Studying well in high school is crucial for New Zealand students because it will depend on their results if they can enter university afterwards.
In year 11, they need to choose an area of specialisation for themselves because learning a subject at an advanced level requires a lot of effort, so you can't become an expert in various completely different fields at the same time.
Then, in years 12 and 13, they will try to deepen their knowledge and improve their grades, which will be taken into consideration by higher education institutions.
The most common pathway for high school students in New Zealand is the NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement). It consists of three levels taken in years 11, 12 and 13. At each level, students complete assessment standards and earn credits. With 80 credits, you can pass the level you are currently in and move on to the next one.
The NCEA curriculum is designed by NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) and is available in most public schools.
Alternatives to NCEA include the CAIE pathway based on the UK high school curriculum, and the IB (International Baccalaureate). Both of them are less common than NCEA and are more relevant for students aiming to study in international universities.
In this article, we will look in more detail at the exams included in these three education programmes and talk about the most effective methods to prepare for them according to the 2022 timetable.
2022 NCEA exams
An important detail to know about NCEA standards is that they are spread throughout the school year. That means that students need to constantly stay focused in the middle of the year as well as at its end.
The two main types of standards set for NCEA students are internal and external standards. As their names indicate, the former are organised independently by each school and assessed by the students' school teachers, whereas the latter are taken outside school and assessed by NZQA.
The information about internal NCEA standards and their timetable is usually provided to students by their school teacher at the beginning of the year.
Secondary schools may organise them as individual exams or as a series of assessment activities. NCEA students need to be careful to clearly understand the requirements and criteria of internal standards. They can work on their level of skills when needed to achieve better results.
As internal standards are taken in students' schools, they are a great opportunity to earn Merit or Excellence standards without too much stress.
External assessment standards are, by contrast, mostly organised as end-of-year exams which require a good overall knowledge of high school subjects.
A student who wants to do well in these tests should start revision well in advance to gradually strengthen their skills.
External standards are usually more stressful than internal ones but they are also a great moment to get used to sitting end-of-year exams, which will be useful to students throughout their further education at university.
If you manage to get Merit or Excellence credits for external standards, it will be proof that you master the subject really well and can take it up at the next NCEA level or at university.
In 2022, NCEA end-of-year exams will run from November 7 until December 2. You can find the exam dates by subject on the NZQA website and draw up a revision plan to use your time efficiently.
You can learn more about NCEA exams in our article.
2022 CAIE exams
CAIE stands for Cambridge Assessment International Education and is the international version of the British high school curriculum. It consists of three main stages: IGCSE, AS-levels and A2 levels, which students need to complete to get University Entrance.
The IGCSE is usually taken in year 11. Students can choose about five to six subjects and will be evaluated in final exams.
The IGCSE is a preliminary level before starting A-levels. As a result, the results you will get will not be taken into account by universities, however, you will need them to enrol in AS-level courses in year 12.
Similarly to the IGCSE, AS and A2-level courses are assessed in final exams, so you will get totally used to passing exams by the end of high school.
What makes them different on the other hand is that both bring you points for university application. Depending on the grade you will get, you will earn more or fewer points for each subject. As they are more advanced, A2-level courses value 2 times more than AS-level courses.
A CAIE student is allowed to apply to universities in New Zealand, if they meet certain conditions, such as earning 120 points in their exams and passing a certain number of exams.
In the case of the CAIE pathway, exams have much more important than for the NCEA because they determine the whole of the student's grade. That's why it's important to start revision as early as possible and work with past exam papers to develop particular skills.
In 2022, IGCSE and A-level exams are scheduled for October and November. The exams are spread over the period in no particular order and it is not impossible to have more than one exam on the same day.
You can read about IGCSEs in more detail in our article.
That means that you will need to be ready for all your exams well before the examination period starts and do just a short revision before the test.
IB diploma
Another great internationally oriented pathway offered in some New Zealand schools is the IB. It takes two years, so it can be taken after NCEA level 1 and is equivalent to NCEA level 3.
IB is generally considered to be more challenging than NCEA or CAIE because, in addition to school subjects, it includes three supplementary courses: extended essay writing, CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) and theory of knowledge.
These subjects are meant to better prepare students for university education and their future career in New Zealand or abroad.
The IB includes both internal and external examinations, some of which take place during the school year and others as final exams, so those who choose this pathway should be prepared to study a lot and revise efficiently.
In our article, you can find useful information about the IB.
In 2022, the IB examination session will run from October 21 until November 10, by which time students should have finished most of their revisions.
If a particular IB subject proves especially challenging for you, it can be useful to find a private tutor and get help. Revision with a teacher is always more effective than studying alone, so you will be more likely to improve your level without getting distracted from other subjects.
Why private lessons are so helpful?
Whether we are talking about NCEA, CAIE or IB, New Zealand schools normally provide students with all the necessary information about the exams and advise them in class.
However, we also need to understand that time in class is limited and numerous students must be helped at the same time. As a result, students who are not used to revising autonomously outside their school lessons often get into trouble.
A private tutor can change that by taking account of students' particular needs to guide them in a personalised way.
They will analyse where the student's difficulties stem from and choose relevant activities to overcome them. For example, we may struggle with some secondary education concept because it wasn't analysed in sufficient detail in class.
A good tutor will immediately spot the problem by talking directly with the student and dedicate enough time to explaining the material.
Another important factor is that students usually feel more comfortable asking questions and expressing their opinions when they are face-to-face with their tutor. Such an environment is beneficial to their learning process and helps them become more confident about their skills in general.
Studies become more enjoyable for them because they don't need to worry about grades and assessment activities and it motivates them to strive for higher achievements in the long term.
Private tutors can also help you prepare for AS levels.
Find the perfect tutor on Superprof
What's important when looking for a high school tutor is to find a specialist who will be aware of the peculiarities of your pathway and can prepare you for the exact kinds of assignments you will deal with in your exams.
The right place to look for such a tutor is Superprof. The advantage of our platform is that you can not only look for secondary-level tutors but also get information about them, such as prices, experience, teaching methods and so on.
You can screen out the tutors who don't suit you straight away and then choose among the best candidates.
As most Superprof teachers offer their first class for free, you shouldn't have difficulty with that. You can meet the tutors you are interested in, test their approach and settle upon the one who suits your learning style better.
Superprof will help you improve your knowledge in a short time and get ready for high school exams without problem or stress.
You can earn excellent A-level grades with a Superprof tutor.
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