Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Relief at end of NCEA exams

The academic year is over for senior secondary school students in Marlborough and around the country. They let out a collective sigh of relief as the last NCEA exams finished yesterday.

For some, the coming summer months will be filled with dread awaiting their results to be posted in January, but for others, like year 11 Marlborough Girls' College student Lee Stewart, it is time to relax with family and play music.

The 15-year-old sat her Level 1 music exam yesterday, which she said was challenging but her study had paid off.

She found theoretical exams more difficult than the practicals.

The drama exam caught her off-guard because it was a different format from what she expected based on previous years.

Her friends had mixed feeling about the exams, she said.

"Some people thought they went quite well. Some were stressed over it."

Lee volunteered to play guitar and sing at John's Kitchen in Blenheim last night for people having their free weekly meal.

She was pleased the holidays had arrived and was looking forward to going sailing in the Sounds with her family.

She was also looking forward to playing at the New Year's celebrations on the Picton foreshore.

Marlborough Boys' College principal Wayne Hegarty said he hoped the results would show continued improvement in academic achievement at the college.

The focus for staff and students had been raising exam performance, with programmes during the year including students earning their study leave.

Marlborough Girls' College deputy principal Jude Young said the lead-up to the exams had been rushed because holidays had been delayed by the Rugby World Cup.

She was pleased with the layout of the new NCEA Level 1 exams, despite some students finding parts of the exams unexpected.

The new exams had fewer components, which covered a wider range and were worth more credits, she said.

Some of the exams were less predictable because it was the first year.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 16:00 01/12/2011

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