Why NCEA Level 1 is good for your daughter
Completion of the Level 1 Certificate allows your daughter to achieve and flourish in her subjects. She can see the requirements of learning using standards-based assessment outcomes and can then scaffold seamlessly into Level 2. Level 2 is a high stakes qualification – it is the highest qualification that students have as they are in Year 13 applying for Halls places, University Scholarships, limited entry courses etc.
Year 11 students:
- need to experience academic success and failure to develop wellbeing and resilience.
- need to learn to manage their time in a learning programme, scaffolded with support from classroom teachers.
- need to practise a variety of assessment modes – written, oral, portfolios of evidence, tests etc.
- practise sitting External Examinations – there is no other situation that can prepare them for this.
- need to have a base of knowledge that is identifiable, to build on for the future.
- may want to study something in Level 1 and start a new subject in Level 2. They will have NCEA credits that demonstrate their learning in the Level 1 subject.
Background/Additional points:
- We know that within the flexible framework of NCEA Level 1, we can offer a robust and valuable curriculum and assessment programme.
- Level 1 as a qualification has always been optional – this is not a change.
- Change is being made nationally to the details of courses, assessments and subjects in order to try to simplify the structure and have fewer, larger assessments.
- Rangi Ruru Level 1 Courses have been limited to 19 credits for several years. By limiting the number of assessments, our aim is to focus on quality learning over assessment outcomes and credit gathering.
- Academic success is something to be proud of and students can succeed at their level. This contributes positively to their sense of confidence, achievement, and wellbeing.
- The flexibility of NCEA allows us to deliver Level 1 learning that is personal, engaging, and empowering.
What we love about NCEA
We are committed to preparing our students for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), a globally recognised qualification. NCEA is a standards-based qualification combining both internal and external assessments. Students have the opportunity of studying for Levels 1-3 of NCEA and University entrance, as well as entering for Scholarship Examinations.
- NCEA provides tremendous flexibility for programme and course design
- NCEA allows key competencies to be developed. Analytical and critical thinking, communication, collaborative participation, and self-management are at the forefront of the learning
- Personalisation of learning is available in both programme design and learning outcomes. We can tailor a programme for an individual and for a cohort Students can strive for Merit and Excellence endorsements that recognise their efforts
- Mix of Internal and External modes of assessment encourage learning to be a habit, not an event.
- The rewards are cumulative – it is not all or nothing on the day
- Facilitating outcomes that suit the individual eg extending students with optional standards or reducing the number of assessments to reduce stress on students
- To these ends we do not withdraw students from Achievement Standards once they have begun the learning that leads to that assessment outcome. We do not withdraw students from standards that they do not achieve. Therefore, they know that what they do and how they do is visible – this encourages them to be persistent and resilient.