As with all children and young people, this has been a difficult year.

Working remotely from zoom and google classroom has not been ideal for any pupil, and there has clearly been an impact on wellbeing. However, the process of continuous assessment that forms the basis of the certificate, has been able to continue throughout the uncertainty of the past year, with very few modifications required.

This means that our pupils have grades that they have genuinely achieved through their own effort in each subject and learning outcome. Every result is a reflection of actual pupil performance and is not based on previous results, teacher-given grades or any algorithm.

In academic year 2019-20, as the country went into the first national lockdown, the pupils who were studying for the certificate, already had half a year’s learning outcomes completed and their results recorded. Whilst still having to face the stress of remote working, they completely avoided the uncertainty of their peers in other schools around GCES and A Levels.

The same is true in the current academic year 2020-21, where it has just been announced that all grades for GCSE and A Levels will be based upon those that teachers issue. By contrast, all pupils studying the NZCSE, will be issued with grades they have proven through their work, to have achieved.