General Information for

Year 11 - 13 in 2025

NCEA Credits

General Advice

What is a standard?

What tells me how well I have achieved overall?

Are there any other National Certificates I can achieve?

What are Vocational Pathways?

What is an Endorsement?

University Entrance Level 3 Approved Subjects Offered at Kāpiti College in 2025

How will I know how well I am doing next year?

What should I do now?

Subjects and Teachers In Charge

What costs are involved?


NCEA Credits

NCEA Level

Credits required

Average number of credits available per student

NCEA Level 1

60 plus:

10 Literacy

10 Numeracy

120

NCEA Level 2

60

(plus have passed literacy and numeracy)

120

NCEA Level 3

60

(plus have passed literacy and numeracy)

100

University Entrance

NCEA Level 3 including:

14 credits from an approved subject

14 credits from second approved subject

14 credits from a third approved subject

(see list of approved subjects at Kāpiti College further on in this document)

UE Literacy: 5 reading + 5 writing credits at Level 2 or 3 (selected standards from a range of subjects)

Level 1 Numeracy

For more information on University Entrance and literacy and numeracy standards see NZQA’s Website


NZQA Scholarship Examinations

Students have the opportunity to gain a scholarship by completing another examination for each subject in Year 13.

NZQA Scholarships are a monetary award to recognise top students in NZ. It does not gain credits nor contribute towards a qualification, but the fact that a student has gained a scholarship appears on the Record of Achievement. It can help students gain access to courses at tertiary level. For more information see NZQA’s website 


Endorsements

&

Course Endorsements

Students require 50 credits at Excellence to gain an NCEA endorsed with Excellence and 50 credits at Merit (or Merit and Excellence) to gain NCEA endorsed with Merit. Course endorsements require 14+ credits at Excellence, or at Merit and Excellence. Of these, at least 3 must be internal and 3 external (where available).


General Advice

It is important to select a suitable course of study and have clear objectives for a range of possible situations after you leave Kāpiti College. Read these resources and consider progression for next year. Check progression pathways on the senior courses tab.

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What is a standard?

Firstly, you are learning a subject.  For assessment purposes, each subject has a number of ‘standards’.  These describe what you should be able to do by the time you have learned a section of the subject.  For example: Achievement Standard 90851: Show understanding of significant aspects of unfamiliar texts, is a test of comprehension. Internal standards are completed and credits gained during the year. External standards are done in end of year examinations or portfolios.

Each standard gives you a number of credits if you pass the assessment.  The number of credits in a standard varies according to how much you would have to learn and there are around six standards per course. Most subjects offer between 20 and 24 credits.

Students can achieve two types of standard - unit standards and achievement standards.

For unit standards all grades may be available, but usually there are just two grades:

For achievement standards, there are four grades:

Courses that are mainly unit standards are not / do not lead onto courses that are university approved.

What tells me how well I have achieved overall?

Your first aim for 2025 is to gain a Level 1, 2 or 3 National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).  To do so, you need to achieve at least 60 credits plus have passed literacy and numeracy (10 credits each). The credits you earn in 2025 you keep, so if you don’t pass next year, you will be able to complete your Level 1 when you are in Year 12, or Level 2 when you are in Year 13.

Almost all students’ courses at Level 1, 2 and 3 will have far more credits available than students need (see ‘NCEA Credits’ table), and it is within the ability of nearly all of you to achieve NCEA 1, 2 or 3 in one year. It is important that you achieve as well as you are able. Aim for ‘Excellence’, rather than being satisfied with ‘Achieved’. Note that you cannot necessarily move on to the next level in a subject just because you have achieved Level 1 NCEA overall. You need to have performed well enough in a subject at Level 1 or 2 to gain entry to the next level. Generally this means achieving at least 14 credits. Make sure you check the course entry requirements for the following year so you know in advance.

Are there any other National Certificates I can achieve?

Yes, you can gain National Certificates in Hospitality and Catering, Childcare, Building and Mechanical Engineering. These work alongside NCEA Level 1-3 and in some instances can take two years.  

What are Vocational Pathways?

When you gain Level 2, you can also get Vocational Pathways Awards if you have completed 60 recommended assessment standards (including 20 sector-related standards from the same sector pathway). Vocational pathways help you to see how your strengths, interests and achievements relate to future study options and job opportunities. The pathways provide clear study options that are valued by employers and show you what employers expect to see you achieve in your learning. You can check out what credits you have towards the different vocational pathways on the NZQA website.

The pathways cover six broad industry sectors: Manufacturing and technology, Construction and infrastructure, Creative industries, Primary industries, Social and community services, Services industries.Find out more about Vocational Pathways.

What is an Endorsement?

Achieving your Level 1, 2 or 3 is fine, but  is not the main goal for many Kāpiti students. Gaining a minimum of 50 credits at Merit/Excellence level means that you are awarded NCEA endorsed with Merit. If you get 50 credits at Excellence, then it is endorsed with Excellence. These achievements are recognised and valuable to have. Most universities give scholarships to many students who gain Excellence at Level 2.

You can also gain course endorsements for individual subjects. You need to pass 14+ credits at Excellence to gain an Excellence course endorsement and 14+ credits at Merit/Excellence to gain a Merit course endorsement. For both endorsements this must include at least 3 internal and 3 external credits, except in completely internal courses.

University Entrance Level 3 Approved Subjects Offered at Kāpiti College in 2025

If you intend to continue your studies to University level, check that you know what previous study is required and include the necessary subjects in your current course. You can check the subject choice matrix on the portal to see the course pathways to prepare you for the UE Level 3 subjects below.

Accounting (Correspondence) 

Art History (Correspondence)

Biology

Chemistry

Classical Studies

Computing

Dance

Design (Practical Art)

Design and Visual Communication (Technology)

Digital Technology

Drama

Economics

English

French

Geography

German (Correspondence)

History 

Japanese

Mathematics (MWC, MWS, MAT)

Media Studies

Music

Painting (Practical Art)

Photography (Practical Art)

Physical Education

Physics

Printmaking (Practical Art)

Psychology

Sculpture (Practical Art)

Social Studies

Spanish (Correspondence)

Textiles and Fashion (Technology)

Te Reo Māori

NB: Some of the above subjects are only available at college by studying through Te Kura, the Correspondence School.  Specific criteria apply entering these courses.

How will I know how well I am doing next year?

The large number of standards in NCEA can be confusing.  We will help you by:

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What should I do now?

Subjects and Teachers In Charge

Arts

Art        

Photography & Design

Film Making        

Music        

Drama

Dance        

Ms B Rosenberg

Mr I Brodie

Mr A Woodhouse

Dr G Brunoro

Mr S Malley

Ms R Leigh

Languages

Māori        

French

Spanish        

Japanese

Mr P Trim

Ms L Lamotte

Ms L Lamotte

Mr J Brunton

English

English        

Media Studies

Matua M Sunnex

Ms A Corich

Mathematics

Ms K Hainsworth

Health, Physical & Outdoor Education & Dance

Mrs K Thompson

Transition

Employment Skills, Police Studies, Childcare & Gateway

Ms M Chaytor

The Sciences

Science        

Biology        

Chemistry        

Physics

Mr B Snodgrass

Ms N Wallace

Ms J Jensen

Mr B Brannigan

The Social Sciences

History

Classics

Geography        

Business Studies        

Psychology        

Economics        

Social Studies        

Tourism

Mr T Maxwell

Ms L Berry

Ms L Arthur

Ms K Hainsworth

Ms N Salmon

Mr P Western

Mr A Corich

Ms T Stockton

Technology

Design Technology

Mechanical Engineering

Building & Construction

Textiles & Fashion        

Design and Visual Communication

Food Technology        

Computer Skills, Digital Technology

Electronics

Mr G Coleman

Mr R Noon

Mr C Stephenson

Ms A Macaskill

Ms G Coleman

Mr P Dyer

Ms N Ward

Mr C Stephenson

What costs are involved?

This section is for parents.

Over time, schools have developed and changed with:

In order to provide these extras and particularly photocopying and information technology, Boards of Trustees charge a number of subject fees and ask for donations.

Fees contribute to the costs of the ‘take-home’ component of materials in a number of subjects, such as Building and Construction.

Donations assist with other subject costs, especially for additional photocopying materials. Because they are listed on the statements you will receive as donations, they are a voluntary payment and are tax deductible. This year we have altered the structure of our donations to assist families who wish to receive a tax deduction via the IRD.

Besides these costs, please note that there are some subjects that have write on workbooks or digital textbooks which are purchased by students, which teachers feel will assist learning and achievement. Often these books are used for homework, to reinforce what has been learnt during the class.

School Donations 

IT Donation $100 per family

Activity Donation $120 per student ($20 discount if paid before 31st March 2025)

General Donation Junior School (Yr 9 - 10) $70 per student

Senior School ( Yr 11-13) $90 per student

Course & Trip Contributions 

These are the cost for 2024, and may change for 2025, but are here as an indication:

Year 11

Building Construction $50 BCO101

Geography $150 GEO101 Approx. Trip Costs

Hospitality and Catering $100 HAC101

Mechanical Engineering $50 MEC101

Textiles and Fashion $20 TAF101

Technology $50 TEC101

Year 12

Building Construction $50 BCO201

Geography $290 GEO201 Approx.Trip costs

Hospitality and Catering $100 HAC201

Mechanical Engineering $70 MEC201

ODE (Outdoor Education) $450 ODE201 Camp Approx. Trip Costs

Painting/Printmaking $40 PAI201

Physical Education $100 PED201 Approx. Trip Costs

Textiles and Fashion $50 TAF201

Technology $30 TEC201

Year 13

Hospitality & Catering $100 HAC301

Geography $550 GEO301 Approx. Trip Cost

History (Parihaka Term 2) $120 HIS301

Painting $40 PAI301

Physical Education $400 PED301 Approx. Trip Costs

Textiles and Fashion $50 TAF201

Technology $30 TEC201