Junior Graduation

Rationale

1. To encourage the extension of an achievement culture in the junior school
2. To use assessment data to track academic achievement
3. To identify students who need additional support to achieve academic goals
4. To provide understandable data on academic achievement to parents
5. To provide data that can be used by form teachers in their role as academic mentors
6. To provide data that can be used by teachers to improve teaching and learning

How it works

Year 9 & 10 students will sit assessments throughout the course of the year which will be marked as N,A,M, E.

N = Not Achieved

A = Achieved

M = Achieved with Merit

E = Achieved with Excellence

Each assessment will be worth a number of graduation points which are included in the title of each assessment (these are not NCEA credits). For example an Algebra test in Maths may be allocated 5 points, a research task in Social Studies, 4 points. It is up to Departments to decide how many graduation points each assessment is worth.

Each subject will have a number of points which can be allocated to assessments as required.

Students will also be able to gain an extra 30 points through:

1. Attendance (max of 10 points) Awarded via attendance record on Kamar
2. Co-curricular (max of 10) Awarded by Form Teacher for involvement in sports teams, cultural events and any other co-curricula participation.
3. Citizenship (max of 10 at the discretion of the form teacher) Awarded by form teachers for personal involvement and participation involvement within college.

Students will be able to graduate, or graduate with merit, or graduate with excellence.. There will be a further category of graduation with support for students with special needs/circumstances.

Total number of points is:

Year 9

3 x core subjects = 60 (Each core subject allocates 20 pts)

ESS = 40 (Take note)! Combination English and Social Studies.

6 x option subjects = 60 (Each option subject allocates 10 pts)

Other = 30 (Other= citizenship, co-curricular, attendance)

Total = 180

Year 10

5 x core subjects = 110 (Each core subject allocates 22 pts)

4 x option subjects = 40 (Each option subject allocates 10 pts)

Other = 30 (Other= citizenship, co-curricular, attendance)

Total = 180

Graduation Year 10

To graduate at the end of year 10, a student would need a minimum of 100 points.

65 of those 100 should be of Merit level to graduate with a Merit endorsement.

65 of those 100 should be of Excellence level to graduate with an excellence endorsement.

Graduation Year 9

To graduate at the end of year 9, a student would need a minimum of 100 points.

65 of those 100 should be of Merit level to graduate with a Merit endorsement.

65 of those 100 should be of Excellence level to graduate with an excellence endorsement.

Assessments

A minimum of 6 assessments are required over the course of the year for the core subjects, (3 for option subjects), and at least 3 must be completed by the end of the 2nd term, which includes option subjects.

There should also be a reassessment opportunity for any assessments students sit throughout the year, and this could take the form of an end of year exam.

Students can track their graduation assessment points through the portal and at certain times throughout the year including reporting, they will be given a summary calculation.

What if a student does not graduate?

The points system will also allow senior staff, deans, HOD’s and form teachers to identify those students who will need additional support, (a system which is currently in place in the senior school). There is no intention to hold students back if they fail to graduate.