Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

This week the serious business of examinations has continued at the College with NCEA assessments following on from the CAA or Common Assessment Activities which our junior students sat last week. CAA's are the tests of literacy and numeracy that need to be passed in order for students to qualify for NCEA certificates. Students who sit complete NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3 courses in New Zealand from this year forward will not be eligible for the certificates unless they have passed both the literacy and numeracy CAA's, no matter how many 'credits' students may collect. This system is replacing the old 'literacy and numeracy standards' where certain standards across the subjects qualified as literacy and numeracy 'rich' enough to qualify the students as being literate and numerate.

At this stage with the refresh of the NCEA standards at Level 2 scheduled to launch, we are not sure how the literacy standard for university entrance will look. Previously, if students sat certain literacy rich standards at Level 2, they collected enough credits (10) to count as having 'university entrance literacy requirements'. This week, the Senior Leadership Team has been undertaking course counseling with our year 10 cohort with regards to the Cambridge trial for 2024. Under the Cambridge system, students qualify for NZ universities if they have three AS or A level passes as the literacy requirement is built into these. Most of our students have been keen to give Cambridge papers a go as well as mixing in some NCEA at Year 11.

In whatever systems students are working, anywhere in the world, the difference between success and failure is attitude and well established learning behaviours such as time management, note taking, revision techniques and prioritizing. If you feel that you would like some help to establish these sorts of routines with your young person, don't hesitate to get in contact.

Today, I have included a picture of Lorenna with her 'Remembrance Day' garden. In 1945 President Harry Truman called upon American citizens to observe November 11th as 'Armistice Day' which both honors those who have died in war and those who continue to attempt to build peace.

Have a peaceful weekend.

God Bless

Jo