Two world-class globally recognised secondary qualifications

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Two world-class globally recognised secondary qualifications to be offered at ACG Senior College

6 June 2013, AKLD. ACG Senior College is soon to become New Zealand’s only school offering both the Cambridge International Examinations and the International Baccalaureate programs at a senior school level.

ACG Senior College have offered CIE for many years and have excelled in its delivery being one of the top CIE schools in New Zealand. And, starting in May this year ACG Senior College will become a candidate school for the IB Diploma (IBDP).

“In July we will launch a preparatory programme for the IBDP, which students do for a year before the Diploma course in 2014. The IBDP is internationally-recognised and is a springboard for further study in the northern hemisphere,” says Kathy Parker, principal, ACG Senior College. To this end the IB course will actually run on a northern hemisphere term, to make it easier for those transitioning to an overseas university.

“The two approaches, CIE and IB fit different people and are both world-class. CIE allows specialisation, while IB encourages breadth and depth and has a unique educational philosophy in that it encourages global citizens and cultural understanding. These core values underpin subjects and subject combinations," says Parker.

Deputy Principal and IB/CIE program co-ordinator, Graham Gottard explains, “The IB approach encourages students to question everything. For example, in physics, students are encouraged to realise that any measurement has uncertainty and probability attached to it.”

"Students have to choose a second language in addition to their native language as well as science subjects and maths. This means they have to do subjects they are sometimes not so good at and as a consequence they have to develop strategies to cope with their weaknesses. This is a very mature and adult skill to learn,” says Graham.

There is no one-size-fits-all in education and ACG Senior College is responding to this by recognising individual’s requirements and providing world-class solutions. With technology and air travel shrinking the world by the day, having an international component to your study or career is no longer are rarity. Both these study paths will provide the flexiblity for a future in New Zealand or abroad.

ENDS

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