You may have seen an “open day” advertised for your local ECE or school, and wondered what that’s all about. Yvonne Walus explains why it’s a good idea to go along to an open day.
New Zealand offers three education pathways for students: The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), the International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). By understanding the key features, strengths, and weaknesses of each system, parents can make informed decisions about their child’s education.
NATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT (NCEA)
NCEA is the national qualification in New Zealand, widely used in secondary schools. Students accumulate credits by completing internal assessments throughout the year, and often also sitting an external exam. Internal assessments are created and marked by the teachers according to New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) guidelines. The external exam is set and marked by NZQA, and is much more standardised than internals. NCEA offers a range of subjects, allowing students to choose a personalised course of study. It is divided into three levels, with Level 1 usually taken in the 11th year, Level 2 in the 12th year, and Level 3 in the 13th year of schooling.
NCEA HAS THREE COMPELLING POINTS:
Flexibility: NCEA offers a flexible structure, allowing students to choose subjects according to their interests and abilities.
Continuous assessment: Most subjects have internal assessments that count towards the final mark. This aids continuous learning, helps students understand the subject matter, and ensures that the end-of-the-year exam is not “make or break”.
Local recognition: NCEA is widely recognised within New Zealand, which makes it easy to apply to local universities and vocational training.
THE CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE:
Limited international recognition: While all Australian universities and many other international universities (for example, Oxford and Harvard) understand the NCEA qualification, NCEA recognition is not globally recognised, making it potentially challenging for students wanting to do an undergraduate degree abroad.
Time management: The numerous internal assignments and assessments throughout the school year can be demanding for students who struggle with focus and multitasking.
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB)
IB is an internationally recognised qualification with a standardised curriculum. The programme includes six subject groups, Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). Assessment includes internal and external components. It aims to provide a holistic education, encouraging critical thinking, research skills, and an international perspective. IB tests are primarily open-ended and designed to demonstrate application of ideas. This programme allows for universal knowledge, topics, and content to be studied.
ADVANTAGES OF IB INCLUDE:
Global recognition: The IB is well regarded internationally, making it easier for students to be accepted into universities worldwide.
Holistic approach: This pathway teaches creativity, activity, service, and the theory of knowledge to develop well-rounded individuals.
Critical thinking skills: The IB curriculum places a strong emphasis on mastering critical thinking and research skills.
DISADVANTAGES INCLUDE:
Extensive workload: The demanding nature of the IB program can be stressful for some students, potentially affecting their wellbeing. IB students seldom have time for sports, art, or community work.
Limited subject choices: While IB offers a broad education, students have few choices within each subject area.
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS (CIE)
The Cambridge curriculum is recognised globally. It focuses on development of critical thinking and writing, and it allows students to specialise in subjects. A student’s final grade is completely determined by external examinations held at the end of the year. The exams are set and marked by Cambridge. Most schools will have tests and mock exams, but these are used only to track progress and familiarise the students with the format of the external exams. None of these results will affect their final grade.
THIS SYSTEM’S PLUS POINTS ARE:
High academic standards: CIE is famous for its rigorous curriculum, preparing students well for competitive university admissions.
International recognition: This qualification is recognised globally, easing access to universities around the world.
Subject depth: CIE allows students to delve deeply into chosen subject areas, promoting specialisation and expertise.
SOME OF THE LESS POSITIVE POINTS INCLUDE:
Limited flexibility: The structured nature of the CIE curriculum may limit students’ flexibility in studying subjects based on individual interests.
Exam-oriented: CIE relies on final examinations, which can be stressful for students who don’t perform well under exam conditions or may simply have a bad-exam day.
How to Choose
The decision on whether you want to go with NCEA or IB or Cambridge is usually made near the end of Year 10. The choice between the three options often depends on individual preferences, educational goals, how involved your child wants to remain in extracurriculars, and whether they are keen to study overseas as an undergraduate.
WHY DOESN’T MY SCHOOL OFFER ALL THESE OPTIONS?
Typically, secondary schools aren’t resourced to offer all of these education pathways. NCEA is most commonly offered in NZ, so if you’re seeking an alternative, you may need to look at different schools.
