Independent Schools of New Zealand

Eight of the 10,000 New Zealand students who sat exams in the internationally recognised Cambridge Examinations are celebrating a rare feat - receiving 100 per cent in a subject.

So the fact that four of them came from ACG Strathallan College in Karaka has left principal Robin Kirkham feeling incredibly thrilled.

The success of some of New Zealand's finest young scholars was celebrated at the inaugural International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Top Scholars' Awards ceremony at Government House, Auckland, recently.  The 450 students who completed the IB Diploma in New Zealand last year represented less than 1% of the participants worldwide.  However, this small group has made its mark, producing impressive results in the demanding two-year programme.

A new, all-weather, wet dressed sports turf at Auckland’s Diocesan School for Girls that will provide world-class training and match facilities for the school’s students as well as the wider sports community is believed to be a world first. 

St Andrew’s College students recently won seven of the coveted ICAS medals for highest academic marks in the country. St Andrew’s College Rector, Christine Leighton says, “It is most unusual for a school to gain more than one medal and so it was a proud moment for St Andrew’s to gain more medals than any other school in New Zealand.”

While many high school students were out enjoying their summer break, Kristin student James Allen (17) already had his mind in gear for the residential Mathematical Olympiad training camp in January. The workshop was held at Grafton Hall of the University of Auckland and brought together twenty four of the top mathematics students from throughout New Zealand.

Queen Margaret College girls’ Georgia Crawford (Year 10) and Jayde Maguire (Year 10) have returned from Hawaii with suitcases full of medals and trophies after a 16 day trip of training, competing and sightseeing.

Following the New Zealand Gymsports National Championships held in Timaru in October 2011, both Georgia and Jayde were selected for a Level 8-10 New Zealand representative team to travel to the United States of America in January 2012.

Pinehurst Senior College student a world number one amateur, Lydia Ko, has made world history and beaten top golf professionals to win the 2012 NSW Open.  Ko has made the history books, not only as the youngest player to win the event but, as the youngest golfer in the world to ever win a professional event.

New Zealand students have been recognised amongst the world's best with the release f the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma results for 2011.

The stand-out results for New Zealand came from four students who achieved a perfect score of 45 - placing them in the top 0.2% of students worldwide.  These students were Carla Boniolo of Kristin School, Harim Lee and Elynna Yang from St Cuthbert's College, and Karl Zhu of Auckland International College.

 A high achieving 17-year-old student from Auckland’s Diocesan School for Girls has won the 2011 Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Award for her outstanding research into a possible link between the early onset of short sightedness and mental concentration.

It's all green lights for Senior College student and golfing extraordinaire, Lydia Ko, who continues to reap in the awards with yet another anouncement, this time the prestigious "Overall Sportswoman of the Year" at the ASB Auckland Secondary Schools Sports Awards held at Eden Park last week.