Moving teens and pre-teens to NZ
 

Hi All! We are considering a move (back) to NZ - we last lived there 7 years ago and the kids were much younger then. They are now 13 and 11, and I am a little at sea over how high/intermediate schools work - could anybody please enlighten me? [I am not looking fwd to uprooting a 13-y-old girl I can tell you :( the phrase 'difficult age' doesn't even cover it!!]

I am guessing that my daughter would be in high school and my son intermediate school, approximately-speaking (we wouldn't be coming out for another 6 months or so yet)? Obviously we're not looking at GCSEs and A levels, I realise - but from what I read a system of credit and merits - with some exams thrown in at regular intervals, presumably? I think she would probably be ahead in some subjects initially, from what friends have told me, but I assume it would all settle down in time - I actually would welcome a less pressurised system for her, she is academic but anxious about it all and quite stress-prone.

Any advice would be welcome - thanks so much :)

Re: Moving teens and pre-teens to NZ
 

Hello. Here's a link explaining NCEA: Understanding NCEA » NZQA

But in short, it is a system whereby chosen subjects are assessed through a mixture of internals and externals that build up 'credits' at level 1, 2, & 3 (generally equating to yrs 11, 12, and 13 but some students will accelerate earlier and some schools allow a more flexible programme). Depending on results a student will get 'not achieved', 'achieved', 'merit', or 'excellence' in each subject. If they do very well in subjects they can get a level endorsed with merit or excellence. For example, a student might take English, maths, science, French, geography, and dance at level one and have done well enough overall to get a NCEA level 1 course endorsement of merit or excellence, as well as subject endorsements.

For less academic kids there are also unit standards, which are less academic. That is pretty much all you need to know as the individual's standards (e.g. "Examine unseen text" for English, 6 credits - I made that up but that is what they are like) that make up a subject are generally decided on by the school and teachers, although students might get some choice.

Re: Moving teens and pre-teens to NZ
 

b-b - thanks for the helpful reply and link! I feel much better informed. I'll do a bit more research today.