Year 11 Qualification

Since the inception of the NCEA in 2002, KingsWay School has committed to delivering all levels of the NCEA qualification. We have consistently delivered results well above the national average. However, KingsWay learners almost exclusively progress to Level 2 and leave secondary education with either Level 2 or 3 NCEA, including University Entrance (UE); hence the value of the NCEA Level 1 Certificate in the KingsWay context as a final qualification is limited.  

Earlier in 2023, the Ministry of Education (MOE) decided to adjust the rollout of the NCEA change programme has further diminished the value of Level 1 NCEA for the following reasons:  

1. Lack of congruency in qualification criteria between the NCEA Level 1 and 2 qualifications.  
2. Lack of congruency between refreshed curriculum content and existing Level 2 assessments.  

These congruency issues have been compounded further by a lack of consistency by the Ministry of Education in providing materials to support the implementation of Level 1 NCEA. The ongoing timeline and content adjustments by the MOE have also acted to reduce our confidence in Level 1 NCEA at present. Overall, we believe that students completing the new version of Level 1 NCEA will be under-prepared for their final years of secondary education and for higher learning. 

Our Year 11 Qualification programme will safeguard the content, learning, and assessment necessary to continue to prepare students for success at Level 2 thoroughly. Unlike the MOE programme, the Year 11 Qualification will provide a coherent pathway for learners during a time of change in the NCEA framework. 

It will include: 

• Stimulating and rigorous learning and content that will equip learners with the understanding and skillset for success in Level 2.  
• Formal assessment opportunities that mirror existing Level 2 internal and external methods.  
• NCEA literacy and numeracy requirements.  

The change programme released by the government in 2023 resulted in an incongruent pathway for students between Level 1 and Level 2. Essentially a student would complete new achievement standards with a new focus, and assessment modes in 2024, then go back to the current style and content in 2025. The new standards and assessment practices for Level 2 NCEA will not be released (if at all) until 2026.  

The KingsWay Qualification will provide greater seamlessness between Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications.  

Yes – one of the benefits of delivering our own programme is that we can ensure that assessments align with Level 2 NCEA expectations. Under the KingsWay Year 11 Qualification, there will be less time taken up preparing for internals and external examinations and more time to explore in-depth learning. Assessments will still gain credits and be graded similar to NCEA (Not Achieved, Achieved, Merit + Excellence).  Course and subject endorsement will also apply. 

This KingsWay Year11 Qualification has no impact on UE or later levels of NCEA. The Literacy and Numeracy Co-requisites are assessed in Year 10 and any student who does not attain these will have the opportunity to in Year 11.  

From 2024, students required 60 credits or above at Level 2 and 3 NCEA. The Level 2 and 3 programmes will provide ample opportunity for students to attain these credits.   

New Zealand is one of the only countries in the OECD to have three tiers of national qualifications at secondary school level. NCEA Level 2 is widely considered the first valuable school leaver qualification and is the qualification preferred by employers, Te Pūkenga institutions, and apprenticeship organisations. That said, literacy and numeracy requirements are minimum standard that employers and Te Pūkenga institutions look for and KingsWay students will have the opportunity to attain these at Year 10 or Year 11. A full record of learning will be provided to students who leave KingsWay at the end of Year 11.  

With a change in government schools are waiting to learn what the plan is for the rollout of proposed changes to Level 2 and 3 NCEA. Currently, KingsWay is committed to delivering NCEA level 2 in 2025 which is consistent with the current style and content.  

The KingsWay Year 11 Qualification will deliver more meaningful teaching and learning time with less time spent preparing for internal assessments and more time in class learning. A wide range of appropriate assessment methods, including examinations will be used to best prepare students for future learning at NCEA Level 2 and 3. 

Nurturing young people to reach their full potential as servant leaders in the Kingdom of God is fundamental to what we do at KingsWay. The service aspect of the Qualification provides an opportunity to accentuate this as students embark on their journey in the Senior School. It also provides an opportunity to recognise students serving in a diverse range of areas in our community. Many of our students are actively involved in their churches, community groups, sports clubs or neighbourhood serving as the Lord leads them. Capturing this service helps to encourage students in their journey and encourages others to look beyond themselves.  

The school is a member of the of the Student Volunteer Army (SVA) initiative. SVA provides an easy-to-use app to record and verify service activities. 32 hours of service equates to a bronze SVA award. Feedback from employers is that students with an SVA award demonstrate the attitude and dedication they look for when hiring young people for employment. Service hours will be logged through the app with verification by staff to ensure service requirements have been met.  

If a student does something to help other people, without expecting anything in return, that is considered a service activity. Examples include putting out cones at a sports event, being part of the worship or welcome team at church, organising the school council activity, caring for a sick family member, washing dogs at the SPCA, planting trees, picking up plastic rubbish at the beach, mowing the neighbour’s lawn, or helping with carparking at a school event etc. 

Ideally, students will engage in a school based extra-curricular activity. These activities include sport, music, performance, councils, etc. At times, KingsWay School does not offer an activity that is of interest to a student such as martial arts, piano lessons, acting classes etc. Once staff verify these, they will be considered an authentic extra-curricular activity if it can be performed for a minimum of 20 hours.  

In 2025, Year 10 students will Graduate Junior Secondary and then progress to complete the KingsWay Year 11 Qualification in 2026.  In 2027 they will complete NCEA Level 2 and then graduate with NCEA Level 3 in 2028. 

Teaching programmes for Year 11 students will continue until the end of the academic year rather than be complete early term 4. For many subjects, work will begin on preparation for Year 12 in the final term.   

We will continue to have formal 2-3 hour examination in term 4, similar to current programmes.  There will also be ongoing assessment appropriate for each subject throughout the year.  

The 2025 Senior School Option Handbook can be found on the Options Handbook 2025.  Information on Year 11 courses can be read on pages 15-25. 

Parents will continue to receive reports twice annually, as they do currently.