MOSO

Exactly JMH - the research wasn't even written by teachers!

It's just a case of accepting that education in NZ is different to education in England and follows a different curriculum - why would it be the same, just because we speak the same language? I can also assure you young children are not "self taught" or left to their own devices, but the teacher has the flexibility to enable children/classes to integrate their passions and interests in their learning which is a very different thing.

In maths children are taught strategies and are encouraged to use their own thoughts to work out problems. A very simple example from my class yesterday - 2 tables have 7 people around them each, how many people is that? Some kids doubled 7, others added 7 + 7, others did 7 x 2, some counted on from 7 and others started at 1 and counted up to 14 - so at least 5 different ways of working out one problem but all got the correct answer.

Anyway, that digresses from the OP but explains the way of teaching at a basic level. It is not better and/or worse than the UK system (well, it actually does better than the UK in all the OECD statistics). It is DIFFERENT.

If your eldest wants to study veterinary science, it is worth contacting Massey University in Palmerston North as that is the University that offers it. I know it is extremely competitive, but they'd be able to give you advice on the subjects and grades needed.

One thing you will also need to investigate is the accessibility to student loans. I'm not sure how long you have to be a resident and living in NZ before you can access domestic fees. I think it's 2 years. If your child wants to go to University in the UK, they have to live there in the previous 3 years to get domestic fees.

My daughter is one of the very youngest in Year 11, she was born in April 2000 (so 15, most of her friends are already 16). The cut off is usually around April. When we arrived from the UK we were given the choice as to the year group she went to. The NZ system is very flexible in that regard. Contact the schools you're interested in and they'll tell you.

WhatToDo82

Thanks Moso. Very useful. My eldest was born March 2000 so is a smidgen older than your daughter, but only just ;-)

janiejones

I don't know my times table.
I do have an A level in maths, a degree, and two accountancy qualifications. Times table isn't a measure of ability, just a good memory.

MOSO

She is currently doing NCEA level 1, year 12 is level 2 and year 13 is level 3. It is a mixture of assessments/assignments marked by the teachers, tests and end of year exams. Each part is worth a certain amount of credits, and they are then awarded NCEA levels at the end of the year after the externally marked exams. She started collecting credits last year in year 10, but that depends on academic ability and individual schools.

She is taking history which is a mixture of NZ, Pacific, American and European! Her topics this year have been Treaty of Waitangi and Social issues in NZ, WW1 (Anzacs), Rainbow Warrior (Nuclear issues), Spring Bok Tour 1981, political assassinations (pick one and investigate scenario). She is also going to look at the French Revolution.

For science, she does combined physics, chemistry and biology. It splits next year.

I hope this helps to give you some idea of the curriculum.

MrsFychan

no but what the report did say is that quite a few children are moving out of primary unable to do the basic as the curriculum is so flexible as to how it is run in individual schools. I do have experience of poor schooling and the first school my kids went to was apparently well known for sending kids onto college without the basic skills in place and I am now aware that a lot of the parents for from yr4-5 and upwards are having to pay for private maths and English tuition to get the basics in place and lucky the parents can afford to pay for it. We were lucky that my eldest had the skills set from the UK system to let us know she was not learning anything hence her move on.

MOSO

Recent UK Government Press Release:

International test results show that England’s performance in maths has stagnated in recent years while other parts of the world have surged ahead. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) now ranks us 25th, with the table headed by a clutch of south-east Asian jurisdictions including Shanghai, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

UK Education Minister Elizabeth Truss stated:

“There is no reason why children in England cannot achieve the same standards in maths as those in Japan, Singapore and China. We put in more resources in England than in these countries and we have the best generation of teachers ever. Yet our children are 2 to 3 years behind by the age of 15."

Sound familiar?!

BEVS

I disagree.

WhatToDo82

Thanks, I wonder if he may be able to get some credit for the exams and controlled assessments he will have already done in the UK, I will ask them that too. He would love to do History, and the Sciences :-)

Re maths skills. There are many young people in the uk that are leavig school illiterate and unable to do simple maths. I don't think NZ having a potential issue with this is any worse.

I currently HE my youngest after issues with school a couple of years ago. I can fully appreciate the benefots of child led learning. It's what we do at home and is one of the best things about HE. My youngest loves maths, and is pretty good at it, school were holdng him back. At home he can fly with it, taking it as far as he is able and wants. He can also approach the other subjects in the way that best suit him and his interests. He learns more that way and is far more motivated.

jmh

It has to be said, in both the UK and NZ schools are different. If such things are important to you, you should read the relevant quality reports (Ofsted and ERO) and talk to local parents. If you are a migrant it may be harder because you don't know any local parents, but you can visit the school, talk to the Principal and try to find out what you can about the school. Don't just go on results. If a school is creaming off high achieving kids the school may not be giving added value. Also, schools teach other things as well as the academic curriculum.

WhatToDo82

Thankfully, I have a kiwi friend who has recently moved and is working where I will be. She also has a son a similar age to my eldest. She has recommended a school that was in turn recommended to her and they are very happy with. As a result we are changing our plans slightly with regards to where we move to.

However, I have no such local insight for the younger one...