New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

How does the school system in NZ compare to the UK?

What are the main exams in schools here?
What are the equivalent SATS, GCSE's and A Levels called?

I can only find something called National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) - What are the other exams children take?

Opinions on whether NZ schools are better/worse and why?

Thanks all!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

The main thing to remember is that schools in NZ are DIFFERENT to the UK.

They follow a New Zealand written based curriculum, philosophy and exam system. SATS exams don't exist. NCEA level 1 is taken is year 11, level 2 is year 12 and then level 3 in year 13. Some schools offer IB exams either instead or as well as NCEA.

It's a very subjective question asking if schools here are better or worse. They're neither, they're just different. We are in an English speaking country, and our education system is based on a NZ not a UK curriculum, so a true comparison isn't really possible.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Thanks.

What is the difference between IB exams and NCEA?

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

my daughter who had been through primary in UK found year 6 & 7 very difficult to deal with, in the end we moved her onto year 9 (college here) a year early which is more aligned to teaching as in the UK and settled well.
My youngest had only done reception and year 1 in the UK and has been OK with the way they teach here.

As Moso says different

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Karma to you for such and intelligent response.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Your child needs to be able to cope with Independent learning. That is what the schools from primary to secondary use there. If they arent that motivated they will struggle.
One out of 3 of mine managed!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Thank you all, this has been really helpful.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

I have taught in both NZ and UK and it is pretty similar but the level in NZ is lower then the level taught in the UK. SO for example, I am teaching things to my year 12's, that I taught to year 11's back in the UK.

THe system in NZ is mainly about credits. From year 11 onwards, you start to obtain credits for passing any internal and external assessments. You need 60 credits at level 1 to get a level 1 NCEA qualification, 60 credits at level 2 to get a NCEA level 2 qualification and 60 credits at level 3 to get a NCEA level 3 qualification. You get endorsed by subjects if you earn 14 credits in a particular subject. There are plenty of ways of getting these credits, including driving tests.

Lastly you have univeristy entrance. This is a set of subjects each uni requires you to have credits in to get into that uni for its course.

Theres more options in NZ then the UK because of this credit system. IB basically has coursework and an exam at the end, kind of like the UK system, but is more rigourous!

Ive probably bored you enough :p Hope that helps. any questions, please ask!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Thanks bigmo, great info there.

Wow, credits achieved for a driving test?! :blink:
I have heard that NZ schools are a bit behind UK schools.

So, not all schools offer the IB? Is that right? Surely the best chance for kids is that they attend a school that offers this?

Thanks again.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Yeah but it depends on whether they want to go abroad to study in university or not. Easier to have NCEA and university entrance if going to a NZ uni.
They're not really backward, just really establishing their own system as oppose to the UK that is already set up, but trying to go back to the 1960's. I like the in and out of zone thing they have here for getting your kids into a school. Personally I prefer most aspects of the NZ system over the UK system.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Sorry for my naivety, what's the 'in and out' zone thing you mention?

I've just discovered as well that there's very few schools in NZ that offer the IB which is a shame. Do you know if the school doesn't offer it, would the child be able to undertake an IB anyway?

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Sorry, in and out of zone means whether you live in the vicinity the zone of the school or not. My understanding is you have to have preference for an in zone over an out of one child for a school place.

You wouldn't be able to do IB on your own. The bigger and better schools offer it. Aim for these schools as they will have the best facilities as well!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

So, like catchment areas in UK, if you within the zone of a particular school, your child is guaranteed a place at that school? And if you apply to a school that is out of your zone, you have a chance at being offered a place but not guaranteed. Is that right?

Also, do you know if any schools are selective, like some are in the UK, as in the child has to do a test before they are offered a place at the school?

Thank you and sorry for so many questions!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Also, what's the equivalent of Oftsed in NZ? Or don't they have one?

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

yeah pretty much like catchment areas in the UK. I do not know about grammar schools, there are private schools here. My school does tests, but that is to try and get a base level rather then choose whether or not to let someone in! They have ofsted here, its called the ERO report, but nowhere near as ridiculous as OFSTED in the UK. THey work in conjuntion with schools about what the school wants to have looked at, a oppose to the fixed criteria apporach of ofsted!