Fewer sit for S.C. twice

Press, 23 January 1988, Page 39

Fewer sit for S.C. twice

PA Wellington Second-year fifths appear to be a dying breed in secondary schools. The demise of rigid pass-fail marks in School Certificate has allowed for a more relaxed attitude to sixth-form entry. Wellington secondary schools, both conservative and liberal, said they allowed all fourth-year pupils the social privileges of sixth-form status, whether they had done well in School Certificate or not. Schools were more humane places than they used to be and many were regarding all fourth-year pupils as sixth-formers, whether they had to

repeat School Certificate subjects or not. The Aotea College principal, Mr Peter Quinn, said School Certificate grades were not the only things taken into account when determining a pupil’s fourth year at school.

Those grades were based on only one performance and that performance might fall well below what the student was capable of. Entry to sixth and seventh form was much more flexible than it used to be, Mr Quinn said. Pupils the school considered had the ability to do some sixth-form subjects would be encouraged to do them.