?
Optional extras include:
- Pan balances - recommended 1 per group.
- Large foam shapes.
- Place Value resources.
- Investigations with Numicon.
- Number lines, counting and patterning, and time resources.
- Geometry and Maths Games.
- Numicon Essentials and MyMaths.
- Breaking Barriers / Intervention / Big Ideas.
- Parent support resources and Home Learning Maths Bags.
- You can view pricing on the Edushop website.
Government offer detail: view by year (PDF).
What happens at the end of the 2 years? Will we need to pay for online resources?
Read the official Q&A on the Tahurangi website: Structured Maths Resources FAQs.
'The resources will be available until our children are at the new Curriculum level.'
Purchasing Numicon Online NZ is another option, and so is Numicon Essentials.
PLD - Some Considerations
Professional learning support is available with expert facilitators.
Getting Started with Numicon - a half-day in-person PD is held at the beginning of each term in centres around NZ. Sessions are advertised ahead of time and your school contact person is notified, including through the Numicon Users NZ group.
Our free webinars are part of the Ministry's support.
These webinars help teachers get started with the online handbooks, manipulatives, and curriculum alignment so the first week of teaching is set up for success.
You can also watch recorded webinars if you miss live sessions.
IN-school PD / Shared PD
For many teachers, this approach is significantly different from previous maths teaching practice. Some staff can begin with core resources alone, while others benefit from deeper support.
We know Numicon accelerates achievement when used by skilled teachers. Support options are designed to build staff capability in both Numicon implementation and structured mathematics pedagogy through concrete/pictorial/abstract approaches.
Schools that see the strongest outcomes often engage in deeper PLD over 1-2 years. Other options include teacher-only days, staff meeting series, leadership development, one-to-one modelling, coaching, mentoring, and teacher-aide workshops.
Our team can discuss your specific needs and design bespoke PLD to strengthen staff capability and student outcomes.
PD Support
Please get in contact for options and planning support.
You do not need extra PLD to get started with Numicon, but additional support can make a significant difference for strong, consistent implementation.