Figure 1.--New Zealand schools vary as to their streaming policies. Some do not stream. Many do. Normally the children are kept together and then straeming decessiins are made after the staff have been able to evaluate the child's strengths and weaknesses. |
Opinions vary on the attributes of streaming, grouping students by academic ability. Much of the opposition to streaming is ideological rather than based on the educational benefits. Such considerations, however are important in an egalitarian country like New Zealand. Different schools pursue a wide variety of accademic approaches. Streaming is widely used in New Zealand schools--mostly at secondary schools. Not all schools stram by ability, but many do. Schools also vary in how they stream schools. Some, for examole, only stream the older students. Others stream junior classes, although some schools do not stream all students.
Representative New Zealand schools report the following streaming approaches across the school or in different sections of the school:
Most classes in the school are family grouped across two or three year levels. This has proved successful especially in the junior school where the older children look after the new entrants and teach them the routines really quickly. Children in all classes are grouped in ability groups and individual needs are catered for in a secure stable environment. Children in the Middle School are taught in single cell classrooms. Children in the Senior School are taught in an Open Plan, four teacher classroom block, or in a single cell classroom according to which style of teaching is deemed most suitable for that particular child.
Streaming is provided for students in their first two years at Collegiate. Working in a class with others of similar academic ability means students can benefit from guidance appropriate to their level of learning.
Year 9 and 10 students are placed in A, B or C streamed classes, largely on the basis of our own testing. These placements are under constant review. If any student should require individual assistance at any time, this is provided by our staff. All C stream students are independently assessed for specific learning disabilities. Where they are detected, students receive individual tutoring from our own qualified remedial staff. Academically able students who are keen to broaden their learning at an early stage are encouraged to do so. Year 10 students in this category sit up to three School Certificate subjects. Top School Certificate achievers may take University Bursary examinations as Year 12 students, extending their range of Bursary subjects and giving them an excellent preparation for Scholarship examinations in Year 13.
A boys state secondary school takes the following approach to streaming its students.
Seven classes in Form 3 are streamed by perceived ability, four mixed ability classes, and a development class. The students in the streamed classes will be expected to select and study two option subjects; for the students in the top four streamed classes one of these subjects will be a foreign language. Students in the mixed ability and development
classes will be required to select and study one option subject; the additional class time will be allocated to the core
subjects. Students will complete ten week modules of Woodwork, Metalwork, Art and Music. If students have a particular interest or talent in one ot these areas they can also take the subject as a practical or performance option.
There will be seven classes streamed in Form 4 on the basis of examination performances achieved in Form 3, four mixed ability classes, and a development class. The two top streamed or accelerated classes are given the opportunity to sit School
Certificate in English, Mathematics and Science.
All Form 5 students must enter the School Certificate examinations. The top six classes will be streamed on the basis
of examination performances, while the remaining classes will be of mixed ability.
The top two streamed Form 6 classes will undertake six subjects. Four of these will be School Certificate level option subjects
with the remaining two being Sixth Form Certificate level in English and Mathematics. This is dependent on
satisfactory performance in School Certificate English, Mathematics, and Science in the accelerated programme from
the previous year. Students in these top two classes are also expected to enter the Sixth Form External Examinations in
English and Mathematics. The next two streamed classes will undertake six subjects at School Certificate level, four of which are option subjects, the other two being English and Mathematics.
The final two streamed classes and the mixed ability classes will undertake five subjects at School Certificate level,
three of which are option subjects the other two being English and Mathematics. They will also participate in three
modules: Careers, Information Technology and Health.
There will be two accelerated classes who will be given the opportunity to enter the University Bursary examinations.
The remaining Form 6 students must enter Sixth Form Certificate in five subjects, and the Sixth Form External
Examination in three or more subjects. They will be in either two streamed classes or classes of mixed ability. All
students will be placed in classes on the basis of examination performances.
Students who gained a University Bursary in Form 6 will form an accelerated class in Form 7. Entry in the New Zealand
Education and Scholarship Trust examinations is offered to this class, as is the opportunity for the most able students
to take one Massey University paper extramurally.
