Why Carey College Chose Cambridge

WHY CAREY COLLEGE CHOSE CAMBRIDGE (CIE)

We have been interested in CIE for a long time. Over a period of about six years we investigated international qualifications that could be used in place of the very poor qualifications system taking over New Zealand schools. Our Principal visited CIE in the UK twice in that period, as well as investigating other international examination options.

It would be fair to say however that our decision to adopt CIE was precipitated by the introduction of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Five major concerns emerged in Carey College regarding the new system:
· It fails to challenge and extend students, particularly our most able
· The nature of standards-based assessment which requires extended periods of time for assessment, and the "guidance" of that assessment to ensure students "achieve" by participating even if lacking appropriate knowledge and skill
· The significant degree of poorly moderated internal assessment undermines the validity and thus the national and international credibility of NCEA
· The devaluing of academic and practical achievement by which such things as picking-up rubbish in the playground achieves the same award as a Latin examination or Physics investigation
· A closed mind-set prejudicial to a biblical-Christian perspective

However, it would be a mistake to think that the decision to choose an international qualification was only made as a negative response to NCEA. We were also motivated by a number of positive considerations:
· Internationalisation is already a growing trend in tertiary education and in the future will almost certainly be reflected more strongly in senior secondary school curricula
· Increasing numbers of our students want to study overseas: they need a more widely recognised and ‘portable’ qualification than NCEA
· International benchmarking is another growing trend. Participation in international qualifications offers our students a local opportunity to be internationally competitive
· It also provides a measure of the School’s achievement in a global context
· It uses an externally set and marked system of examinations, including practical examinations, ensuring an integrity that is not possible in a system (such as NCEA) based on internal assessments.

Most significantly however, in CIE we found not only a reputable international qualification, but one in which our Christian perspective was welcomed. With CIE:
· We can teach our established Christian curriculum using proven biblical methods
· Students are rewarded for ability in evaluating different views and producing supporting argument for a preferred option
· Qualifications can include Biblical Studies
· Individual differences in gifts and calling can be recognised and encouraged without loosing the biblical standard of each doing his best in the service of Christ and others. Excellence is recognised, encouraged and rewarded; so is achievement of the less able