Kia ora whanau,

I will send an update after tomorrow’s announcement from the government. In the meantime please continue working to learning from home plan (attached below). Please read the following information carefully so you can help us in supporting our young people with working towards their NCEA certificate in 2020.

ASHS NCEA Information – August 2020

Link to a video version of this message!

We recognise 2020 has been an extraordinary year which has resulted in unprecedented sacrifices for all New Zealanders, and now with a second lockdown, particularly for those living in Auckland. It is important we take the time to recognise the incredible wins we have achieved by making these sacrifices and that we never lose sight of what is most important – the health and wellbeing of our family, whānau and community. 

For our students, 2020 will represent a year that saw traditional models of learning disrupted like never before (at least in our lifetimes) and for this reason we do not, and should not, expect academic success to be measured like it has been in the past. Earlier this year Forbes published a range of skills that would be needed to succeed in a post-COVID world. This included adaptability and flexibility, tech savviness, creativity and innovation, emotional intelligence and a commitment to a lifetime of learning. In a year when traditional schooling has been so very disrupted it is imperative that we recognise that the skills that have been developed by living through this experience will be the very skills that will be needed to thrive in the future, and that this school year represents but a short time in what will be a lifetime of new learning. 

In 2020 it is likely that our learners are not going to get as many NCEA credits as they would in a typical school year, and that is okay. This is not an ASHS issue, it is a COVID19 reality and even though the second lockdown is (hopefully) shorter, it has come at a time when many of the catch ups and portfolios of assessments were due, meaning many students are yet to get many, if any, credits in some classes this year. 

Focusing on academic success in 2020

That said, we do have a plan for “flexing the flexibility” of NCEA and are committed to spending the last 8 ½ weeks in school (before the NCEA exams) to get all the credits we can, so as to give our learners a sense of achievement. Because we recognise academic and personal success is an important part of gaining a sense of wellbeing we will look to: complete planned internal assessments; gather evidence for derived grades as needed; and we will prepare for external assessments as best we can. We will also be looking at how we gain extra NCEA credits through Tutorials and through Impact Projects. Early next term when we have our Preliminary (practice) exam week we will also run catch-up practical classes and NCEA Internal workshops so as to provide as many opportunities for success as possible! 

And remember, attendance matters! There is a direct correlation between attendance and academic success and that the best thing that students can do to support their own success is ensure they attend all Tutorial, Impact Project and Specialist Subjects classes. 

But also, a reality check!

Whilst we are absolutely committed to all of our learners achieving academic and personal success in 2020 it is also important to also stress that for any returning students (Year 11s and 12s) this year’s results will have little impact, if any, on their success in 2021, as only 20 credits from this year will carry over to count towards next year’s certificate and when they gain next year’s certificate they will also gain this year’s certificate (from the level below) anyway. 

The only certificate that actually matters is the one the student leaves with. 

It is also important to note that this year’s Year 13 cohort should not be unduly concerned. We are confident that tertiary providers will look at making access to their courses next year as achievable as possible, particularly with such a significant drop off in international students. And for those entering the workforce, whilst NCEA is important, it will be their attitude and skills that will put them in good stead. To this end we are keen to look at what a school leaver’s reference might look like. 

A reminder as to how NCEA works (the very abridged version)

• Level One Certificate – The learner needs 80 credits at Level One (or above) to gain a Level One Certificate. Only 70 credits need to be achieved in 2020 (thanks to the Learning Recognition Credits).
• Level Two Certificate – 20 credits carried over from Level One plus 60 credits at Level Two (or above) are needed to gain a Level Two Certificate. Only 72 credits in total (52 credits at Level Two or above) need to be achieved in 2020 (thanks to the Learning Recognition Credits).
• Level Three Certificate – 20 credits carried over from Level Two plus 60 credits at Level Three need to be achieved to gain the Level Three Certificate. Only 72 credits in total (52 credits at Level Three) needed in 2020 (thanks to the Learning Recognition Credits).

It is important to note you do not need to gain Level One NCEA to move to Level Two NCEA and you do not need to gain Level Two NCEA to move to Level Three NCEA. This means all students will move on to the next level of NCEA next year regardless of the credits gained this year (unless they are on a specific supported learning plan and have planned to complete one level over two or more years). 

And as always, please remember: 

Be kind.

Stay safe.

Stay home (until we get back to Level Two!).

We got this team!!

Ngā mihi

Claire

Claire Amos

Principal | Tumuaki

Albany Senior High School