26 April 2010

Dear Parents/Guardians of Form 4 boys

At the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday 20 April, a proposal to extend the University of Cambridge International Education (CIE) programme throughout the entire Form 5 cohort was discussed.

Prior to this meeting the School's Academic Committee had given their strong support to the proposal. After these discussions the Board endorsed the proposal and hence from 2011 the CIE Form 5 programme, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) will be available to all students in Form 5 with a few exceptions.

The reasons for this move are:

1. Given the learning style and nature of most boys it is felt that the challenge of an end of year exam will suit our boys much better than the NCEA, which is moving to a mandatory increase in internal assessment over the next three years. This is particularly concerning as NZQA has admitted that over 25% of internally assessed marks are incorrect.

2. Our School's philosophy of strong opposition to too much internal assessment has been consistent and well researched. We argued in the late 1990s that under NCEA the associated increase in internal assessment would:

• Undermine the coherence of individual subjects and the importance of integrating understanding.
• Increase teacher and student workloads due to the introduction of a significant proportion of internal assessment in all subjects.
• Encourage plagiarism, copying and use of internet sites that supply students with ready-made assignments and essays, because of the increased emphasis on internal assessment.
• Remove comparability between schools.
• Remove a consistent national standard and benchmark.
• Complicate reporting to students.

All of these concerns have since proved to be accurate.

3. Since the inception of NCEA in 2002 there has been:

• A gradual increase in informality of assessment.
• An increased emphasis on internal assessment so much so that it is possible to get through Secondary School without sitting an external exam.
• An increase in students opting out of difficult standards and replacing them with easier unit standards creating a knowledge gap for later study.
• A very limited moderation of internally assessed work.
• A decline in motivation and work ethic of students (MoE/Victoria University Report 2006).

We are keen to arrest such developments at Form 5 level.

4. We also need to consider the fact that:

• Assessment now determines learning to a far greater extent than with previous qualifications.
• In recent years analysts have noted a growing gap between the educational achievements of girls and boys at Secondary level. After seven years of NCEA it is apparent that this gap has widened further. The reason is simple. The style of assessment under NCEA is much better suited to girls than it is to boys.
• The current deleterious trends apparent in secondary school assessment will only worsen with the mandatory changes to the reduced number of external achievement standards allowed in NCEA, which are due to be actioned in 2011.
• There has been a significant demand from Grammar parents over the last few years for the IGCSE programme to be available to a larger group of students

The IGCSE programme offered will ensure your son will:

(i) Study rigorous, worthwhile syllabuses.
(ii) Be assessed externally.
(iii) Gain an internationally recognised qualification.
(iv) Be challenged to work hard
(v) Be well prepared for both CIE and NCEA pathways in Form 6 and 7

Hence from 2011 all Form 5 students will follow an IGCSE course of study and assessment with certain exceptions and modifications:-

(i) 5J - 5P (currently 5C1 – 5I1) continue to study and present for NCEA Level 1 English to ensure Literacy requirements are gained.
(ii) A least one NCEA Mathematics class will be offered for the weaker Maths students.
(iii) 5J - 5P will study IGCSE Maths but the programme will include a programme of internally assessed NCEA Achievement Standards to ensure Numeracy requirements are gained.
(iv) The following NCEA Level 1 subjects will continue to be available:

* Level 1 Career Studies
* Level 1 ESOL
* Level 1 Japanese
* Level 1 Latin
* Level 1 Tech Furniture

By continuing to offer NCEA Level 1 English and dual assessment in Maths, students will be able to:

• Achieve the 8 credits needed in each of English (Literacy) and Mathematics (Numeracy) in order to gain a Level 1 Certificate.
• Carry up to 30+ Level 1 credits through to Year 12.

This means that Year 12 students studying NCEA Level 2 will:

• Only have to gain 60 Level 2 credits in order to gain a Level 2 Certificate.
• Gain a Level 1 Certificate when they qualify for a Level 2 Certificate.

Parents should note that progression to the two year CIE A Level programme (Forms 6 & 7) will be determined on a subject by subject basis by IGCSE exam results. In order to stay in the Cambridge stream a student must meet AS subject pre-requisites in at least four subjects, or at least three subjects if one of the subjects selected is a Level 2 Foreign Language. (Note: AS students are already allowed to study Level 2 English if they are at risk of failing AS Literature and thus not gaining UE Literacy).

Attached to this letter are some other FAQs that parents may find helpful. It would be good for parents to also access the Association of Cambridge Schools in New Zealand website  www.acsnz.org.nz

In addition, at the Schools' Option Evening on Tuesday 24 August, Mr Vella will give a thorough overview of the IGCSE programme. You are encouraged to attend this session.

I can assure parents that a considerable amount of time, effort and analysis has been put into this proposal. We are confident the change is in the best interests of all our boys.

Thank you for your ongoing support of Auckland Grammar School.

Yours sincerely

John Morris
Headmaster