English

English Department

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Staffing in 2019:

  • Mrs Lyndie Balfour (HOD): 9S, Year 10 Accelerate, Levels 1, 2 and 3 NCEA classes.
  • Mr John Bishop: Year 10 mid-band, Level 1 NCEA and Level 2 SENIOR English (alternative Internally Assessed course using NCEA Standards).
  • Mrs Judith Drabble: Year 9 Learning Support class (previously known as 9 Languages) and Year 10 Learning Support class.
  • Mrs Tracy Russell: Level 1 and Level 2 NCEA English classes.
  • Mr Kieran Spring: 9J, Year 10 mid-band, Level 1 NCEA and Level 1SENIOR English (alternative Internally Assessed course using NCEA Standards).
  • Mr Grayson Bainbridge is relieving until the end of the year and is teach 9C English.

English 2019

English is a compulsory subject between Years 9 and 12. Our English results are reported to the Board of Trustees annually and we are proud of the fact that year after year our school’s English N.C.E.A. results are well above the national statistics for boys at Decile 5 schools. Commendable statistics include our Maori and Pasifika students. Our Excellence and Merit results are also extremely high. Most years we gain Scholarships. These results are, in part, due to a fine junior programme.

Junior Programme and meeting Students' Needs

Assessing students’ abilities and adjusting programmes to meet students’ needs and abilities are vital. The Assistant Principal leading the Curriculum, Mrs Russell, administers Progress and Achievement Test (P.A.T) results twice yearly. She works with Mrs Versey, HOD Learning Support Department, to provide important information to staff, such as Specific Learning Difficulties. Year 9 diagnostic data identifies “at risk” and “extension” students also. Our Junior English Programme is designed to prepare students for NCEA and to become life-long learners. Most Year 9 classes are not streamed so Differentiated Learning practices are important. In 2019 we have three mixed ability Year 9 classes and one small Learning Support class. Our Year 10 classes are streamed into one large Accelerate Class, two mid-band classes, and a small Learning Support class. The students from the Year 10 Accelerate Class continue to achieve high standards in their future years in reading and writing. When tracking these students, we see high levels of achievement gained once NCEA is commenced and several utilize their study of Macbeth to gain high grades in Internal Assessments such as ‘Connections Across Texts’. The Scholarship programme later builds on the work done in this Accelerate Class.

Teaching practice is based on the Year 9 and 10 Teachers’ Handbooks, which have common summative assessments for all ten NCEA standards: ‘Written Texts’ has sub-sections: novel, and short texts (short story and poetry) to ensure that a wide variety of literature is taught. Junior Examinations are important. Three ‘Written Texts’ (a short story, poem and novel) and an ‘Oral/Visual Text’ are assessed in class assessments at the end of each unit of work during the year and again in the College Examinations. The College Examinations are two hours and include Written Texts, Visual Oral Text and Unfamiliar Texts (students read and assess the effects of language features in an unfamiliar piece of prose and a poem.) These assessments model the NCEA External Examinations.  Mrs Drabble writes separate Year 9 and 10 Learning Support Exams and reports on these, aligning them to our College Exam.

 

 

Junior Assessments are used for a variety of reasons. To improve students’ learning, in-class summative assessments are used as both assessment of what has been learned, and as a teaching tool for future units. The class assessments and the College Examination identify students who need future support or extension. Year 9 and 10 class assessments are combined with the Examination grades when selecting the next year’s classes. We use a consistent Examination structure so trends and tracking can be seen.

Senior English Programme

H.O.D. Mrs L. Balfour

Level 1.

In 2019 there are four Level 1 NCEA classes taught by Lyndie Balfour, John Bishop, Kieran Spring, and Tracy Russell. These classes were enrolled in two External Examination Standards (8 credits) and four Internal Assessments (13 credits) with a total of 21 credits.

For students who struggle with English we have one alternative class called SENIOR English, taught by Kieran Spring. This class is only enrolled in 13 NCEA Internal Assessments not the External Examination.

In 2018 our overall Level 1 results were outstanding as our pass was rate 95% compared with 70% Decile 5 boys.  The Merit and Excellence rate was 55% compared with 24% nationally.  Our Level 1 Maori students pass rate was 87 % compared with 70% for decile 5 Maori boys.  Our Pasifika students pass rate was 100% compared with 68% nationally. Their Merit and Excellence results were 67% compared with decile 5 boys nationally 23%, so SJC was +44%.

Level 2.

In 2019 there are two Level 1 NCEA classes taught by Lyndie Balfour and Tracy Russell. These classes were enrolled in two External Examination Standards (8 credits) and four Internal Assessments (13 credits) with a total of 21 credits.

For students who struggle with English we have one alternative class called Level 2 SENIOR English, taught by John Bishop. This class is only enrolled in 13 NCEA Internal Assessments not the External Examination.

Our overall Level 2 2018 pass-rate was rate 90% compared with 62% for Decile 5 boys. The Merit and Excellence rates were impressive, 54% compared with 23%, so we were +31%.  Our Level 2 Maori students pass rate was 83% compared with 59%. Once again, our Merit and Excellence rate was impressive, 48% compared with 25% so +23%. Our Level 2 Pasifika students’ results were closer to average, as our pass rate was 60% compared with 56%.  

Level 3.

In 2019 there is one NCEA class taught by Lyndie Balfour. This class is enrolled in two External Examination Standards (8 credits) and four Internal Assessments (13 credits) with a total of 21 credits.

In 2018 our overall Level 3 results were impressive as our pass rate was 93% compared with 69% Decile 5 boys. The Merit and Excellence rates were high with 58% compared with 33%. Our Level 2 Maori students pass rate was 90 % compared with decile 5 Maori boys 69%. Once again, our Merit and Excellence rate was impressive, 66% compared with 32%. Our Level 3 Pasifika students pass rate is very good with 91% compared with 61%, so SJC were +30%. Every Pasifika student, three of whom were English as a Second Language, gained 17+ credits through very hard work.

Kody Ward, Dux in 2018 and one of our Maori students, gained an English Scholarship plus 21/21 Level 3 Excellence credits, which was very pleasing.

 

In conclusion our department is dedicated and determined to improve students’ performance: to encourage young men to love reading, to enjoy expressing their ideas in a range of writing styles, to empower them with skills in oratory and to express their ideas visually, so that they leave school as well-rounded St. John’s Men.

Mrs Lyndie Balfour (HOD English)

Level 1 - English

8 External Assessed and 13 Internally Assessed

AS Number  |  Achievement Standard Title  |  Credits  |  Assessment Method

90849  1.1  |  Show understanding of specific aspects of studied written texts, using supporting evidence  |  4  |  External

908501.1.2  |  Show understanding of specific aspects of studied visual or oral texts, using supporting evidence  |  4  |  External

An optional extra Standard is 90851 1.3  |  Show understanding of significant aspects of unfamiliar written texts through close reading, using supporting evidence  |  4  |  External

90052 1.4  |  Produce creative writing  |  3  |  Internal

90053 1.5  |  Produce formal writing  |  3  |  Internal

90857 1.6  |  Construct and deliver an oral text  |  3  |  Internal

Level 1 - Senior English (Alternative Course)

Level 1 credits are all Internally Assessed; therefore students studying this alternative course do not sit the External Examination.  This course is designed for less academic students.

AS Number  |  Achievement Standard Title  |  Credits  |  Assessment Method

90052 1.4  |  Produce creative writing  |  3  |  Internal

90053 1.5  |  Product formal writing  |  3  |  Internal

90857 1.6  |  Construct and deliver an oral text  |  3  |  Internal

90855 1.7  |  Create a visual text  |  3  |  Internal

90852 1.8  |  Explain significant connections across texts using supporting evidence  |  4  |  Internal

Level 2 - English

21 Achievement Standards’ Credits are studied: 8 Externally Assessed and 13 Internally Assessed

AS Number  |  Achievement Standard Title  |  Credits  |  Assessment Method

91098 2.1  |  Analyse specific aspects of studied written texts, supported by evidence  |  4  |  External

91099 2.2  |  Analyse specific aspects of studied visual or oral texts supported by evidence  |  4  |  External

An optional extra Standard is 91100 2.3  |  Analyse significant aspects of unfamiliar written texts through close reading, supported by evidence  |  4  |  External

91101 2.4  |  Produce a selection of crafted and controlled writing  |  6  |  Internal

91102 2.5  |  Construct and deliver a crafted and controlled oral text  |  3  |  Internal 91104 2.7  |  Analyse significant connections across texts, supported by evidence  |  4  |  Internal

Level 2 - Senior English (Alternative Course)

This course will be Level 2 Achievement Standards which are all Internally Assessed, therefore students do not sit the External Examination.  This course is designed for less academic students.  GATEWAY students may select this course.

AS Number  |  Achievement Standard Title  |  Credits  |  Assessment Method

91101 2.4  |  Produce a selection of crafted and controlled writing  |  6  |  Internal

91102 2.5  |  Construct and deliver a crafted and controlled oral text  |  3  |  Internal

91103 2.6  |  Create a crafted and controlled visual and verbal text  |  3  |  Internal

91104 2.7  |  Analyse significant connections across texts, supported by evidence  |  4  |  Internal

Level 3 - English

21 Achievement Standards’ Credits are studied: 8 Externally Assessed and 13 Internally Assessed
This is an academic course designed for students planning to go to University

AS Number  |  Achievement Standard Title  |  Credits  |  Assessment Method

91472 3.1  |  Respond critically to specified aspects of studied written text(s), supported by evidence  |  4  |  External

91473 3.2  |  Respond critically to specified aspects of studied visual or oral text(s), supported by evidence  |  4  |  External

An optional extra Standard is 92474 3.3  |  Respond critically to significant aspects of unfamiliar written texts through close reading, supported by evidence  |  4  |  External

92475 3.4  |  Produce a selection of fluent and coherent writing which develops, sustains, and structures ideas  |  6  |  Internal

92476 3.5  |  Create and deliver a fluent and coherent oral text which develops, sustains, and structures ideas  |  3  |  Internal

91478 3.7 | Respond critically to significant connections across texts, supported by evidence | 4 | Internal