ARCHIVED ARTICLES

Future developments for NZEST from 2002

Top Scholars from 2000

The Placing of the Aural Component in Languages Examinations

The NZEST Grading System

NZEST Board member John Taylor suggests ways in which IT can be used to promote Humanities subjects.

Hogan Yeung, of Auckland Grammar School pupils has topped this year’s NZEST examination results. But he hasn’t hogged the limelight to himself entirely. Four of Hogan’s Grammar classmates have made it a clean sweep of the top five places for the Auckland boys’school.

Sixteen-year-old John Chen was runner-up, followed by Ross Bayer and Jamie Bell, third equal. David Delamore filled the fifth slot. With a further three students in the top 15, it’s more exciting than the All Black win, says Auckland Grammar principal John Morris.

“It’s phenomenal! We’re staggered!” comments their proud head. “We knew we were very strong at the top end, but John Chen is a sixth former, and it’s interesting that two who already sat NZEST from the sixth form last year, Ross Bayer and David Delamore, had to change three subjects each this year, and they were still at the very top.

“They are bright boys, but we acknowledge that teachers make a difference. With the downgrading of teaching as a career, here we see that motivation and expertise, combined with the ethos of the school can produce these results. It’s the best that Grammar has ever done and we’re delighted.”

At 179 schools from Kerikeri to Invercargill, 1655 students spent ten days in early November beavering over their NZEST papers. John Taylor, NZEST board member and headmaster of King’s College, which had four students starring in the top 15 lineup, commends the growth of the independent exam system.

“The NZEST exams offer an opportunity for our ablest students to extend and test their knowledge in an unashamedly competitive examination. Our sportspeople revel in such challenges and this gives our scholars the same opportunity”, he said.

Havelock North High School produced the top girl student, Rosalind Phillips, who claimed fifth equal place. Bill Adams, Havelock North High School principal acclaims Rosalind as an “outstanding scholar who takes a real joy in learning. She is equally skilled in languages, sciences, mathematics, music and humanities – a terrific young woman in every way. We are very proud of her achievements.”

Rosalind’s 93% mark in Mathematics with Calculus was her surprise success, after an exam that she felt less than confident about. Balancing Physics, Mathematics with Statistics and Chemistry with Art History - a subject she “really loves”- Rosalind praises the NZEST challenge: “It’s wonderful, it gives you the chance to see if you have a good overall knowledge. Hard exams really test you,” she says.

Someone who concurs wholeheartedly is Grammar pupil Ross Bayer. He scored a faultless 100% in Mathematics with Calculus – as well as being top scholar in Mathematics with Statistics, with a mark of 96%. Last year, as a sixth former, Ross won four distinction grades and achieved a merit award in History, becoming the top NZEST medallist- an award recognising scholarship in both humanities and science subjects.

Next week the students’ successes will be acknowledged and celebrated at awards ceremonies around the country, culminating in a national awards ceremony, to be held on 17 December at Parliament, hosted by the Minister of Education. Air New Zealand will fly the top ten place-getters to Wellington for the occasion.

Now in its 11th year, the New Zealand Education & Scholarship Trust is supported by business sponsorship and individual donation. It was founded especially to offer academic challenge, recognition and monetary rewards to the country’s top school-leavers.

For further information, please contact:
Sarah Taylor
NZEST Executive Officer