16 August 2024

Kia ora e te whānau,

It's been fantastic watching a number of our sports teams playing their last games of the season this week. You can read more in the sports 'wrap-up' item included in the newsletter, however, what has really impressed me is our students' commitment to their team members and their willingness to get out and play hard.

This time of year presents challenges, especially for our senior students, as they complete the final internal assessments and shift their focus to external exams. With just three weeks before the school exam period begins, it's important to recognize the value of dedication, hard work, and preparation. This exam period used to be called ‘mocks’ or ‘practice exams’, however, this year many students will sit assessments during that time which will contribute towards their qualification.

Level 1 students and those who haven’t yet achieved their CAA literacy & numeracy credits: The next round of CAA literacy and numeracy assessments will be held during this period and these are important for students at levels 1, 2 and 3 who are yet to achieve their literacy and numeracy credits, as well as students in Year 10. The results for the CAA literacy and numeracy assessments will be released in December.

For our Year 12 and 13 students, this exam period provides the opportunity to sit exams in preparation for their externals in term 4 and to ensure there is evidence if they need a derived grade.
These exams are great preparation for the external exams in term 4, helping students and teachers to identify areas of strength and areas of challenge that need additional work. If for some reason a student isn’t able to sit their external exam in term 4, their results in the upcoming practice exams is the only information we can use to support a derived exam application. Every year we have students miss out on qualifications or entry in courses and programmes because they chose not to sit exams, thinking that all would be fine. For Year 12 students, the learning that they do for the externally assessed standards is the foundation that is built on in Year 13.

The EXAM TIMETABLE has been shared with students today. In the lead-up to the exam period, there will be lots of support given in lessons, at lunchtimes, and after school. If there are any worries or concerns, please reach out to subject teachers now, because we want all students to approach the upcoming exam period with confidence. If students notice a clash in their Exam Timetable please CLICK HERE to notify the school by completing this form.

To all our students, aim high and believe in your abilities, we’re all here to support you.

Have a great weekend.

Ngā mihi nui, Fiona Barker PRINCIPAL