MULTIPLE CURRICULUM PATHWAYS THAT SUIT THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS

1. MULTIPLE CURRICULUM PATHWAYS THAT SUIT THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS RHYS DAVIES ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MACLEANS COLLEGE

2. Many schools run multiple pathways but these are usually NCEAand Vocational Macleans has an integrated programme of 3 different pathways

3. SCHOOL PROFILE • Large roll – 2400 in 2006 • Co educational and multicultural • 35% New Zealand born • 65% New immigrant • Asian • Middle Eastern • South African • European

4. SCHOOL PROFILE • High Expectations • Tertiary focused • Traditional values • Conservative Education Outcomes • School of choice • High performing

5. MULTIPLE PATHWAY RATIONALE • Catering for differing learning needs • Catering for differing learning outcomes • Choice • International market • Philosophical reasons • We made decisions to suit the needs of our students (and parents)

6. There is an endeavour to meet the different learning styles and learning needs of:- • Boys and Girls • Different Nationalities • Prior Learning Experiences • The focus is on keeping the best interests of the student to the fore.

7. CHOICE There is a belief in giving students a choice if this can be delivered with quality. In this sense Macleans has a liberal view of curriculum

8. INTERNATIONAL MARKET • CIE can meet the International market in terms of:- • Student Background • International student market • For us this is largely from China, Korea, Malaysia and more recently from Europe, • There is a growing interest in International Universities for both “International” and “local” students - in particular these are in Australia, USA, Britain and at “home”

9. EVOLUTION The triggers:- • New Principal • Introduction of NCEA • Parent survey • Change in nature of roll • Educational concerns • International focus

10. INVESTIGATION • Vocational models from other schools in NZ and overseas • Investigated IB provisions in NZ and overseas • Investigated “academies” • Investigated A levels in Britain and CIE in Singapore

11. STRUCTURE

12. VOCATIONAL • There is now a clearly established third pathway for students who do not aspire to go to university • Courses are available in food, restaurant service, hairdressing, travel and tourism, automobile and building workshops • These are supported by Abridged English and Abridged Mathematics

13. NCEA Key Decisions • Each course to consist of • Traditional subjects • 24 credits • 5 subjects • Achievement standard based

14. NCEA EVOLUTION Subsequent changes:- • Reduction of credits at level 1 & 2 to 20 • Allowance for some unit standards • Opportunity for 4 subjects at level 3 • Retain 24 credits at level 3 • Focus on “excellence”

15. NCEA ASSESSMENT ISSUES • Fair, Valid and Consistent • Concerns about staff and student workloads • Grappled with reassessment issues • Currently:- • Little or no reassessment • Ensure readiness • Allow “conferencing”

16. CIE COURSE CHARACTERISTICS • External Examinations • Practical work in Science • Speaking and listening tests in Languages • Individual research • Practical work in Art, Music, and Technology • New Zealand based syllabuses

17. CURRICULUM FACTS • International Curriculum accepted by all Universities throughout the world. • Content is International not British • Equate to British A level standard, but evidence suggest CIE is higher • Regularly reviewed • Local courses (AS Standard) based on old bursary courses • Qualifications are standards based

18. CIE LOCAL COURSES • These are courses offered by a centre that are not offered by CIE • In NZ these are organised through ACSNZ • Courses include Latin, History of Art, Drama, NZ History. • Not possible to do at A2 Level • Some become adopted by CIE as numbers grow (e.g. Japanese, Classics)

19. AS AND A LEVEL • Is a university entrance qualification approved by NZVCC • Has staged assessments that can stand alone • AS – first half of course (Year 12) • A2 – second half of course (Year 13) • AS is University Entrance standard • Students do not have to study A2 level courses

20. SUBJECT CHOICE • Over 50 subjects at IGCSE • Over 60 subjects at AS and A level • Local courses (NZ based)

21. TRAINING • IGCSE Offered:- • By local subject associations • On line through CIE • Courses at Auckland by CIE • AS/A2 offered:- • On line • Courses at Auckland by CIE • Necessary within a school for internal components at AS/A2 level • Very highly regarded • Supported by subject cluster groups

22. INTIATING CIE • Overseas information • Introduced IGCSE Mathematics for year 10 & year 11 and combined Science for year 11 in 2002. • 2003 • IGCSE for selected students • AS for selected students • 2004 • Open entry, in general for IGCSE • Selection on merit for AS • Introduced A2 (on merit)

23. INITIAL KEY CONSIDERATIONS IN “SELECTING” STUDENTS • Work habits • Ability • Satisfying tertiary entry requirements • Meeting students aspirations and needs • Capacity of school to resource • Do not set students up for failure

24. GROWTH (NUMBERS) * Indicates year 13 who are doing predominantly AS+ Those who are doing 2 or more A levels ( ) Size of cohort at July 1st

25. GROWTH (BY SUBJECT)

26. COURSE NOW • IGCSE • Still 5 subjects • Combined science has become Co-ordinated Science • “Science” will cease in 2007 • Open entry

27. COURSE NOW • AS • 4 subjects at 5 hours per week • 5th subject on discretion • 5th subject usually IGCSE or NCEA • Entry dependent on IGCSE results • Advice available and given • High achieving students from NCEA

28. COURSE NOW • YEAR 13 • 4 courses of study • Only most able to do 3 A levels (a few do 4) • Focus is on breadth • 6 (or7) subjects at U.E. standard is the goal • As from 2007 special programmes for scholarship

29. UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE • 120 UCAS points (see next slide) • Minimum of 3 x D at AS or A level • Numeracy – D in IGCSE Mathematics • Literacy – E in AS English • Can mix and match each of the 3 criteria

30. UCAS TARIFF Note: 1.Overseas use different points system2. Can only count up to 6 subject units

31. U.E. PASS RATES (%)

32. TYPICAL COURSES (STUDENT A) TOTAL 230 POINTS

33. TYPICAL COURSES (STUDENT B) TOTAL UCAS 300 POINTS

34. TYPICAL COURSES (STUDENT C) TOTAL 280 POINTS

35. TYPICAL COURSES (STUDENT D) TOTAL UCAS 330 POINTS

36. TYPICAL COURSES (STUDENT E) TOTAL UCAS 130 POINTS

37. MIXING PATHWAYS • At year 11 probably acceptable • At year 12 / 13 urge caution • If studying NCEA – then no mixing • If studying CIE – then no more than one (often this is ESL) • Must have general university entry entirely in either CIE or NCEA

38. STAFFING • Existing staff trained • Recruitment from overseas • Feedback is that there is often greater teaching satisfaction • Teachers should be in both pathways (ideally) • Subject networking is critical

39. LEARNING STYLES • Overseas students, both Internationals and new immigrants relate to CIE because it :- • Is international • Is prescriptive in nature • Has a status in their own country • Often has revision texts in their native language • Is more structured in the way it is taught • Is consistent

40. LEARNING STYLES • The prescriptive nature seems to have more relevance to tertiary study for example:- • A level Science are very similar to 1st year university • Skills are placed in a more universal learning context • Acknowledges success (in a more reliable way) • Recognises excellence • A* IGCSE • A grades in AS and A level

41. LEARNING STYLES OF BOYS • If one compares the “pass rates” (50% + in CIE courses and A,M, or E in NCEA courses) A pattern emerges in our school. • Note: For the purpose of this comparison a variation of more than 5% between boys and girls is considered significant

42. AT Year 11 • In CIE, IGCSE girls outperformed boys in 2 subjects, whereas boys out performed the girls in one. • In NCEA level 1, girls outperformed the boys in 9 subjects, whereas boys outperformed the girls in one

43. AT YEAR 12 • In CIE AS, Girls out performed boys in 6 subjects whereas boys out performed girls in 4 subjects • In NCEA level 2, girls out performed boys in 10 subjects, whereas boys out performed girls in 2 subjects

44. AT YEAR 13 • In CIE A levels, girls out performed boys in 4 subjects • In NCEA level 3, girls out performed boys in 7 subjects and boys out performed girls in 5 subjects.

45. TIMETABLING • Pathways can be expensive in terms of timetabling. E.g. 85 students across 2 pathways may mean 4 classes – 2 in each pathway. Some courses can be “paired” in the timetable. (e.g. level 3 French and AS French, Classics)

46. RESOURCES Science • Equipment is no different, may even be less demanding • Textbooks are more expensive in New Zealand, but in many subjects the books you have are adequate • There are initial costs in terms of planning time, but plenty of help through CIE office (Simon Higgins) & ACSNZ • Resourcing can be expensive but worthwhile.

47. PRACTICAL ASSESSMENTS • Some courses have options • Practical examination, or • Alternative to practical paper, or • Project • At AS level Science practicals depend upon • Space • Equipment • Good technicians

48. REPORTING ASSESSMENTS • CIE is an assessment of learning. • Like NCEA, different aspects and skills are reported on. • Unlike NCEA, a whole subject is reported on in terms of a final grade reflecting a common course for all candidates

49. MARKS AND GRADES • IGCSE is graded – A*, A, B,C,D (over 50%), E,F, and G • AS and A are graded A,B,C,D (over 50%), E and ungraded • Individual course papers are graded • Marks out of 100 are given

50. SAMPLE REPORTING – AS CHEMISTRY