SPEC

The SPEC (South Pacific Educational Certificate) course is an alternative course for supported learning students who are not wanting to complete a full NCEA senior courses because of specific needs or for students with special education needs that prevents them from completing NCEA level 1 courses.

Most students who take this subject will work towards gaining the South Pacific Educational Certificate (SPEC) as well as focusing on gaining their literacy and numeracy NCEA Level 1 requirements (when appropriate) through small one on one groups based in the Learning Centre. Students are also able to complete Supported Learning Unit Standards and some mainstream Unit Standards which count towards NCEA Level 1.

SPEC is an alternative NZQA programme that allows students to work on special interest modules leading to a nationally recognised qualification. The programme, whilst not an NCEA course, can complement many NCEA areas of study. In 2023 the New Zealand Certificate in Skills for Living is available and offers a pathway forward to Employment or Vocational Training/Apprenticeships or the New Zealand Certificate in Foundation Skills Level 1 for supported learners. 

If a student completes the Skills for Living certificate they can then move onto the Ready for Work opportunity at a Tertiary provider such as ARA. The Ready for Work course provides a framework to prepare young people for work. This programme is aimed at Level 1 and 2 students who have not yet achieved L1 NCEA and need support with learning.

Pre-requisites:

There are no pre-requisites to gain entry into this course however, students must be able to work independently, set learning goals and complete tasks to an acceptable standard. Entry to this course is at the discretion of Mrs Sanford.

This course is designed to be a student driven programme, with the student making choices about what topics they want to study. All Unit Standards are internally assessed but student folios are externally moderated. It is envisaged that this qualification would be achieved over an 18 month - two year period for most students. Students must complete 11 special interest modules (booklets) with a minimum of 8 tasks from each one.