Academic Standards and Curricula

From the junior class, through the primary school, and into the college we expect the work standards and academic achievement of the students to be significantly above the national average. But it must be stressed that we are not here to compete with state schools or even to compare our achievement levels with them, for any purpose other than to measure trends in our own performance over time. We have a team of talented and enthusiastic teachers who work very hard. The state schools in New Zealand also have good teachers who work very hard, with larger classes and more challenging social and behavioural issues than us. Any comparison is like comparing apples and oranges. Similarly perceived academic standards should not be the reason to send children to this school. The attraction should be the Christian values and the place of the Word of God.

To maintain high standards children, teachers, parents, and board members need to work as a team, and we need to seek the blessing of the Lord upon all operations in the school. At the heart of the curriculum are the Key Competencies at described on page 7-8. But the Key Competencies is not the starting point. That is described below….

The Biblical Foundation of Curriculum at Ponatahi Christian School

Education is commanded by the LORD

We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: Psalm 78:4-7

Education is to be based upon the precepts of the LORD.

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4.

All education is to be to the glory of the LORD.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31.

The LORD has promised His blessing upon such education.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.

It is clear from the parable of the talents, in Matthew 25:14-30, that all people are accountable to the LORD for how each talent received has been used in His service. Hence we acknowledge the LORD as the giver of talents, we acknowledge each student’s responsibility as to how these talents are used, and we acknowledge the school’s responsibility to provide an environment whereby these talents may be further developed and directed.

Some Features of this Biblical Foundation …

In Religious Education the students are taught primarily three things which can not be learnt from other curriculum areas: 1) Who God is, 2) Our relationship to Him, and 3) The way of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ and applied by the Holy Spirit.

Bible Doctrine (the official catechism classes of the church to its youth) and Bible Study is taught to all classes. The church’s Pastor and one of the church elders regularly give classes. Church history is taught from about Year 5 with emphasis given to the Reformation and the fine line of truth from the time of the apostles to now. In the senior classes other topics are also taught such as creation versus evolution, apologetics, cults, world-wide religions, Puritans, persecution today, and various ethical issues from abortion to artificial fertilisation methods.

Religious Education is under the supervision of the School Proprietors. The following subjects are under the supervision of the Board Of Trustees …

In English the students are taught that language is God’s gift which places us above the animals and enables us to communicate with Him and to receive His communication to us. The ultimate goal of any language programme ought to be the imparting of skills which enables students to confidently read the Word of God and the godly works of the church forefathers.

In Maths the students are taught to see the order which God has placed upon the universe. Maths is the “queen of sciences” (theology is the “king”) as a proper understanding is not subject to human or experimental error – it is like God’s fingerprint upon creation.

This order can also be seen in the created laws of Science, a subject which testifies of the intelligence and power of God. In this subject the students are taught that the Biblical account of creation is the only scientifically feasible explanation of the origin of the universe, and that evidence of purposeful design can be seen all around us.

In the senior sciences such as Chemistry, Biology, and Physics the opportunity to explore the wonderful wisdom of God is increased. God has not only created life, He has also created matter, energy, time, and the order observed in scientific laws. It is shown that the laws of science and the physical constants which underpin the universe are designed for life. Even slight modifications would render life impossible. Similarly it is shown that the “multitude of evidence” supporting evolution supports creation even better, and that the very evidence evolution needs (the accumulation of more complex genetic information) is non existent.

In Social Studies, Geography and History, the students can explore the Providence of God and the unfolding of God’s eternal plan.

In Health, the students learn that our bodies are not our own, and we can not do with them as we wish. But it is in the interests of our health and happiness if we care for ourselves, and each other, according to the precepts God has described in His Word.

Technology is problem solving using the abilities, resources, and opportunities which God has given us.

In briefly describing the Biblical foundation for these subjects, it must be emphasised that this foundation, although evident, is not restated every period. Many lessons resemble those taught in other schools, because, as far as the Special Character allows, the principles, values, and competencies of the New Zealand curriculum are superimposed upon this Biblical foundation. Let’s face it, our children learn the same alphabet as in the state schools, and solve the same mathematical equations, but for a different ultimate purpose.

Year 1 to 6 (Primary)

Upon the stated Biblical foundation we teach the National Achievement Objectives of the seven Learning Areas of the New Zealand Curriculum in years 1-10. The seven Learning Areas are English, Maths, Social Studies, Science, Technology, Health and P.E. and the Arts (visual arts and music). National Achievement Objectives which are contrary to the Special Character of the School are not taught – there are surprisingly few of these as almost all of these skills objectives can be taught from a Biblical foundation. Even though the school’s Special Character is interwoven through these seven Learning Areas, each student still undertakes a separate program of Religious Education.

In the primary classes emphasis is placed upon literacy and numeracy.

Year 7 to 8 (Intermediate)

Students in Year 7&8 study the same subjects as Year 1-6 students although at a higher level. In addition each student has a programme of manual training (cooking and workshop) incorporated into their Technology programme and some Careers Education built into their Social Studies programme.

Year 9 to 10. (Junior College)

In Y9&10 the seven Learning Areas are still taught, and the emphasis given to Religious Education, English, Maths, Science, and Social Studies are all about equal. The remaining learning areas of Technology, Health & P.E., and the Arts are given less emphasis.

In addition each Y9&10 student studies Information Management as a compulsory subject. By Year 10 most students are achieving at NCEA level 1 in this subject. By the start of Year 11 students are expected to have sufficient computer skills to allow the teachers to use computers across the senior college curriculum. In a trial for 2010, which may be permanent from 2011 the Y9&10 class have only four half periods of I.M. instead of four whole periods. This is partly because students are now much more computer literate when entering Y9&10 and we wanted four half periods a week to trial DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) to improve reading skills and attitudes.

In addition Y9&10 students choose one optional subject, some of which are studied through distance education: They may choose Maori, French, German, Latin, Japanese, Chinese, Home Economics, Materials Technology (workshop), Graphics and Design, Agriculture and Accounting or Art (usually Agriculture and Accounting is only available from year 10.). Often Y10 students are able to achieve at NCEA level one Information Management and in their option subject.

In exceptional cases, where the students can benefit from an extra challenge, and extra homework, it may be possible to do a second option subject.

Year 11-13 (Senior College)

All senior college students are aiming to achieve the National Certificate of Educational Achievement:

NCEA Level 1 (Usually Y11): 80 credits are needed, of which at least 8 must be literacy (any English), and at least 8 must be numeracy (any maths). If the student obtains 50 credits or more at “merit” or “excellence” level then a “merit” or “excellence” endorsement is given on the NCEA certificate. These endorsements speak volumes of the student’s effort and achievement and are well worth striving for.

NCEA Level 2 (Usually Y12): 80 credits are needed, of which at least 60 are needed at level 2 or higher. (There is no minimum literacy or numeracy requirement, and 20 credits from level 1 can be counted for level 2 also, effectively making only 60 credits needed at level 2.) If the student obtains 50 or more level two credits at “merit” or “excellence” level then the appropriate endorsement is given on the NCEA certificate.

NCEA Level 3 (Usually Y13): 80 credits are needed, of which at least 60 must be at level 3 or higher. If the student obtains 50 or more level three credits at “merit” or “excellence” level then the appropriate endorsement is given on the NCEA certificate.

Features of NCEA

• Credits can be obtained from Achievement Standards, which can be either internally or externally assessed, or the usually lesser academic Unit Standards which are all internally assessed. (Students planning to continue studying to Y12 should attempt Achievement Standards, which can return the four results: Not Achieved, Achieved, Achieved with Merit, and Achieved with Excellence. Unit Standards can only return the two results Not Achieved or Achieved.)
• NCEA credits stay with a person for life. A person narrowly missing NCEA, may have the qualification awarded in future years if he/she completes the requisite credits in any academic or occupational study.
• A typical subject in the Senior College can be divided into 6-8 Achievement Standards of 2-6 credits each. The number of credits available in each subject is typically in the range 18-24.

University Entrance: To qualify for entry into a New Zealand university, a student must achieve all of the following:

• 14 level credits from each of two academic subjects at level 3.
• 14 credits in total from two other academic subjects at level 3.
• 4 credits in reading and 4 credits in writing at level 2 or above.
• 14 maths credits from level 1 or above.

Note that it is possible to obtain NCEA level three or University Entrance without gaining the other qualification. Students must take care in their subject options and achievement levels.

Subject Options for Y11-13:

All senior college students are expected to study five exam subjects, plus Religious Education and P.E. At times, especially in Y11, but also for students of proven diligence and capability at other levels, there may be an opportunity to study a sixth exam subject. However experience has shown us that it is generally better, for even gifted students to do one or two NCEA subjects in Year 10 and five in Year 11.

Year 11 students must study English, Maths, Science, and Social Science and at least one free option. Experience has shown us that it is better for students to have a well rounded education to Y11 and then specialise from Year 12. Year 12 students must study English and four options (guidance is usually given), and Y13 students have five options.

Y11-13 subjects for which we can provide our own teacher are as follows: English, maths (including both the calculus and statistics options in Y13), science, biology, physics, chemistry, history, social science (Y11 only), materials technology and agriculture.

If there is sufficient demand, we can also provide a teacher for aviation, geography, electronics, accounting, computing, economics, and human biology (Y11 only).

We are able to access the correspondence school to supplement the subjects we offer. This includes any of the subjects listed above when there is insufficient demand to provide our own teacher. Possible subjects include early childhood education (from Y12), graphics and design, home economics, Maori, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, art, food and nutrition (from Y11), Spanish (from Y11), art history (from Y12), legal studies (from Y12), and classics (from Y12). We usually recommend that the student only takes one correspondence subject at a time.

It is usually possible for a student to study a mixture of subjects at different levels. In most cases, a student will only be allowed to study one correspondence subject at a time.

It is also possible for a student to take one less exam subject and to study a STAR course. (Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resourcing). STAR courses are offered by Polytechnics and Universities for students who are still at school. A wide variety of vocational subjects are available. Students ask for a list of possible courses available, which changes from year to year. In the past we have had students study Early Childhood Education, advanced Computing, Auto Mechanics, Aeronautics, Practical Farm Skills, Equestrian Skills, and other subjects. The general policy is that the school pays for the course fees, but the family is responsible for transport.

All subject combinations must fit on a workable timetable, and all subject combinations should be useful to the student. Hence, the following actions are normally taken each year:

1. Around October each year the students are surveyed as to what subjects they are interested in studying the following year. Guidance is given to students to ensure that their subject choices are appropriate for their ability and career pathway.

2. As a result of this survey the Principal will decide which courses have sufficient demand to run in the following year. The Principal will also decide which subjects will be timetabled together. We hope that most students will be able to study their preferred choice, but invariably there is a minority of students who will not be able to due to timetable constraints, and often there is insufficient demand to run some subjects.

3. Students may change their subject options at any time before the start of the academic year, but their choice must fit the timetable which is usually developed well before each academic year begins.

Subject Entry Requirements

Entry into a subject at level one is given to all students. Entry into any subject at level two and level three is dependent upon satisfactory achievement in that subject in the preceding level. Precise entry requirements are on display in the college classrooms.

Quality rather than Quantity

A “bucket load” of credits should not be the goal for anybody. Our aim is for the students to be genuine “learners”, not merely “credit accumulators.” A student with strong achievement in Formal Writing and Extended Text (literature) for English, and Algebra in maths is much more likely to succeed in the next year than a student with low achievement in these areas, irrespective of the total number of credits obtained. We can not emphasis the importance of these key areas too highly. For example algebra (the symbolic language of maths) is needed for all senior maths and most senior science subjects. Similarly, the ability to communicate in academic English is needed for several subjects as well, such as history, and almost every tertiary subject.

Sadly, NCEA does not always encourage students to do their best, and a mediocre effort can be rewarded by the system. From 2010 we are making deliberate steps to avoid giving students too many easy options and making them work hard to achieve their NCEA. Some may miss out as a result, but only if they don’t try hard enough. This may sound tough, but it is for the good of the students, and for the integrity of NCEA in the long run.

Re-assessment Opportunities

A student desiring a further reassessment opportunity may negotiate this with the teacher concerned. A reassessment opportunity will normally be given under the following circumstances:

• The student has not achieved the standard and desires an opportunity to demonstrate the required skills to meet the standard.
• The student has been judged to be very close to the boundary of the next grade, and is able to reach the next grade with minor changes or additions to the first assessment attempt.
• The student can provide evidence that a higher grade would enhance the prospects for a future career or entrance into a desired tertiary course, and he/she is prepared to do the learning necessary to reach the desired skill level.

Special Conditions

Students with special needs are expected to have special assessment conditions peculiar to their needs to make the assessment as fair as possible.

Missed Assessments

Students who miss internal assessment or have their performance affected due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances will be assessed on another day at the discretion of the HOD or if this is not practical be given an assessment based upon other evidence instead. A medical doctor’s certificate will be required in case the HOD’s decision is appealed. Another assessment opportunity as a result of unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances must be applied for within seven days of the assessment activity.

Any planned absences i.e. extended family holidays, must first be negotiated with the Principal and HOD concerned. No assessment will be given after the fact.

Appeals

Students may appeal the mark awarded by any teacher to an internal assessment. The student must ask the teacher for the appropriate form, and fill it out and submit it to the principal within seven days of receiving the mark. The school has a process for considering the appeal.

Quality Management System

More detailed information regarding the school’s procedures for administering NCEA are in a policy document called “Quality Management System for National Qualifications.” This document can be found in the policies folder in the school foyer. The information which students need to know is on the notice board in the college classrooms.