Year 12 NCEA – FAQs

• Most students take six subjects;
  • English is compulsory – each student selects English or English Literature, plus students select five other optional subjects;
• students should also carefully select two options as back-up subjects – these will be used to replace a selected subject if entry into a subject is not approved or if there is an unavoidable timetable clash;
• in the case of possible ‘multi-level’ study (i.e. subjects at both Level 1 and 2) only students who meet the prerequisite will be able to select a subject in another year level. For example, a current Year 11 student will only be able to select Year 13 Physics (as one of their options for the following year) if they have taken Year 12 Physics in the current year;
• if a student did not study a Year 12 subject this year, they cannot select a Year 13 subject (done by invitation only);
• in late Term 3/early Term 4, Heads of Department check each student’s course eligibility and advise them and the Dean about application declines;
• back-up subject(s) are chosen by the timetabler;
• the Dean and Head of Senior College check each student’s options selections and advise about recommended changes accordingly.

• English or English Literature;
• Physical Education (core*) – one lesson per week;
• Study (supervised) (core*) – one lesson per week. For one term, students do not have study which is replaced by the Leadership Option;
• Religious Education (core*) – one lesson per week;
• Senior College Electives Programme (core*) – one lesson per week.
  
  *students are automatically put into core subjects - you do not select this subject.
  

• only with the permission of Head of Teaching and Learning Mr David Bevin, the Head of Department and the Dean.

• students select Sciences in their Option Selections;
• students may study up to three Sciences;
• except, students who take Year 12 Science (12SCIE) may study only one other Year 12 Science-based subject;
• entry into any Year 12 Science subject is possible from Year 11 Science but is only possible from Practical Science with the Head of Department’s permission.

• yes, but this must be discussed with the Head of Technology and Head of Teaching and Learning, Mr David Bevin.

• yes, but must be discussed with the Dean;
• a student should ideally be selected to take a Scholarship-level subject.

• three courses are offered at Year 12;
• students who choose Mathematics will be entered in the course according to the entry criteria they meet;
• students may study both Mathematics with Calculus and Mathematics with Statistics;
• students are invited into Mathematics with Calculus Extension (students are notified).

• students must select either English or English Literature;
• students are invited into English Extension (students are notified).

• students need to gain (total up) at least 60 credits from all of their courses. No particular type of grade nor Standard required;
• up to 20 Level 1 or 3 credits can be credited to the Level 2 award;
• any Level 2 credits gained in Year 11 are carried into the Year 12/Level 2 total and can also count for the Level 1 total.

No.

No.

• students should aim to gain at least 5 Reading and 5 Writing credits this year for University Entrance Literacy, but they may take up to two years to complete this if needed;
• most of these credits are gained in English standards, but there are other subjects that provide this;
• refer to the Head of Department for more information.

• Prelim Exam results provide an important checkpoint for each student’s selections and acceptance into a particular course for Year 12.
• Prelim Exam results also provide results information that is essential for a possible derived grade application for end of year NCEA externals.

• Subject Entry Requirements are closely followed by the Dean and Heads of Department for each student’s acceptance into a course.

• Option Selections will be completed online;
• the online form becomes available in August each year. No paper form is available.

• online selections have closed for 2024.

• if it looks likely that the selection deadline will be missed for a valid reason, contact Mr David Bevin on DBV@stac.school.nz;
  
• late subject selections will be processed after all other selections are considered and processed;
• students in this situation may therefore not get all of their subject selections.

• you are able to change your original online Options selection provided you do so by the deadline;
• students may re-enter their choices as many times as they wish, online, as only the final submission will be taken after the deadline has passed. Students must choose carefully as it is not possible to amend subject choices after the final submission date.