It is that time of year when Year 11 students and parents are faced with the decision of which of our two academic pathways to follow in the Senior School at St Margaret’s College. But of course, for many of our families, this decision-making process begins long before Year 11.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be meeting with year groups from Year 10 onwards to discuss their subject choices and learning pathways, culminating in the Senior Learning Pathways evening on Thursday, August 12.

As the only girls’ school in the South Island to offer the globally recognised International Baccalaureate programme, we are justifiably proud of it and the amazing results that many of our learners achieve. However, we are equally proud of our impressive record of NCEA achievement in the Senior School and are committed to the notion that one size does not fit all at this crucial juncture in a young person’s education.
Our students definitely don’t all fit one mould, and we do not believe that their learning journeys should either.

The dual pathway we offer in Year 12 and 13 is fundamental to our vision of providing the best possible outcomes for each girl, and this begins with enabling families to make an informed choice about which of our world-class models they will pursue, based on their unique circumstances and future plans. I will be talking to all Year 11 students about the differences between NCEA and IB early next term, and recapping this session for whanau at our Senior Learning Pathways evening.

This year we are particularly excited about launching our Year 11 Foundation Diploma programme, which will replace NCEA Level 1 from 2022. This programme has been designed by drawing together the very best practice and educational research from across Aotearoa and beyond, and will provide a platform for girls beginning their Senior School journey to move into either NCEA Level 2 or the International Baccalaureate in Year 12 and 13.

The Foundation Diploma will enhance preparation for both of our senior pathways, narrowing the gap between Year 11 and Year 12 and lessening the stress around this transition for our girls. Moving to our own qualification at Year 11 enables us to bring a little bit more rigour into our own system. This means that:

• We get to keep specialist subject options at Year 11 instead of condensing them into more general learning areas as currently proposed by the national review of NCEA

• We can mandate that students complete all assessments within a subject (including formal examinations), instead of being allowed to ‘opt out’ once they feel they have enough credits in a course

• We will keep girls in-class learning for longer, as they won’t spend as much time on examination leave in Term 4.

The Foundation Diploma will balance academic rigour with holistic growth and wellbeing. While it maintains access to the variety of subject options available in the senior years and helps girls find the right path for their post-school ambitions, it will also provide assessments that are more condensed and evenly weighted across the year, lessening the pressure and intensity of ongoing assessments that can cause unnecessary stress on students. We will maintain both internal assessments (like portfolios, essays, or research projects) and exams, but each course will be limited to four integrated assessments across the year. Alongside this, the Diploma structure will encourage students to participate in and develop across several other aspects of school life, including components of learning that are focused on the physical, spiritual, co-curricular, service and leadership elements of their development.

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of attending the official launch of an equivalent Diploma programme at our brother school, Christ’s College. Both schools follow in the footsteps of Scots College, Wellington, who are now three years into their own very successful customised Year 11 programme. Several other leading schools will be making similar moves in response to the national NCEA Review of Achievement Standards and the repositioning of NCEA Level 1 as an exit qualification for school-leavers.

As one of the first schools in the country to offer the dual pathways of NCEA and IB, at St Margaret’s College we are delighted to be maintaining our position at the forefront of educational innovation in New Zealand. Along with our Executive Principal, Diana Patchett, I look forward to welcoming prospective and current families to the official launch of our Year 11 Foundation Diploma on Monday 2 August. Keep an eye out in our newsletter and social media for updates.