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!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Great thank you for your help!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Other definition to look out for is Integrated schools. These are typically high schools that were once private, but opted to integrate back into the mainstream, government funded "public" school system, whilst retaining control/responsibility over their core assets such as land and buildings.


They sometimes give a bit more of a private school type of experience, whilst not charging nearly the same fee levels.


In Dunedin for example where I live, all the private schools integrated, and our kids attend two of them which we are very happy with.


A few other points:
Public school means public (available to everyone)
There are no 6th form colleges - high schools are typically years 9-13
But there are various other year configurations:
Generally:
Y1-6 primary
Y7-8 intermediate
Y9-13 high school (college)


Alternatively
Y1-8 primary/junior
or
Y7-13 high school
or
Y1-13 area school (generally more remote schools with smaller rolls and logistically makes sense all ages on one campus)


Hope above makes sense.


My 14 year old is likely to do IB (at the one school that does that in Dunedin out of around 10 high schools), mainly because it may be more transferrable globally, but also we like the learning format and it will challenge him a bit more than NCEA. But we did not necessarily choose the school for that reason.


One of the posters made the comment about doing stuff one year later than in UK. I think it is hard to draw too many conclusions from that as the curriculum and order of learning different subjects are completely different. I've heard the comment the other way round too, where NZ teaches something earlier.
Ideally one would focus on the end outcomes (literacy, numeracy, tertiary participation, employability, citizenry, other), but that is notoriously difficult to benchmark.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Hi all
I'm really interested in this topic as we move in Feb next year and have two little ones aged 8 & 5, both adopted.
Both are meeting milestones and are bright but the school system here puts pressure on hem and they do struggle to conform in some ways.
Our 5 year old had 3 pieces of homework, she's just started school and it's her first term in reception. She sobbed her heart out because she couldn't sound the word fluff and said it's getting too hard for her.
Made me very sad.
I'm hoping the NZ way of teaching will suit these gorgeous children.
My worry is the first month or so while we are in temp accommodation, do I home school for a bit until we form up which area we will settle? Otherwise it could mean a change again...
We are headed to Tauranga area but will look to be out of the city and more rural

Thoughts?

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Regarding your 5 year old, although most children here's start school on their 5th birthday, legally they don't have to go till they are 6. So if she is still 5 when you move there is no need to enrol her until you are sure of the area you will be in.

Even if she is 6, I doubt whether anybody is going to chase you up for her not being at school for a few weeks while you all settle in. She will be learning plenty from being in a new country and will be adapting to the changes herself.

My kids were born here so my last experience of UK primary schools is when I went in the late 70s/early 80s - so it's a bit hard for me to compare with NZ schools. I hear that UK schools can be quite pressured with SATs etc. My 2 (aged 6 and 8) are both doing very well at their school and there seems to be an emphasis here on encouraging and celebrating other areas of success as well as academic - musical, sporting etc. I'm amazed by how many lunchtime clubs there are for them to take part in if they want to - not only sports but at my daughters' school they have three choirs, drama, robotics, garden club, ukelele, guitar and more. Their school is a big one though so not all may have that many!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

And regarding homework, do you mean your 5 year old had 3 pieces of homework every night? Here for the entire first year my daughters just had one short reading book every night.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

She has a story book, then two sheets of sight and sound words, then once or twice a week a sheet with her new letter on which she has to practice writing and colour in the picture!!
At our local school most children sit the 11+ too and all the parents are pressured into having them privately tutored two or three times a week!!
So much pressure for the little ones!

He loves all the extra stuff, makes him happy to busy and do music or sport

I'm sure a few weeks won't hurt, I'd rather hold them back and put them in the right school first time I think

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

unfortunately in some primary schools here the need to have extra personal paid tuition for the children to enable to get them up to the level to be able to cope with college is a must.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

That's what I'm desperately trying to escape from for my children's sake so they can experience life.

I don't mind extra tuition if they are struggling in a subject but I will never enforce it to push them into a good secondary school just because I want them to do well

I want them to be themselves :)

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

no its not a "good secondary school" its the main stream for the catchment area, thats the point. Personal experience from the first school my kids attended 80% of the kids needed extra maths tuition just to cope with what was going to be expected they had learnt in the colleges open to them, and they are were just the "normal" colleges not the "good ones".
My daughter ended up going to college a year early having come from year 6 in the UK.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

I think we are crossing wires but on the same wavelength in some ways

Here it's usually that you go with your secondary school that's within catchment. As you probably remember

Where we live there are a couple of options because we live in a village... we have a number within catchment. Some regular secondary (as I would class them - an old comprehensive)
Then there's other public funded secondary schools that are for the top performers. Results led. Everyone wants their kid to go.

That's where my comment came regarding extra tuition and the expectation we would conform so they could get in to these schools!

I had extra tuition as a child but that's because I struggled in maths. :)
Heaven help my kiddies when they bring their homework to me lol!

At the moment I have no concerns, they are doing well :) x

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

It's unusual for kids to have to do extra tuition unless they are applying for a school with an entrance test. Otherwise, most go to their local primary and move smoothly onto the local high school. Local principals for all schools meet regularly and they would be aware of any poor performing primary and might even work with them to bring the teaching up to the correct standard.

School inspection results are here: Early childhood and school reports | Education Review Office

Also, as in the UK, many parents share their experiences around the school gate so it's worthwhile making an effort to meet them.

I am aware that some rural schools may be a bit behind in subject areas like maths, but it's usually picked up at high school in the first year. Shouldn't really be a problem. Children develop at different ages, so comparing them to others is probably not that helpful.

Homework is not common here, but it's often found in the 'better' schools because parents expect it and demand it.

Home schooling is an option - Google home schooling NZ.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Unfortunately this is not true, personal experience. I would say majority of the parents in our previous primary school had to do private tuition to get to the standard required to not be extremely behind when then moved on to local college/high school. Also heard it talked about for other primaries.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Mrs F, your previous school was a very small decile 10 school.

As Jmh says, private tuition is not normal or required before kids go to college, unless there are special circumstances/learning needs. Primary schools work closely with colleges and they all follow a linked curriculum.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Mrs F, that sounds like an awful school :(

Kids have been at their new school for a week. My eldest has found it the most difficult, after a year in a grammar school and coming into Y8 at a primary school. However, he has already been put up to the top maths group who are working on Y9 curriculum, and covering things he hadn't, so I'm relieved he's being challenged. Unfortunately, he's behind in woodwork, as he never did that in the UK! Got moved to cooking instead. :D

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

It was and we got the education minister involved, but not about the need for the external tuition, but as I said have also heard it from other expats about other schools. It depends on how strongly you feel about your kids education, I have seen other parents really not bothered about how the kids feel, how stressed they are etc.

Glad to hear the school seem to working with your childs strengths rather than treat them as an inconvenience.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

It seems to vary so much from school to school, I guess? Broke my heart to see kids (mine included) in tears over the 11+ in England, so am all for a less stressed style of education. It will take a little adjustment for the kids, though.

Early days for us still, will see how it goes.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Broke my heart to realise how bad the school were in NZ and how i had put my three children into it!
I had to leave before youngest started college. By which time he had no confidence left.

I hope it works out for you.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Sorry to hear that, its the first time I've heard negatives about the NZ schooling

I'm hoping the relaxed style will suit our two.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Puzzled by the 11+ thing. I don't recall any of us kids crying over taking the 11+ .

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

The biggest difference in the management of schools is the Board of Trustee model. Overall management of schools is via the Ministry of Education, but local policy is decided by the school board which is elected. Boards can become stacked with parents who have a particular view of what a good education is. It's also how there is so much variety in approach, even though there is one curriculum that they follow.

You need to shop around to find a model of delivery that suits your child. The dominant model taught in teacher education in NZ is 'inquiry learning'. In involves:

What is Inquiry?

If parents haven't experienced this model themselves, they may be disappointed to find that their children's education does not match their own.

There is a debate over whether enquiry (to use the British spelling) based learning or 'chalk and talk' methods are better. Chalk and talk, such as used in many Asian countries, leads to higher test scores, however it leads to a very narrow field of ability - more rule following, less initiative and ability to problem-solve.

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If your kid has dyslexia you'll have real problems in NZ schools.

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this is true, at the first primary the Principal did not believe dyslexia existed ! :confused:

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

Wow, what a sweeping untrue statement! Studying dyslexia is part of the teaching degree for starters, so teachers should be well aware of the issues. At primary level, when a child is suspected of having dyslexia then free assessments are done via a RTLB teacher. Then the child can access extra help at school or the SPELD organisation kicks in (this is not free, but is subsidised for low income families). Speld New Zealand - Dyslexia and other learning difficulties

Both of the 2 local colleges on the Kapiti coast have specific classes designed for children with dyslexia. Here's the website from one of them explaining the extra help children receive.
KC - Dyslexia

No education system is perfect and yes children slip between the gaps and parents need to be onto it, but that happens in every developed country.

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

That's not my experience in the Waikato! From day 1 we told them my son was dyslexic and gave them a copy of all his assesments from the UK ... every year at every school nothing was ever passed on to any of his teachers! Every year we had to explain it all to every single one of his teachers ... this went on for 7 years! He still got no help or understanding from his teachers! None of them!
I know all about Speld too ...

The NZ school system failed my son!

Re: New Zealand School System Comparison?
 

We had the same problem with our daughter at Takapuna Grammar. They were very keen to help when we enrolled her, but no help whatsoever after she started. Not until year 12, after we had moved to Hawkes Bay, did she receive any help & that was due to a couple of teachers from the UK taking up her case.