Extension Studies

Extension Academic Programmes at Macleans College

Macleans College has a proud tradition of our students excelling in academic pathways, and our staff offering academically challenging courses.

Many of our students are awarded academic scholarships to tertiary institutions in New Zealand and abroad, and gain very high grades in the Cambridge International (CIE) and National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) pathways; with some gaining top in the World or in New Zealand in CIE examinations. Macleans College students also have a proud legacy in the prestigious New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Scholarship examinations.

All subjects across the school offer a rich, challenging, differentiated curriculum which encourages critical, creative and analytical thinking. This rich curriculum, combined with excellent teaching and the school’s pastoral care programme, allows an environment of academic excellence to flourish.

Macleans College Extension Programme 2026 onwards

Macleans College is changing how we identify students for junior extension programmes, aiming to expand access to accelerated learning from Year 10 onward.

As part of this change, we will no longer run the traditional November test for incoming Year 9 students to form a dedicated extension form class.

Instead, all Year 9 students will be placed in mixed-ability form classes. Academic performance during their first year at Macleans College will inform selection for Year 10 extension programmes, allowing more students to access accelerated pathways.

All Year 9 students will continue to sit a maths test early in Term 1 next year, with placement into accelerated maths classes based on results. Other core subjects will remain mixed ability, with extension opportunities beginning in Year 10 for Science, and Humanities.

Senior students (Year 11 onward) may be accelerated depending on their academic capability and personal maturity.

Extension in Mathematics

Any student in Year 9 can be extended in Mathematics. Early in Term 1 students will be placed in a Core maths class. Once they have been tested they may be invited to move into an extension class where they will be learning at the Year 10 level.

Students placed in the extension class will be covering Year 10 material. This will give them the potential to sit AS or NCEA level 2 Mathematics in Year 11, if they are ready. All students are placed in the class based on academic ability.