Navigating the Journey: Relationships and sexuality education
Te takahi i te ara: Te mātauranga mō ngā hononga tāngata me te hōkakatanga

The Ministry of Education is in the process of updating the New Zealand Curriculum. Navigating the Journey aligns with the current 2007 Health and Physical Education curriculum. The 2007 curriculum remains in effect for Years 9-10 until 2027, and for Years 0-8 until 2029.. Visit the Ministry of Education website for more information on the curriculum update. Find out more on our Let’s talk sex ed page.

Navigating the Journey is a comprehensive programme for educators delivering relationships and sexuality education in school-based settings. It is designed to meet rangatahi at their stage of development – and build on their previous year’s learning. Navigating the Journey is full of lesson plans and activities for Years 1-10 and aligns with the Ministry of Education’s current Relationships and Sexuality Education guidance.

Find out more about Navigating the Journey, including frequently asked questions.

Navigating the Journey has five themes that remain the same throughout all year groups – the content changes to be age and stage appropriate. 

Some of the topics that are explored in Years 7-8 are:

1. Establishing a positive learning environment: Te whakarite i tētahi ao ako huapai

• Establishing safe ways to ask questions and inquire together

2. Who am I? Ko wai au?

• Understanding our personal learning journeys

• Balancing rights and responsibilities

• Understanding gender and stereotypes

3. Relationships: Ngā whanaungatanga

What is important in a relationship

• Setting our boundaries

• Sexual orientation

• Assertiveness and making decisions

4. Growing and changing: Te tipu me te huri o te tangata

Pubertal change

• Managing pubertal change

• Getting to know our reproductive systems

• Conception

• Safer sex

5. Staying safe: Te noho haumaru

• Listening to our feelings

• Online safety: cyberbullying

• Online safety: pornography and sexting

• Who is on our maunga

Navigating the Journey comes with a guide detailing how to use the resource.  We have also developed a guide for parents, caregivers, and whānau which explains how schools utilise Navigating the Journey and what they expect their tamariki to be learning about.

Format: two downloadable PDFs – PDF links will be supplied via email.