Written diagnostic report
A detailed map of the student's skill profile at entry, produced after the first session and shared with families as the programme baseline.
Programme · Years 9–11
Are foundational gaps quietly limiting your grades?
The Academic Foundations Programme closes core skill deficits in literacy and numeracy before they compound.
What the Academic Foundations Programme covers
The Academic Foundations Programme is designed for students in Years 9 to 11 who have identifiable gaps in core numeracy, reading comprehension, or academic writing. Rather than reteaching entire subjects, the programme opens with a 90-minute diagnostic session that maps exactly where each student's knowledge breaks down. From that point, instruction targets only the gaps identified — meaning time is spent on material that will move the student forward, not content already understood. Topics typically covered include integer operations, algebraic reasoning, structured paragraph writing, and source-based reading skills aligned to NCEA Level 1 standards.
How the programme works week to week
Sessions run twice weekly, 75 minutes each, over a 10-week term. Each session closes with a short written exit task — five to eight questions — that the instructor marks before the student leaves. Results are logged against the student's individual benchmark chart, which is updated in real time and shared with caregivers via a secure parent portal. At the end of the term, students sit a structured end-of-programme assessment that mirrors NCEA internal assessment conditions. The written report sent to families at that point states clearly which benchmarks were met, which were partially met, and — where applicable — what a follow-on programme would address.
What students receive at the end of the programme
Concrete deliverables, not vague improvements.
Benchmark progress chart
Updated weekly and accessible via the parent portal, this chart shows movement against each of the programme's 12 core benchmarks in plain language.
End-of-programme certificate
A formal completion certificate listing the standards achieved, suitable for inclusion in a school portfolio or scholarship application.
“The diagnostic at the start told us in writing that Marcus was struggling with ratio and proportion, not maths generally. That focus changed everything — within six weeks he was completing ratio problems independently, and his confidence in class lifted noticeably.”
Tom Wakefield, Hillcrest, Hamilton
Book a diagnostic session this term
Places are limited to six students per group. Enquire now to confirm availability.