Not long now until the school holidays and the NZAMT conference in Dunedin! Pip will be there flying the CensusAtSchool flag. Even if you don’t get to go to a session, stop by and say hi – we always love hearing about how teachers are using CensusAtSchool with their classes.

NZAMT Sessions featuring CensusAtSchool

CensusAtSchool new resources | Y0-8 (Workshop session 1)

CensusAtSchool is constantly evolving, developing, and updating material to keep them relevant to the New Zealand curriculum. In the last 18 months, Pip has worked with primary and intermediate teachers to get a collection of new resources targeted at years 0-8. Bring a laptop and come prepared to engage in statistical enquiry.

CensusAtSchool: a wealth of teaching and learning resources and experiences | All year levels (Workshop session 6)

Explore the CensusAtSchool website and discover the full range of resources, data, and resources for classroom use. Bring a computer, and you will get to do some data analysis with the current CensusAtSchool database.

Tūturu Health Attitudes | Y9-11 (Workshop session 5)

This workshop explores new CensusAtSchool resources on gaming, developed with Tūturu, for use in stats, health, and social studies. Try out activities and consider how to apply them in your classrooms.

Haven’t taken part yet? Still plenty of time. The survey is open all year!

Garden Bird Survey: 28 June – 6 July

A great one-hour citizen science activity for school or home. Resources and bird ID guides available at: gardenbirdsurvey.nz.

We’d love to hear what you and your students are discovering about the 2025 data! If you have made any data displays or summaries, or have interesting stories to share, please let us know.

Explore the 2025 data now!

You can also explore data from previous CensusAtSchool questionnaires all the way back to 2005.

2025 Questionnaire

If your students haven’t taken part yet, there’s still plenty of time. The survey is open all term and fits easily into your programme. Students love discovering what their classmates think, and comparing their answers with students around the country. Take part here

The data is in!

We’re excited to let you know that the full CensusAtSchool 2025 database is now available to explore. Thousands of students from across Aotearoa have already taken part — and their responses are ready for your class to investigate.

You can explore the full dataset here.
(Note: A few opinion questions will be added in the near future, but everything else is there now.)

If your students haven’t taken part yet, there’s still plenty of time. The survey is open all term and fits easily into your programme. Students love discovering what their classmates think, and comparing their answers with students around the country. Take part here

Teacher Resource

The Data Detective Poster

The data detective poster is available in:

• te reo Māori junior and senior versions
• English junior and senior versions
• Gagana Samoa 
• Lea Faka Tonga
• Kūki ‘Āirani Māori
• Vosa Vakaviti

The data detective poster is a resource for teachers to print and use in their classrooms.  It can also be used to support students in writing up their investigations.

For example: providing students with a one-pager that they can write their investigation up in, including the PPDAC cycle in the middle.

We hope Term 2 is off to a great start for you and your students. CensusAtSchool is now in full swing, with 9,793 students from 234 schools already taking part. We’ll reach 10,000 this week!

This is an ideal time to get involved. The survey is open all term and designed to fit easily into your programme. Students love discovering what their classmates think and comparing their answers with students across Aotearoa. Take part here

New Primary Teacher Resources: Probability

Share with junior teachers in your school.

Year 1 Lucky Dip 

Ākonga will take turns playing a chance-based game that incorporates key vocabulary while anticipating outcomes. This game is intended as a single lesson for Year 1 ākonga, but it can also serve as a warm-up before the ‘Human Slot Machine’ investigation in Year 3. Additionally, it can be used as an ongoing classroom activity to reinforce language and key vocabulary.

Year 3 Human Slot Machine 

Ākonga will take turns playing a chance-based game that incorporates key vocabulary while anticipating outcomes. This game is intended as two lessons for Year 3 ākonga. The first lesson involves the creation of a pictorial tree diagram, and the second lesson involves exploring visual representations of chance-based data.

We hope you had a great break and are ready to dive into Term 2.

This is a perfect time to get your students involved with CensusAtSchool, our practical statistical literacy activity. The survey stays open all term, so you can easily fit it into your schedule.

We’ve added some new questions this year based on student ideas:

• Do you have pets? What kinds?
• Have you ever broken a bone?
• What’s your favourite colour, food, sport, or video game?
• If you could take a holiday anywhere, where would it be?
• How are you feeling today? (Answer in one word.)
• What word do you think is trending right now?

These questions help your students collect and use real-world data, promoting curiosity and strengthening their data science abilities.

Here’s how to get started:

• Register your class (if you haven’t yet)
• Already registered? Get your teacher code
• Complete the survey with your class

For more information, check out our Teacher’s Guide and the detailed Behind the Questions resource.

Any questions? Just email hello@censusatschool.org.nz.

New Resource: All Blacks and Black Ferns data

The Black Ferns and All Blacks stats website has recently been refreshed: stats.allblacks.com. It’s worth a look—data can be filtered by Black Ferns or All Blacks, current or former players.

There’s also a spreadsheet with information about current Black Ferns players that might be handy if you’re planning classroom activities during the Women’s Rugby World Cup (22 August–27 September in England).

And don’t forget about the Stat Attack data cards—these are available in Weet-Bix packets, or you can print the latest set of data cards.

CensusAtSchool 2025 is in full swing, and the response so far has been fantastic! So far, 5,131 students from 144 schools across New Zealand have taken part. Let’s keep the momentum going!

What Teachers Are Saying

We’ve loved hearing your feedback! Here’s what two teachers had to say about running CensusAtSchool in their classroom:

“[They loved] that it was about THEMSELVES!”

“They enjoyed how interactive it was and how it was all really relevant data to them”

Do you have a story to share? We’d love to feature your insights in an upcoming newsletter. Let us know how your students are finding CensusAtSchool!

Encourage Participation

It’s not too late to take part! Whether you’ve already registered or are just getting started, the process is simple. Head over to www.censusatschool.org.nz/take and get your students involved.

New Insights & Data

Of the students participating:

• 71% reported having at least one pet in their household, with 25% reporting owning more than three.
• 45% reported having a dog, with 36% owning more than one.
• 44% reported having a cat, with 45% owning more than one.

New Teacher Resource

This week, we’re highlighting DataWISE, a tool that helps students develop critical thinking skills by guiding them through the evaluation of data-based claims.

WISE stands for:

• Worthy of attention – Is this claim important?
• Inspect the data – What does the evidence say?
• Sense check – Does this claim logically add up?
• Emotion – What emotional response does it trigger?

Thanks for being part of CensusAtSchool 2025. Let’s keep the numbers growing!

We’re another week into CensusAtSchool 2025, and participation continues to grow. So far, 3,177 students from 102 schools across Aotearoa have taken part. It’s been amazing to see so many students measuring, reflecting, and exploring data in their classrooms. Thank you, too, for your feedback.

Interesting Stats This Week

Did you use any device in bed last night? ‘Device’ includes TVs, phones, computers, tablets, consoles, etc.

Do you feel like you got enough sleep last night?

Years 3 and 13 have been excluded from the graphs, as only a small number of students from these year levels have taken part so far.

Keep the Data Flowing

Haven’t taken part yet? Make sure your class completes the survey soon to be part of this exciting snapshot of Kiwi students. Remember, the survey is open during school hours until the end of 2026.

Register Now

Teacher Resource Spotlight: Data Puzzles

Are you looking for ways to bring authentic and relevant scientific data into your classroom? Data Puzzles combine classroom-friendly scientific datasets with the research-backed pedagogical practices of Ambitious Science Teaching to give your students the ultimate inquiry-based learning experience.

It’s been one week since the launch of CensusAtSchool 2025–2026, and we want to say a huge thank you to the many teachers and students who have taken part already!

Teachers have shared some great feedback about the experience so far:

“Students loved it, for once they were totally on task.”
“My students were interested with the questions about gaming.”
“The thrill of doing measurements.”
“Always fun to compare feet sizes and height in statistics.”

Top 10 Trending Words

Here’s what students are saying—how many of these words do you know the meaning of?

1. sigma
2. huzz
3. slay
4. rizz
5. skibidi
6. massive
7. dry
8. gyatt
9. baddie
10. hyperpigmentation

Thank you again for being part of CensusAtSchool – we love hearing how your students are engaging with the data! Keep the feedback coming, and we look forward to seeing even more participation in the coming weeks.

Not Registered Yet? It’s Not Too Late!

You can still sign up to take part. Register Now

Read the Teacher’s Guide

This has everything you need, including:

📌 Preparation Checklist
📌 Equipment List & Printables
📌 Measurement Station Setup
📌 Questionnaire Preview

Read the Teacher’s Guide

Optional: “Behind the Questions” Guide

Explore the purpose of all questions and how to use the data in class discussions.

Get the “Behind the Questions” Guide

Before we go: Cyberskills Live

Looking for an engaging digital learning experience for your students? Check out Cyberskills Live – an interactive platform where students can learn about cyber security, computer coding, working with data, and artificial intelligence. It’s a great way to build essential digital skills while having fun.

The new questionnaire launches in just 13 days on February 25, so now’s the time to sign up.

Quick & Easy Registration

Register now

🔎 See What’s New

👉 Preview the full questionnaire

🚀 Help Spread the Word!

Know a colleague who should be involved? Encourage them to subscribe to our newsletter.

We can’t wait to have you and your students on board for another exciting year of hands-on learning with real data!

The Margaret and John Kalman Charitable Trust is generously donating $30,000+ every year to recognise the achievements of Primary, Intermediate and Secondary school Mathematics and Statistics teachers in New Zealand. John Kalman was a professor of Mathematics at the University of Auckland from 1964 to 1993, and a leading promoter of Mathematics in New Zealand.

At least six prizes of $5000 are available. A commemorative certificate will be presented to the winning teachers.

Applications are invited from any Primary, Intermediate, or Secondary school teacher in New Zealand. Groups of teachers who have collaborated on a specific project may also submit a joint application.

The judging panel will include a representative from the Margaret and John Kalman Charitable Trust, a representative of the Executive of the Primary Mathematics Association (PMA) and/or the University of Auckland, and a representative from the Department of Mathematics at the University of Auckland.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Any examples of excellence in the teaching of Mathematics and Statistics at Primary, Intermediate, and Secondary school level will be considered.  Examples from the following categories are particularly welcome.

Stimulation of Interest – teachers who have inspired student interest in mathematics or statistics by making the subject exciting and relevant.

Teaching Innovation – teachers who have introduced new ways of making mathematical or statistical concepts more fun to learn and more able to be understood.

Teaching Excellence – teachers who have demonstrated the integration of research in mathematics or statistics education into their classroom practice.

Early Career Teaching Excellence – teachers who have demonstrated excellence in their teaching of Mathematics and/or Statistics during their first five years of their career.

Equity – teachers who have made a significant contribution to the teaching and learning of mathematics or statistics in under- represented groups such as Maori, Pacific Island and female students.

Service – teachers who have made a significant contribution to the teaching and learning of mathematics and statistics in ways that extend beyond their own school community.

OTHER CONDITIONS

Prize recipients will be encouraged to share their ideas via appropriate professional development events, such as the Primary Mathematics Association (PMA) Seminar day, the #AMAOnline platform, and other events run by their local Mathematics/Statistics Associations.

NOMINATION SUBMISSION

Please send the completed nomination form to Associate Professor Caroline Yoon at the University of Auckland via email: c.yoon@auckland.ac.nz

Nomination forms must be received on or before Sunday 22 September 2024.

NOMINATION FORM

INFORMATION REQUIRED CHECKLIST

1. Please attach a brief CV, maximum 4 pages, giving details of your teaching career and achievements to date. Include details of any leadership roles held or awards received.
2. Please attach reference from nominator.
3. Completed Nomination form

REGULATIONS GOVERNING MARGARET AND JOHN KALMAN CHARITABLE TRUST MATHEMATICS TEACHING PRIZE

1. Late applications will not be accepted.
2. Applicants will be competitively assessed on the basis of their application. Applicants must agree to abide by the decision of the judging panel. Applications and supporting material will not be returned to applicants. All material submitted will be used solely for the purpose of applying for the Prize and will not be circulated. No material relating to an application will be publicised without your prior approval.
3. The judging panel reserves the right to revoke, re-award or withdraw any application from consideration for the Prize if the applicant is in breach of any of these rules.
4. All prize winners should use their best endeavours to attend or be represented at the Prize presentation event if held.
5. Applicants agree to do all things reasonable to participate and/or cooperate with any promotional or media activities conducted by members of the judging panel. Photographs from prize presentation may be used for promotional purposes.
6. No contractual or other legal relationship shall arise between the members of the judging panel and applicants for the 2024 Margaret and John Kalman Charitable Trust Mathematics Teaching Prize.
7. The Trustees of the Margaret and John Kalman Charitable Trust will review this prize every three years, at which time a decision will be made to either continue or discontinue the prize.