SAINT

Hi, Everyone,

My son is 16 and is doing his GCSE in June. We are planning to go to Auckland in Sept.

Can someone tell me the names and information of the schools in Auckland that do A-Level? If possible, the accomodation around that area.

Thank you.

ST

javajive

I don't think you will find any schools in NZ doing A-Levels. An alternative to consider is the International Baccalaureate - I understand that this is a very well recieved qualification.

Look at

http://www.ibo.org/ibo/index.cfm?pag...ir&language=EN

to see who does it.

Another thing to consider is that in NZ the school year runs Feb to Dec. So September is most of the way through a school year.

SA Expat

Kings College, a private school in Auckland does the A levels - I'm sure if you e-mail them they could advise you as to any other schools also doing it.

SAINT

Thank you for the information.

I shall check out the college.

Does anyone know about the Auckland Grammar School and its surrounding area?

ST

happychick

Hello Saint

I'm in the same position as yourself, I've a 16 year old daughter, Sophie, taking GCSEs shortly and hoping to move to Wellington this Aug/Sept.

Although [obviously!] I've not looked at Aukland schools I spent some time whilst we were in Wellington last week [I'm still very jet-lagged!] looking at prospective schools. As well as looking at the 3 private schools in the city we spent sometime at a decile 9 rated state school. What was interesting was that for reasons unexplained the state school were happy that my daughter join Year 12 in Aug/Sept, ie she would have lost out on half a years schooling - they reckoned she could cope with the transition/gaps in her knowledge.
The 3 private schools all said that it would be best that Sophie join Year 11 in Aug/Sept 2005 to ensure that any gaps in her knowledge were plugged; the cynic in me wonders if this is a way to extract more dollars from me! I wonder what your enquiries had revealed - I should add that my daughter is a "young" Year 11 by NZ standards in that her birthday is late December.
One of the private schools we looked at boasted that they did CIE A levels but I was very disappointed to find that the subject options were very limited indeed and that demand would also justify if those limited subjects were available. It seemed that the CIE A levels were geared to be delivered to Asian students in particular at the school I visited.

I'd be very interested to read of other forum members experiences of schooling post GCSE kids in NZ.

Happy researching!

Happychick

SAINT

Hi Happychick

Thanks for your info and input.

We are still at the beginning of our research. I've looked at a few schools in Auckland on the web. I've found a few that do CIE - some are very hard to get into - have to live in expensive areas!

We thought it would be best if our son began in Feb along with everyone else for the new school year. Give him time to settle in etc.

Anyway, if I find out more - I'll let you know.

Hope all goes well with you.

Sue

bezzanbob

CIE (International A Levels) are offered by King's College and Auckland Grammar. They are also offered by some schools in the UK who don't like the modular AS/A2 examinations.

Do consider the IB - far broader and good value for uni entrance.

Bezza

javajive

I very much agree, Universities like the International Baccalaureate and it does give a boarder education rather than the A-level system of only doing a few subjects.