New Zealand
From AFSWiki
Contents |
Country Information
AFS Country Code: NZL
Placement
- Age requirement: We cannot accept students who will turn 18 before arrival due to school restrictions. Language requirement - Health restrictions - Students with severe allergies will not be accepted.
- Pets: AFS NZL cannot accept students who cannot live with or around pets or animals (indoors/outdoors) for any reason.
- Graduates: No
- Smoking: It is illegal in NZ for people to purchase cigarettes if they are under 18 years of age. Due to this law AFS NZL will not accept smokers.
- Dietary Restrictions: AFS NZL cannot accept students with severe dietary restrictions, such as vegetarianism, veganism, Buddhist, Muslim etc.
- Dress:
Travel Information
- Visa:
- Arrival & Orientation:
- Departure:
Host Families
- Support Information:
- Transcript / Diploma:
- Language: English is compulsory; students may study second languages including one or more of French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Maori, Spanish
*The New Zealand Education System
* Students start high school (Years 9-13) at age 13. * Approximately 440 high schools (either state [government] funded; integrated [partly funded by private fees] or private). * The curriculum and educational standards are similar no matter the type of school. * All schools prepare students for the same national qualifications. * Academic program: Year 11 NCEA Level 1
1. Year 12 NCEA Level 2 Year 13 Bursary (NCEA Levels 3 & 4)
* ESOL is provided in most schools. * Many schools have international fee-paying students. * The academic year is divided into 4 terms beginning in late January and they are approx. 10 weeks in length. Summer vacation is in Dec-Jan. * Co-curricular activities are important – sport, music, performing arts, culture. * Most schools require students to wear a uniform.
2. Structure and Curriculum: At Years 9 and 10 (ages 13 & 14 years) students are required to study seven curriculum areas:
* Mathematics * Science: Includes Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental studies. * Physical Education and Health * Social Sciences: Includes economic studies (often optional) and social studies * Technology: IT is usually compulsory, but other areas included materials wood, metal, textiles etc) and food technology * The Arts: This includes Visual Arts, Music, Drama and Graphics
A ‘usual’ student programme (of 25 hours per week) would be: English 4 hours C Mathematics 4 hours C Science 4 hours C French 3 hours O Visual Art 3 hours O P.E. & Health 3 hours C Social Studies 4 hours C C – compulsory O – option If IT is included it could mean one less hour in social studies and/or science NCEA begins at Year II (Age 15 years) ( see ‘Explanation of New Zealand’s Qualifications System for International Partners’)
3. At Year II students will study 5 or 6 NCEA subjects at Level 1. English is compulsory. In most schools students are required to follow a course in mathematics and science. They then choose 2 or 3 optional subjects. Often P.E. is a compulsory requirement.
* To progress to NCEA Level 2 in a subject at Year 12 students are generally required to have gained a minimum of 15 credits in a subject at Level 1. At year 12 a student will study 5 or 6 subjects. Only English is compulsory. * To progress to NCEA Level 3 at Year 13 students are generally required to have gained a minimum of 15 credits in a subject at Level 2. A student will generally study 5 subjects in Year 13.
4. NCEA Grades Translated to a Traditional Structure: Credit Value (can be translated as follows): Excellence 80% plus Merit 65 – 79% Achieved 50 – 64% 4. How the NCEA Grading System Works Although it was intended that up to 70% of students would pass NCEA Level 1 in the first year of the examination in 2002, 60% of girls and 54% of boys gained NCEA Level 1. The reasons given for this were female attitude and maturity; and the style of assessment
* Each student is provided with a ‘Record of learning’, i.e. performance in each subject by Achievement (or Unit) Standards. * At the end of each subject statement is a ‘Grade Average’ which could be accepted as a percentage mark. The ‘Grade Average’ is the total of the raw scores, i.e. credits gained in each achievement standard x grade value.
Example: Student ‘X’ at Year 12 gains credits in English 20 (out of maximum 24) Grade Average 71 History 21 (out of " 24) Grade Average 74 Economics 17 (out of " 20) Grade Average 62 Mathematics 18 (out of " 24) Grade Average 64 German 20 (out of " 20) Grade Average 82 Physics 20 (out of " 20) Grade Average 79 Thus student ‘X’ is performing at an above average standard based on: Grade Average 80+ Excellent student Grade A (on 5 point scale) " " 65 – 79 Above average Grade B ( " " " ) " " 50 – 64 Average student Grade C ( " " " ) " " < 50 Below average Grade D or E ( " " " ) N: Program/Send/Information of AFS Partners
Academics
- Transcript/Diploma:
- School:
==Scholarships & Sponsored Programs== See Scholarships or Sponsored Programs for Sending for more information.
General Country Information
Religion: Climate: Climate is comparable to Portland in the winter (since it is winter there during this program): damp and cool.
Return to the Country Information page.
For information, questions or concerns, contact the Program Information Specialist or countryinfo@afs.org.
