Having highlighted last week the outstanding NCEA pass rates, this week my attention turns to the attainment of Certificate Endorsements.

For the NCEA uninitiated, students gain NCEA at levels 1, 2 and 3 by accumulating a prescribed number of credits. Each standard the student attempts has a credit value attached to it. Students can gain those credits at Achieved (basic), Merit (more advanced) and Excellence (mastery) level depending on the quality of their responses. If, over the range of his subjects, a student accumulates 50 or more credits at Excellence he is determined to have gained his NCEA Certificate endorsed with Excellence. If he gains 50 or more credits at Merit level or above (but not 50 or more at Excellence) then he gains his NCEA Certificate endorsed with Merit. The point is both Merit and Excellence Certificate endorsements are a really good indicator not only of student capability but also of their application and effort.

The results from 2017 (which can be seen in the photo at the top of this article), were our finest thus far with over 100 students gaining Excellence Certificate Endorsements and almost another 150 gaining Merit Certificate Endorsements. The Merit and Excellence percentages are calculated as a percentage of students who passed NCEA at that level. The fact that our Merit and Excellence percentages exceed the national averages is quite remarkable in light of our high pass rates relative to the national averages.    

These results continue an impressive upward trajectory in Certificate endorsements at King’s over the last decade. The data table in the photo below bears testament to that.

What a powerful combination committed, quality teachers and motivated, focused students form. What a pleasure it is to be a part of it and be able to celebrate student and teacher success. More successes to follow next week.