In pursuit of a higher education

John Morris stands behind his exam decision. Photo / Doug Sherring

Auckland Grammar's headmaster John Morris says he isn't trying to make any point by using the Cambridge exams - he did that 10 years ago when he first went looking for an alternative qualification system.

The school's decision to have only its weakest students sitting NCEA Level 1 this year has sparked outrage, allegations of "elitism" and claims the move will undermine our "national qualification".

But, far from doing any of those things, Mr Morris says he's simply doing what he thinks is best for his students - a decision that is backed by his board, staff and parents.

"We are not being bloody minded about this or trying to be awkward or trying to make a point. There is no point to be made - we made our point 10 years ago when we brought the examination into New Zealand," he says.

"It's not elitist, it's something that works better for our kids here. I'm not telling schools what to do, or that we should all do it, but for us it works really well. If it didn't work for us then we wouldn't do it - we're not stupid."

And, he appears to have the backing not only of the Education Minister but several other schools, which all quietly say NCEA is not working for them - though few are willing to admit to it out loud.

It is clear Mr Morris doesn't think NCEA is best for our children. When there was talk about changing our education system in the 90s and early 2000s he was involved in forums looking for a way forward.

But as it became clear he had different views, he decided to go in search of a qualification that would better suit the needs of the prestigious decile 10 school.

Several options were considered before trialling Cambridge International Examinations, a system that is part of the University of Cambridge in Britain and used in 160 countries around the world.

The 2001 trial was successful and quickly adopted as an option for senior students. According to Mr Morris, it quickly gained popularity with parents, and before long other schools in New Zealand were also showing interest.

Today around 50 schools have adopted the qualification - some private ones using the system exclusively while others offer varying combinations of NCEA and Cambridge.

In recent years around 60 per cent of Auckland Grammar's Year 11 students have chosen to sit Cambridge. This year, after three years of consideration, the school has decided around 90 per cent of them will sit the qualification, which is largely based on external examinations at the end of the year.

Mr Morris says the school will still offer NCEA, which is largely internally assessed, to around 10 per cent of it's students - mostly those struggling in maths and English.

Parents were informed of the decision last April and - apart from one or two who were worried about whether their sons would be able to cope - the news has been well-received.

Even with all the publicity this week, there is a noticeable absence of parents voicing any concern. Instead, parents and teachers have written to the Herald in support of Cambridge.

Mr Morris says the reason he likes Cambridge so much is the motivation it gives his students.

"Boys love challenge and the challenge of an end-of-year exam is something they want. If they have got a lot of internal assessment it does impact on things they can do outside of school, like their sport or their music or their drama.

"For us it's been fantastic as a school, it's allowed us to maintain our academic strength, our academic niche. The boys enjoy it."

It is difficult to tell if Cambridge students are doing better than their NCEA counterparts, given most of the students sitting it tend to be more academically minded in the first place.

However, sources at schools where there is a more even split of non-streamed students taking Cambridge and NCEA say the Cambridge students tend to be well ahead of their NCEA mates. At the end of the day, one of the biggest questions for parents would have to be the difference either qualification could make in their child's life - or maybe what is better suited to their learning style.

Both qualifications are accepted at universities here and abroad.

NCEA

How many students sit NCEA?

NCEA is offered in all of the country's secondary schools. In 2010 around 166,000 students sat NCEA.

How does it work?

* Skills and knowledge are assessed against a number of standards in each subject. For example, a mathematics standard could be: apply numeric reasoning in solving problems.

* Teachers use a range of internal and external assessments to measure how well students meet these standards. When a student achieves a standard, they gain credits. Students must achieve a certain number of credits to gain an NCEA certificate at the end of the year.

* There are three levels of NCEA certificate. Students usually work through levels 1 to 3 in years 11 to 13 at school.

How is it assessed?

This is an internally and externally based system. What kind of assessment is used depends on the school and the subjects being taken but it usually relies strongly on the internal assessment.

How long has it been around for?

NCEA was introduced in 2002 to replace the old School C/Bursary system.

What qualification do students end up with?

Students end up with NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3. High achievers can gain NCEA with Merit or NCEA with Excellence. This year the endorsements will also be attached to individual subjects. Students need Level 3 and a certain amount of credits to get into university.

Weakness

Initially plagued with a number of criticisms and weaknesses such as not providing any motivation for students to aim higher than what it takes to pass. The introduction of endorsements in 2007, such as merit and excellence, sought to address this. Some critics say it's too easy to gain credits in some of the non-academic subjects, while students taking more difficult subjects have to work harder for the same number of credits. There have been issues with moderation and the varying degrees of some subject results from year to year.

Strengths

NCEA has been credited with lifting results among Maori and Pacific Island students and some lower-decile schools. Under the NCEA system students study a mix of standards at different levels, depending on their ability. They can also begin to study pathways that they can continue after school because the qualification links in with other tertiary qualifications. NCEA also has a huge range of subjects, including lots of practical standards that help students going into trades or industry.

Cambridge International Examinations

How many students sit Cambridge Exams:

Cambridge is offered in about 50 schools. The ACG schools all use it exclusively, while most offer it to more advanced students as an alternative to NCEA.

Many, but not all of the schools, are high-decile. Around 10,000 students sat Cambridge exams in 2010.

How is it assessed?

A largely exam-based qualification which is sat halfway through and at the end of the year.

Some subjects do have internal assessment as well. Students receive grades at the end of their exams, ranging from A to G.

How is it different to the old School C/Bursary system?

The old system involved scaling the final results, which meant students bordering on a pass or fail could end up being scaled up or down and getting a different result to what they actually earned. For example, a student who just passed might end up failing after scaling was done. Cambridge is standards-based, meaning there is no scaling. Students get what they earn in their exam.

How long has it been around for?

The examinations have been around for more than 150 years but were introduced into New Zealand by Auckland Grammar in the early 2000s. The school first trialled the system in 2001 and had it running across its senior school by 2004.

What qualification do students end up with?

Students gain a grade from A through to G, depending on how they do in their exams. The qualification is known as A and AS levels, similar to what students in parts of Britain gain in secondary school. Universities in New Zealand accept this qualification, though certain grades are needed in some subjects, such as maths and English. This qualification is not on the New Zealand Qualification Framework but Education Minister Anne Tolley says it is nationally recognised here. It is also very well recognised overseas.

Weaknesses

Not good for weaker students who are more suited to internal assessment. There have been some criticisms, stemming from comments made by a former Education Minister, that Cambridge exams are "third world". Cambridge disputes this saying while they are in some developing countries, they are also used in many first world countries and are used in Singapore as the national qualification - although the country is now reviewing its system.

Strengths

Good for students who need the challenge of end-of-year exams. Used in around 160 countries around the world and part of the University of Cambridge.