MOUNT ROSKILL GRAMMAR SCHOOL
YEAR 11 AND 12
MENTORING, TRACKING AND REPORTING
2015
PARENT HAND BOOK
“The success of all of our students is important to us”
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WHAT IS MENTORING?
An effective mentoring programme will support and encourage our students to manage their
own learning in order for them to maximise their own potential, develop their key
competencies and improve their learning and achievement outcomes.
Each Year 11 and 12 student will work with a mentor (staff member) and be guided and
advised by their mentor to ensure that they progress towards and achieve their NCEA
qualification and their learning/attendance/co-curricular goals.
Students will be allocated to staff in a way that supports our house group ethos. The majority
of students will be mentored by their form teacher or associate (both mentor students and
associate supports mentoring of form class where required).
Mentoring is a partnership where learning, dialogue and challenge is prevalent in the
relationship.
MENTOR
FAMILY
STUDENT

The mentor’s role is to guide and support each student to set learning goals, attendance goals
and co-curricular goals each term and to monitor next learning steps while also providing
information about NCEA and vocational pathways.

Nurturing, advocacy and fostering trust are important aspects of a learning relationship and so
is the ability to ask more rigorous questions to help the student achieve their goals.

Supporting students to strengthen their own key competency development will assist them to
develop specific skills and knowledge which will help them achieve their overall potential.
WHAT IS TRACKING?
Academic profile information from Kamar (or printed tracking sheets) will be utilised to show
how many credits a student has achieved and the quality of these credits (e.g. Merit or
Excellence) and how many credits they have in each subject still to achieve.
Tracking information can be used to set goals to achieve course endorsement. The mentor will
use this data to help shape the next learning steps and overall goals as part of each mentoring
conversation.
Tracking includes monitoring each student’s attendance – they need to be in class, on time for
every lesson in order to maximise their learning opportunities. As a form teacher/mentor the
tracking of students’ attendance will form part of your mentoring meetings and parent/caregiver
conferences.
WHAT IS REPORTING?
Reporting in 2015 will reflect the progress of all students as well as supporting the learning
conversations held through the mentoring for our year 11 and 12 students.
Conferencing will be supported by progress reports and results printouts for students.
Reports, regardless of format, will be presented using a “working with” model and provide all
families with concise, purposeful information to assist their knowledge of students’ progress.
Each mentor will facilitate three parent/caregiver mentoring conferences.
These conferences will occur for all year 11 and 12 students with each student and their family.



Term 1 17 Feb 4-7pm
Term 2 19 May all day
Term 3 20 August all day
In addition to the parent/caregiver conferences and progress reports, parents/caregivers of
year 11 and 12 students can meet their student’s subject teachers on Tuesday 22 September
between 4pm and 7pm.
NCEA INFORMATION
Credits needed to achieve NCEA
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
NCEA Level 1 is issued to
students who have achieved:
NCEA Level 2 is issued to
students who have achieved:
NCEA Level 3 is issued to students
who have achieved:
1. 80 credits from Level
1 or higher
2. 10 Literacy credits at
Level 1 or higher
3. 10 Numeracy credits
at Level 1 or higher
1. 80 credits – a
minimum of 60
credits at: Level 2 or
above and 20 credits
at any level
1. 80 credits – a minimum of 60
credits at Level 3 and 20
credits at Level 2 or above
NCEA Certificate Endorsement
Students require 50 credits at Excellence to gain an NCEA endorsed with Excellence or 50 credits at Merit
(or Merit and Excellence), to gain an NCEA endorsed with Merit.
Credits counting towards endorsement may be gained over more than one year and at more than one
level, but must be gained at the level of the certificate or above.
NCEA Subject Endorsement
Students will receive an Excellence endorsement if they gain 14 or more credits at Excellence level, while
students gaining 14 or more credits at Merit (or Merit and Excellence) will gain a Merit endorsement.
For Couse Endorsement, at least 3 of the 14 credits must be from internally assessed standards, and 3
from external assessment (national examinations), to demonstrate students are competent in both forms
of assessment.
University Entrance
Students qualify for entrance to a university in New Zealand if they have obtained:
1.
2.
3.
Attain NCEA Level 3 – 60 credits or more at Level 3
Achieve 14 credits at Level 3 in each of three subjects from the list of approved subjects
10 Literacy credits (5 credits in reading and 5 credits in writing) at Level 2 and above from specific
achievement standards.
NOTE: University Entrance is the minimum requirement to go to university. It is desirable that students take courses
that have Achievement Standards, as most universities rank scores based on a student’s best 80 credits, from a
maximum of 5 approved subjects’ Achieved grades gained. To place yourself in the strongest position for gaining
entry to university you must be:
1.
2.
Studying 5 subjects from the University Approved Subject List
Studying subjects which are assessed using achievement standards rather than unit standards.
It is also important that you check the entry criteria for the tertiary institution at which you want to study.
For University of Auckland entry – as above and 17 Level 2 English credits required
Literacy and Numeracy Requirements
NCEA Level 1 literacy and Level 1 Numeracy is a minimum of 10 credits in each through either specified achievement standards
available through a range of subjects OR a package of three literacy and three numeracy unit standards (all three required).
If you intend on going to university: University Entrance literacy requirements: at least 5 reading credits and 5 writing credits at
Level 2 or above.
If you intend on going to university: University Entrance numeracy requirements: at least 10 numeracy credits at Level 1 or above.
What can I do to help?
A parent/caregiver’s guide to supporting teenagers with homework and study.

Technology – Technology is having more and more influence over the way we learn. Using devices
can be beneficial and there will be times when it is essential that a device is used to complete work
at home. However, sometimes technology is more distracting than helpful. For example, students
should not study while watching television or while checking Facebook updates.

Space – It is ideal for your child to have a designated area for study. Preferably a desk or table with
good lighting and minimal interruptions. Studying on a bed or sofa is not the best option as it can
lead to poor posture and lower concentration.

Timing – If possible, it is good to have some established routines and plans around the student’s
study and homework. For example, working around family commitments, meal-times, sport or other
extra-curricular activities. Maybe set a time that homework is done e.g. straight after school, straight
after dinner. Remember – there are plenty of Homework Centres at school.

Helping with Homework – There are a lot of ways to help with homework. The trick is not to
interfere, preventing the learning from occurring. Testing basic facts, checking progress in work
completion, simply asking your child about what needs to be done, could be all that is required.
Doing the work for your child does not help at all.

Frustrations – while homework and study are very important to your child’s progress at school, it is
also important to observe their attitude and wellbeing. Trying to do a maths problem or figure out a
scientific calculation is very difficult when they are angry or upset. So, if the work is frustrating the
student to a point where they can’t think straight, encourage them to take a break, go for a walk and
then return with a clear mind.
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MOUNT ROSKILL GRAMMAR SCHOOL
ASSESSMENT INFORMATION FOR SENIOR STUDENTS
People to see:
NZQA external examinations:
Mr Parratt, NZQA Principal’s Nominee
Internal assessment/school examinations:
Mrs Collins, Deputy Principal in charge of assessment
INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS
Working on internal assessment tasks
Before the assessment: Make sure you know what you have to do, what resources you need to
have, when your work has to be completed and where and when it has to be handed in.
During the assessment: Make sure you follow the instructions for the assessment and that the
work you hand in is your own. Make sure the assessment is handed in on the due date.
After the assessment: Make sure that you check your grade and keep a record of your results.
If a reassessment opportunity is offered, use that opportunity. If you have concerns about your
grade, talk to your teacher. If you still have concerns see the Head of Department then Mrs Collins.
Missed and late assessments
Assessments must be handed in on the due date by 8.40am. If you have difficulty meeting this
deadline or are late for an in-class assessment, you must see Mrs Collins.
Difficulties with computers or printers are not an acceptable reason for missing a deadline. It is
recommended that students regularly save their work onto an external hard drive or USB stick to
minimise the potential for computer problems.
Some students may need an extension to the assessment deadline. Extensions to assessment
deadlines can be approved only by Mrs Collins. There is an Assessment Consideration Form that
must be completed well before the due date and consideration will be given by Mrs Collins.
In the case of illness, a medical certificate for the day of the assessment must be submitted to
Mrs Collins.
When a student knows he or she will be absent from an assessment or unable to complete an
assessment, special leave may be given and alternative circumstances organised for the student to
submit the assessment or have a further assessment opportunity.
Special leave will not be approved if it is for personal interest, for example a holiday.
Authenticity
All work in your assessments must be your own work. If you use information from another source
such as a book or the internet, you must acknowledge the source. If one student copies another
student’s work, both students will be penalised. Any issues of authenticity must be reported
immediately to Mrs Collins.
Any breach of authenticity or other assessment rules will have serious consequences; the standard
assessed may not be awarded and parents may be notified.
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EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS
2015 NZQA External examinations begin on 9th of November and finish on 4th of December.
In September the school holds practice external examinations to give students an opportunity to
prepare for the NZQA external examinations.
It is very important that students treat the practice examinations seriously as the
results of these examinations are used by NZQA when students apply for derived
grades.
Derived grades
Students who are unable to sit an NZQA external examination, present material for external
assessment or consider their performance in an NZQA external examination has been impaired by
exceptional circumstances beyond their control can apply for a derived grade.
Mr Parratt will provide the forms and guidelines for derived grade applications.
The derived grade will be based on your Term Three practice examination.
Special assessment conditions
NZQA has criteria for Special Assessment Conditions where support can be provided for students
during NZQA external examinations. The school has a process for identifying students who meet
the Special Assessment Criteria. Students and parents can approach the Head of Learning
Extension if they believe a student meets the criteria. All applications need to be made by March.
NZQA FEES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
An invoice for NZQA fees will be issued to students and are payable to the accounts office. NZQA
requires a late payment of $50 if this fee is not paid on time.
Students do not receive a NCEA Record of Learning or any certificates they may have gained from
their assessments if fees (including Scholarship) have not been paid.
Financial assistance is available where parents / caregivers receive a Work and Income or Study
Link benefit or have a Community Services card or a family income below that level. Application
forms are available in May from Mr Parratt.
Scholarship examinations cost $30 per examination.
More detailed information about internal assessment and NZQA examinations can be found in the
Senior Assessment Information for Students and Parents/Caregivers document on the school
website: www.mrgs.school.nz
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