The ‘Grad Walk’ is one of the events during the Senior School year that is unique to Kristin. Taking place just before the start of the Senior School prize-giving, it marks the last time that our Year 13 students come together as a cohort, in uniform and before they start their end-of-year examinations.
Starting 10 years ago, the walk continues to follow the same route, involving students from across all year levels. It traditionally starts in the Library & Information Centre foyer before proceeding in front of the Junior School, around the Administration block and Chapel, down the Kauri Walk (which becomes more impressive with every passing year) and finishing on the steps of the Auditorium. This provides an opportunity for younger members of the school, staff and parents to pass on their best wishes to the Year 13s before they begin their examinations and finally leave Kristin a few weeks later.
For some of these students it does mark the beginning of the end of a journey, which may have lasted for up to 14 years in several cases, and is an opportunity for the whole school community to wish them well for the future and to once again show the support that the school has for its students, as they approach this new stage in their lives. This incredible event is clearly a celebration, in every sense of the word, bringing cheers, congratulations, colour, sound and an indication of the love that the school community holds for each and every one of them. It is a fitting way for the students to gather, before entering their final Senior School prize-giving, taking on the challenge of their final examinations and finally graduating.
- David Boardman, Senior School Principal
Excellent Academic Results for Kristin Students in 2018
Academic excellence is one of the key drivers for families choosing a Kristin education for their children, and Kristin’s proud record in this arena has been further strengthened with another set of excellent examination results for 2018. Kristin’s Senior School students choose to follow either the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or NCEA pathway, and the recently released 2018 results are evidence of the strength of both programmes of study at Kristin.
In the IB Diploma, Kane Wang achieved the perfect score of 45, placing him in the top 0.3% of candidates worldwide; while Polly Huang, Andy Jiang, Jake Lyons and Clementine Rose followed closely behind on 43. These were among 18 Kristin students to achieve a score of at least 40 points qualifying them as NZ IB Top Scholars. The average score of Kristin students was 35 points, compared to the world average of 30.
Kane was thrilled when he received his results. “When the results came I was surprised, and it took me quite a while to finally calm down and reflect on them. I think the main reason for me to achieve the 45 was luck. I was lucky that I chose the subjects that interest me; I was lucky to study together with motivated people; I was lucky that I've found a study style that suits me; I was lucky to have good teachers; and I was lucky enough to finish my assignments on time. However, I guess the luck would never come to me if I didn't believe in myself, so I'm glad that I did. My advice is that you should always aim for the best. I know it sounds really generic, but it's like playing basketball: you're never going to score if you just aim for the backboard.”
With over 30 years of experience in teaching the IB Diploma, Kristin had the largest number of candidates of any New Zealand school in the November examinations session, and over the past 10 years boasts an average pass rate of 98%.
Kristin’s NCEA results also demonstrate the level of academic excellence that is expected from students in such a high achieving environment. With an overall NCEA pass rate of 93.2%, Kristin’s commitment to the national qualification is celebrated throughout the school. A total of 369 students sat Level 1, 2 and 3 NCEA at Kristin in 2018 and of those who sat Level 1, 78.4% were awarded Merit or Excellence endorsed certificates. Across all three NCEA levels, more than 75% of Kristin’s students achieved Merit or Excellence endorsed certificates, compared to 60% from similar schools (decile 8 – 10).
Senior School Principal David Boardman is incredibly proud of his students’ achievements. “Once again our students have shown that with dedication, hard work and the support of excellent teachers they can achieve the difficult goals that they set themselves. My hope is that their time at Kristin has prepared them as fully as possible for the challenges, not purely academic, in life that will lie ahead of them.”
Kane Wang achieved the perfect IB Diploma score of 45 points
