Secondary School News

We are officially half way through Term 3, however it is not time for our students to start relaxing and winding down for the holidays, in fact, the opposite is true. The pressure is on for our students in Year 10 to 13 to prepare and sit summative end of year exams.

We have the second exam session for the Year 10 and Year 11 students to sit their Literacy and Numeracy Common Assessment Activities (these are often referred to as CAAs). To dispel some myths circulating around these exams, as of 2024, they are a compulsory requirement for students to gain Level 1 NCEA. The exams are set at the national average achievement level where most students between Year 10 and Year 11 should be working.

Amuri, as a school, has introduced these exams at Year 10 to enable these students to experience and learn how to sit an external exam. While passing them in Year 10 is a desirable outcome, it is not a necessity. NZQA organise two assessment dates across New Zealand in both May and September each year for students to sit these exams. Students in Year 11 who do not achieve in these exams, will have their credits stored from all their curriculum subjects until they are successful. Students are able to retake these exams right up to the end of schooling in Year 13.

Derived grade exams are also in preparation, in Week 8 of this term students in Years 11-13 will be on an exam timetable (attached) and normal classes will be disbanded. This means students can come to school for their exams and either stay home or study in the school library or tutor rooms during non-exam time. Please ensure your child has a copy of the timetable and has planned for when they are sitting their exams and where the exams will be held. The majority of exams will be held in the school Gym or the Academy.

Even with the pressure of the upcoming assessments, our Kāirahi student leaders made time to celebrate Daffodil Day with our junior students as part of our Primary, Intermediate and Kāirahi exchange.

We are looking forward to the next exchange activity. Good luck to our students heading off for netball during tournament week and those selected to join the Barbarians Rugby Team the following week.

Nicole Peterson

Deputy Principal - Secondary School