Secondary school statistics

An analysis of student performance in NCEA, 2005-07

Overview

These high-level conclusions can be summarised as:

• More students are gaining qualifications during their time at school. There are groups within the cohort for whom acquiring one or more qualification takes longer than it does for others.

• The acquisition of qualifications is highest by Asian and Europeanstudents. Both these groups have higher acquisition rates than either Māori or Pasifika students, although the gap between them closes during Year 13.

• Girls do better than boys in acquiring NCEA qualifications.

• Students from high decile schools have rates of qualification acquisition rates which are higher than those of students in either medium or low decile schools.

The 2007 Year 13 cohort

The first set of data shows the qualifications-acquisition behaviour of the cohort (or group) of students that (for the most part) left school at the end of 2007. In particular these figures show patterns of accumulation for NCEA Levels 1-3 by ethnicity, gender, and school decile. The figures are cumulative; they show the numbers increasing each year as more of that group acquire qualifications.

The data follows the progress of this cohort of students through the senior secondary school. All percentages are calculated on the size of this group as it was in Year 11. This assists in correcting for differences arising from factors such as the numbers staying on at school or leaving early, foreign-fee-paying students, or students enrolled at school but not entering NCEA.

Performance by ethnicities

The overall rates of achievement of NCEA Level 1 are higher for Asian and European students than for Māori and Pasifika students.

While Asian students display a lower rate of achieving NCEA Level 1 than European students during Year 11, they are more likely than European students to leave school having acquired this qualification (probably because of higher retention rates). The pattern is the same for Pasifika students vis-à-vis Māori students.

Very few students acquire NCEA Level 2 prior to Year 12.

During Year 12, the rates of achievement of NCEA Level 2 are higher for Asian and European students than for Māori and Pasifika students.

By the end of Year 13, clear gaps are evident between the four ethnicities under consideration.

Pasifika students in particular show a relatively high rate of acquiring NCEA Level 2 during Year 13 such that they markedly close the gap between European and Pasifika students that is evident after Year 12.

Very few students acquire NCEA Level 3 prior to Year 13.

The proportion of Asian students leaving school with NCEA Level 3 is approximately three times that of Māori and Pasifika students.

The proportion of European students leaving school with NCEA Level 3 is approximately twice that of Māori and Pasifika students.

Significant trend

Pasifika students are staying longer at school and, as a result, achieving qualifications during their schooling.

Performance by gender

At each year level, there is approximately a 10 percentage point gap in favour of female students with respect to the cumulative percentage of the cohort having achieved NCEA Level 1.

Very few students achieve NCEA Level 2 prior to Year 12.

At Years 12 and 13, there is approximately a 12 percentage point gap in favour of female students with respect to the cumulative percentage of the cohort having achieved NCEA Level 2.

Very few students achieve NCEA Level 3 prior to Year 13.

There is approximately a 12 percentage point gap in favour of female students with respect to the percentage of the cohort having achieved NCEA Level 3 by the time they leave school.

Significant pattern

The difference between the performance of girls and boys in acquiring qualifications is largely unchanged for this group.

Performance by school decile

There are quite large differences in the rates of achievement of NCEA level 1 during Year 11, between schools in different decile bands, with the highest rates for Decile 8-10 schools, and the lowest for Decile 1-3 schools

There is some tendency for these gaps to close in Years 12 and 13.

Very few students achieve NCEA Level 2 prior to Year 12.

There are quite large differences in the rates of achievement of NCEA level 2 during Year 12, between schools in different decile bands, with the highest rates for Decile 8-10 schools, and the lowest for Decile 1-3 schools

There is some tendency for these gaps to close during Year 13.

Very few students achieve NCEA Level 3 prior to Year 13.

There are quite large differences in the rates of achievement of NCEA level 3 between schools in different decile bands, with the highest rates for Decile 8-10 schools, and the lowest for Decile 1-3 schools. The proportion of students at high decile schools achieving NCEA Level 3 is more than double that of students at low decile schools.

Significant trend

The longer low-decile schools retain their students the closer their qualification acquisition rates come to those for middle- and high-decile schools.

Patterns over time

The second set (Figures 10-21) shows patterns over the three years 2005-2007 in the achievement in NCEA Levels 1-3 and University Entrance during the dominant year-level for acquiring each of these. These graphs therefore compare performances by three successive cohorts. Again, all percentages are determined relative to the relevant Year 11 cohorts, rather than the year-level cohort. Again, this is to correct for differences in rates of retention.

Performance by ethnicities

For all ethnicities except Asian, rates of achieving NCEA Level 1 during Year 11 have increased each year since 2005. This is especially so for Pasifika students in 2007.

Rates of Māori and Pasifika students achieving NCEA Level 2 during Year 12 have increased each year since 2005.

Rates of Asian and European students achieving NCEA Level 2 during Year 12 have also increased since 2005, although for Asian students the rate was stable between 2005 and 2006, and for European students it was stable between 2006 and 2007.

The performance of Pasifika students relative to that of Māori students has also steadily improved.

Between 2005 and 2006 there was a slight decrease in the rate of Asian students obtaining NCEA Level 3 during Year 13. The apparent decreases between 2005 and 2006 for Māori and Pasifika students, and the apparent increase for European students are within or very close to the band of expected statistical fluctuation, and therefore should not be treated as significant.

Between 2006 and 2007 the rate of acquiring NCEA Level 3 by Pasifika students in Year 13 increased quite markedly.

Significant trend

Māori and Pasifika students are achieving NCEA at higher rates in 2007 than in 2005.

Performance by gender

The rates of acquiring NCEA Level 1 during Year 11 have increased each year since 2005 for both male and female students.

Female students have achieved NCEA Level 1 during Year 11 at a rate approximately nine percentage points higher than the rate for male students each year since 2005.

The rates of acquiring NCEA Level 2 during Year 12 increased between 2005 and 2006 for both male and female students.

Female students have achieved NCEA Level 2 during Year 12 at a rate approximately 12 percentage points higher than the rate for male students each year since 2005.

The rates of acquiring NCEA Level 3 during Year 13 increased between 2005 and 2006 for both male and female students.

Female students have achieved NCEA Level 3 during Year 13 at a rate approximately 12 percentage points higher than the rate for male students each year since 2005.

Significant trend

The gap between the performance of girls and boys widens somewhat between Year 11 and Year 12, and the difference between boys and girls has been stable over time.

Performance by school decile

Rates of acquiring NCEA Level 1 during Year 11 have increased in all decile bands since 2005.

Students at high decile schools acquire NCEA Level 1 during Year 11 at a much higher rate than students at mid-decile schools, who in turn acquire it at a much higher rate than students at low decile schools.

There is a tendency for the gaps to have closed somewhat since 2005.

Rates of acquiring NCEA Level 2 during Year 12 have increased in both high and low decile bands since 2005.

There is an anomalous fluctuation in the rate of NCEA Level 2 acquisition at mid-decile schools during Year 12 in 2006, but overall, the level of acquisition in 2007 is similar to what it was in 2005.

Students at high decile schools acquire NCEA Level 2 during Year 12 at a much higher rate than students at mid-decile schools, who in turn acquire it at a much higher rate than students at low decile schools.

Rates of acquiring NCEA Level 3 during Year 13 were stable in all decile bands between 2005 and 2006.

Rates of acquiring NCEA Level 3 during Year 13 were higher at low- and mid-decile schools between 2006 and 2007.

Students at high decile schools acquire NCEA Level 3 during Year 13 at a much higher rate than students at mid-decile schools, who in turn acquire it at a much higher rate than students at low decile schools.

Significant trend

There have been a number of minor fluctuations in this variable, although the fundamental positions haven't changed greatly.

University Entrance

A slight decrease in acquisition of University Entrance (UE) by Asian students was evident between 2005 and 2006.

The rates of acquiring UE during Year 13 have been quite stable since 2005 for both sexes.

Female students have achieved UE Level 3 during Year 13 at a rate approximately 12 percentage points higher than the rate for male students each year since 2005.

Rates of acquiring UE during Year 13 have been quite stable in all decile bands since 2005, although an increase is evident for high- and low-decile bands in 2007.

Students at high decile schools acquire UE during Year 13 at a much higher rate than students at mid-decile schools, who in turn acquire it at a much higher rate than students at low decile schools.

Significant trend

Females of all ethnicities except Asian, from high- or low-decile schools are achieving University Entrance at higher rates in 2007 than in 2005.

Page updated: 08 May 2009